If you suffer from back problems, your specialist in spine pain in Jacksonville may recommend that you enroll in a physical therapy program. Pain can interfere with your ability to perform your physical therapy exercises, so it is important to be as pain-free as possible before starting your sessions. Here are some things you can do to help ease your pain while performing your therapeutic exercises.
Stretch Before Starting
Doing gentle stretching exercises helps promote circulation and flexibility. Warming up by stretching also keeps your blood flowing properly so that oxygen and essential nutrients can be transported to areas of pain and inflammation around your spine. If you don’t feel comfortable stretching at home on your own, your physical therapist will help you stretch properly before starting your exercises.
Take Your Medication
Another way to make sure your pain is manageable before starting your physical therapy is to take your medication beforehand. When you take your pain medication an hour or so before starting your therapy, you will be more flexible, feel better, and have better range of motion. This will allow you to do your exercises properly.
If physical therapy exercises are performed incorrectly, you may reinjure your back. If your specialist in spine pain in Jacksonville prescribed narcotic analgesics to manage your pain, consider taking an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drug, or NSAID, before your therapy instead. Over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or naproxen sodium are less likely to cause drowsiness and dizziness, which are common side effects of narcotic pain medications. Be sure to talk to your pain doctor before trying new medications.
To learn more about pain management or to make an appointment, call Riverside Pain Physicians or browse the website at
Sitename .
