Physiotherapists mainly treat pain, right? They certainly can treat pain effectively, but that’s not all. There are several conditions you might not be aware physiotherapy can help resolve.
3 Conditions Physiotherapy Can Treat
Here are a few painful, annoying, and sometimes embarrassing health conditions a physiotherapist can treat:
1 — Pelvic pain/pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) — Pelvic pain can drastically reduce your quality of life. It is often caused by pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD), and 1 in 5 people will experience PFD at some time or another. For women, pelvic floor dysfunction can cause pain with intercourse. For both women and men, it can cause constipation, interstitial cystitis (IC), lower back pain, stool or urine leakage, a high urinary frequency, and more. Read more about pelvic floor dysfunction here.
Many people don’t know that physiotherapy is an effective treatment for PFD. Physiotherapists with experience treating pelvic issues can find the root cause of the problems patients are facing, and can work with them to resolve PFD. Those experiencing pelvic floor dysfunction should strongly consider physiotherapy treatment.
2 — Jaw pain/TMD — Jaw pain, commonly referred to as “TMJ,” is more accurately referred to as “TMD,” which stands for “temporomandibular disorder,” a disorder of the jaw. TMD can cause varying degrees of pain. Some individuals experience slight pain, others moderate, and others severe. TMD can cause a popping or clicking sound and sensation in the jaw joint, and can even cause the jaw joint to seize up. One of the most common causes of TMD is teeth grinding, which often stems from stress.
Did you know that physiotherapy can treat TMD? While many people reach for pain relievers for their jaw pain, sometimes the best thing to do is reach out to a physiotherapist. “Physiotherapy treatment is very effective in relieving and managing TMD, even when the symptoms are long-standing and severe,” stated Physiopedia. “With appropriate physiotherapy most patients will see a significant improvement in their symptoms within 3 to 6 weeks.”
3 — Vertigo — There are few things more unsettling that vertigo. Vertigo makes it nearly impossible to do daily tasks, and it takes the fun out of life. Some people think that medications are the only treatment for vertigo, but this isn’t the case. Physiotherapy can also treat vertigo.
Vertigo is often caused by an inner ear disturbance. The inner ears are responsible for our sense of balance and groundedness, and an inner ear dysfunction can trigger vertigo. “Vestibular physiotherapy can be a very good option for treating symptoms of dizziness and vertigo, especially if these symptoms are triggered or made worse by movement,” wrote a contributor to the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA). This is because a physiotherapist with experience in this area can work with you to correct common inner ear disorders, such as BPPV, vestibular neuritis, and vestibular migraine, per the APA.
Raise Awareness About Physiotherapy Today
Many people are unaware that physiotherapy can treat pelvic pain/pelvic floor dysfunction, jaw pain (TMD), and vertigo. Want to help spread awareness that physiotherapy can help people suffering with these conditions? Share this article, or let others know what you’ve learned by spreading the word.