How Physical Therapy is Helping Fight The Opioid Crisis
NEW YORK (PRWEB) September 26, 2018 -- No one wants to live in pain. But no one should put their health at risk in an effort to be pain free. Recently, physical therapist Sarah Wenger teamed with the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and YourUpdateTV, to discuss the dangers of prescription opioid use for most non–cancer-related pain treatment and safer alternatives, including physical therapy, for managing pain.
A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/-GAi3V8KKPE
Modern society too often puts a premium on quick-fix solutions to complex problems. This is evidenced by the prescription drug consumption in the United States. According to the CDC, in 2017, there were 58 opioid prescriptions written for every 100 Americans. When it comes to pain and prescribing opioids, this desire for a quick fix not only can be counter-productive, it also can be dangerous. Often when individuals experience pain, nonopioid options are safer, more effective, and longer lasting.
That's why the CDC recommends safer alternatives like physical therapy to manage pain. Physical therapists treat pain through prescribed movement, hands-on care, and patient education—and by increasing physical activity you can also reduce your risk of other chronic diseases.
APTA's #ChoosePT campaign raises awareness about the dangers of prescription opioids, and encourages consumers and prescribers to choose physical therapy for safe pain management.
For more information on APTA's #ChoosePT campaign and to find a physical therapist in your area, visit MoveForwardPT.com
About Sarah Wenger:
Sarah Wenger, PT, DPT, is an associate clinical professor at Drexel University’s College of Nursing and Health Professions. She received her master of physical therapy degree from Arcadia University in 1997 and her doctor of physical therapy degree from Temple University in 2002. She also is a board-certified clinical specialist in orthopaedic physical therapy. She has published and presented on a range of topics related to her areas of expertise in chronic pain, underserved populations, and clinical reasoning, and she provides pro bono services in a community-based clinic. With an interdisciplinary team, Wenger developed a chronic pain clinical reasoning model and psycho-education program called Power Over Pain.
About APTA:
The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) is an individual membership professional organization representing more than 100,000 member physical therapists (PTs), physical therapist assistants (PTAs), and students of physical therapy.
About YourUpdateTV:
YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content, produced by award-winning video communications firm, D S Simon Media (http://www.dssimon.com). It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology.
Michael O’Donnell, D S Simon Media, +1 212-736-2727, [email protected]
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