BD Physical Therapy Supports #ChoosePT
The #ChoosePT campaign aims to educate consumers about the opioid epidemic and urges the use of physical therapy to manage pain.
The American Physical Therapy Association had been in collaboration with the White House to address the current opioid crisis. In March, 2016 it launched #ChoosePT, its own public education campaign to raise awareness among patients and prescribers about physical therapy as a safe alternative for pain management.
It is a collaboration with more than 40 health care provider groups nation wide, including the American Physical Therapy Association APTA, the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Nurses Association, the American Public Health Association, the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, and the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons..
It began outreach in states identified by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as having either the highest numbers of drug overdose deaths or the highest opioid prescription rates in recent years—Tennessee, Alabama, West Virginia, Oklahoma, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Ohio, Mississippi, and Rhode Island.
Our nation’s health protection agency, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urges non-opioid approach for most pain treatment.
The #ChoosePT campaign promotes the CDC publication of Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain. In it, the CDC found Doctor-prescribed opioids are appropriate in only certain cases, such as cancer treatment, palliative care, end-of-life care, and certain acute care situations, if properly dosed. But for other pain management, the CDC recommends non-opioid approaches – including physical therapy.
The CDC focused on the risk vs. benefits of opioid use. They discovered that opioids may mask the pain – but the risks including depression, overdose, addiction, and withdrawal symptoms when stopping use, often outweigh the benefits.
The CDC guideline states that because of the risks, opioids should not be considered first-line or routine therapy for chronic pain and that clinicians should consider opioid therapy only if expected benefits for both pain and function are anticipated to outweigh risks to the patient.
Even if opioids are used, the CDC guideline states they should be combined with nonpharmacologic therapy and nonopioid pharmacologic therapy – [such as physical therapy!] – as appropriate.
Before you agree to a prescription for opioids, consult with a physical therapist to discuss options for non-opioid treatment.
Here at BD Physical Therapy, a physical therapy clinic in Randolph MA, each patient’s condition is expertly evaluated and diagnosed, and the patient’s limitations, needs, lifestyles, and goals are considered before designing treatment plans.
Our physical therapists at BD Physical Therapy design personalized treatment plans to reduce the risk of future injury, whether in everyday activities or sports. At BD Physical Therapy, we know that following a personalized treatment plan can be one of the best protections from injury.
Click here to see common conditions we treat at BD Physical Therapy, and click here to see what to expect at your first appointment. Then give us a call at 781.961.4460 to schedule an appointment so we can help you safely reduce your pain.
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