Why is exercise important to managing chronic pain?

Exercise can be an important treatment option for chronic pain, depending on the cause of that pain. Watch family medicine physician Jennifer Caudle, DO, explain why a solid diagnosis is key to determining if exercise can help manage chronic pain.

Transcript

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But having that diagnosis is key to knowing whether these modalities will actually help you or may not be so helpful in the end.

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When we talk about chronic pain, we're really talking about pain that lasts at least three months or longer. The first step in figuring out what treatment is right for you

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and if exercise will help you is to determine what the cause of your chronic pain is. Having a solid diagnosis is first and foremost.

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It's the most important thing to do first. Because remember that there are many pain conditions that actually can respond very well to exercise,

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things like water aerobics, water therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and many, many more.

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But having that diagnosis is key to knowing whether these modalities will actually help you or may not be so helpful in the end. One thing I've often seen in the office when patients come

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to me with chronic pain issues, whether it's back pain or shoulder pain or knee pain, whatever it is, is I

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often have a lot of patients be afraid of or be cautious about exercising or working out or doing

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certain physical therapy maneuvers. And again, what's most important is for us to find the right diagnosis for the underlying

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pain. But it's important to keep in mind that, as a patient, sometimes exercise might actually be the appropriate treatment.

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So that's why it's important for you to make sure. Go and talk to your doctor about the chronic pain that you're having because exercise actually