Hand Health Resources
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    • Mobility - Range of Moition
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Managing Pain

Managing Pain

Pain is actually an important survival response that keeps our bodies safe. 
  • Acute, or beneficial pain:
    • let's us know when something is wrong
    • warns us that we need to take action to prevent potential tissue damage. 
      • is usually short-lived, typically under 6 weeks
      • is typically a sharper, localized throbbing ache that is common with an initial, normal inflammatory healing response. 
      • typically responds well to medication.
  • At times, pain outlives it's usefulness.  Chronic pain: 
    • typically lasts longer than 3 months of onset
    • is usually a duller and less specific type of pain
    • is no longer providing appropriate feedback about the potential for tissue damage. 
    • is not as responsive to medications as acute pain.
If the hand or arm is painful, there is a natural tendency to immobilize the arm and to not use it naturally for activity.  This guarded response to protect the arm can then cause long-term stiffness and weakness.

Hand therapists use techniques to help minimize the pain response.   These may include the following:
  • Wound management;
  • Scar management;
  • Light motion to keep joints loose and pump out swelling
  • Swelling & Inflammation control (elevation, compression, modalities)
  • Manual therapy techniques including soft tissue mobilization; trigger Point Therapy, myofascial release techniques
  • Education in Relaxation techniques & deep breathing, Stress management; Joint protection instruction, arthritis management, energy conservation instruction;
  • Application of Therapeutic Taping techniques;
  • Sensory re-education, desensitization techniques
  • Use of Modalities: electrical stimulation, FES (Functional Electrical Stimulation), TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation), iontophoresis, heat, cold, Fluidotherapy
  • Mirror Box, Imagery & Laterality Retraining
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  • Home
  • TELEHEALTH
  • Hand Therapy
    • What does a CHT do?
    • Injuries a CHT Treats
  • Injuries
    • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
    • CMC Arthritis
    • Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
    • DeQuervain Tenosynovitis
    • Distal Radius Fracture
    • Dupuytren Contracture
    • Finger Fracture
    • Ganglion Cyst
    • OsteoArthritis
    • Tennis Elbow/Golfer's Elbow
    • Thumb Sprain
    • Trigger Finger
  • Treatments
    • Mobility - Range of Moition
    • Strengthening
    • Manual Therapy
    • Managing Swelling & Inflammation
    • Managing Pain
    • Managing Scar
    • Heat, Cold & Paraffin
    • Ultrasound
    • Electrical Stimulation
    • Iontophoresis
    • Education
    • Orthotic Fabrication, Splints & Braces
    • Therapeutic Taping
  • Exercises
    • Tendon Gliding Exercises
    • Finger Blocking Exercises
    • Finger Bending Stretches
    • Finger Straightening Exercises
    • Thumb Bending Exercises
    • Thumb Straightening Exercises
    • Wrist Exercises
    • Forearm & Elbow Exercises
    • Nerve Gliding Exercises
    • Computer Stretches
  • Blog
  • Store
  • Contact Us