My PT Sessions?

[DillanSC]

I got very lucky a couple of months ago and seen a very good PT about 7 hrs from my home. She evaluated me and gave me a treatment at the same time. The PT said she knew of someone about half the distance and said to see him, so I did. The question/ concern is that I could tell a big difference after seeing the first PT for 2 weeks until I got in to see the other PT. When I left all my pain was back in full force, I seen him again 2 weeks later, had another treatment. I didn't feel better, but I also think he was a little easier on my second visit. What would you do? Give it more time? I'm kind of stuck to because it turns out that these two are friends and this guy just doesnt have the expierence, but still charges $300 for a 2 hr treatment. Thats the same amount as the PT thats been doing it for over 25 yrs. Does anyone else pay this much. I would pay anything to get better, but I just dont want to waste my time and money if he can't help. People say its normal to have flare ups after treatmants but it just seems funny that the first PT made me feel better after one visit. Shes completely booked for months and I'm afraid if I leave this guy she won't want to see me either. Any suggestions. Thanks

[NoMoPain]

I would recommend you check with Dr Wise for a Physical Therapist reference--I don't know if you already did this and that is how you found your PT or not. When I first started, I had a choice between 2 PT's, one was very close and the other was 2 hours away, but I chose the latter because that is who Dr Wise recommended and I am very happy with my choice.

So again, if you have not done so already, get the PT that Dr Wise would recommend for you closest to your area.

[DillanSC]

Thanks for the responce!! To all of you that have had PT, (i know its dirrerent for everyone) has anyone been helped by there first sesion and then the following ones seem to just aggravate symptoms, and I also wonder if a lot of stretching from the PT and from AHIP could initially be worsening things? Thanks

[CppsDad]

I was hoping that I would have that initial help from my first session like so many people. I didn't. What I DID have, however, was confirmation that I had a lot of pain being caused by the areas the PT worked on. There was some referred pain, and that was all I need to know we were on the right track. My later sessions have often times caused pain, although some of the acute points we found were gone after just a few treatments.

Sessions and stretching that aggravate things are a GREAT sign that you are on the right track and that muscles are the problem. Think about it. Why would palpatating a trigger point or streching cause an infected prostate to suddenly ramp up the pain level? It DOESN'T. The increases in pain are just indications you are on the right track. Now, of course, if the pain is too much you might want to go more delicately and slowly increase the strength of the therapy. If you cause too much pain, you might not be able to relax and get as much out of the session. You might be too tense from the pain for the next few days.

But don't stop. Keep roaring ahead. Stretch like there's no tomorrow. Don't waste the sessions by not doing your homework.

Michael

[DillanSC]

Thanks Michael!!
That eases my mind. I just couldnt figure out why the first treatment helped for 2 weeks up until the time I seen the other PT. I have been doing a lot of stretching and its very agravating to feel worse. I will push through it though. Any idea how long it takes to notice any benefits (to tell its working). Thanks

[CppsDad]

You probably had an initial freedom from some painful trigger points which you had never had before. This can explain the initial pain free time period after your first sessions, along with the initial hope that you get from the first sessions - like getting new golf clubs - notice how those improve your game for a few months, only to come back to normal as your bad habits creep in - but actually, HOPE can decrease stress and anxiety and tension - and we all know how important the psychological aspects of this are. I think once you get passed that first session you don't ever really get that same "high" again. I don't know why. But that initial high gives false hope that all the sessions will end the pain for a few weeks, and it just doesn't happen that way.

Another way to look at it is that after working on the first few trigger points, you have opened up a whole layer of muscle fiber that was previously behind a taut muscle wall, and now you have access to it. As you release trigger points, you uncover more. There are many layers of muscle fiber and you have to work through all of them to end your pain. So perhaps the most painful spots were right on top, and ANY release on those spots improved your temporary condition.

There is always the possiblity the other PT isn't doing the same things, but the only way to know is to go back to the first one just to be sure.

I'm still VERY early in my treatments (7 weeks now), but I have already seen subtle improvements. I had extremely bad symptoms for a few years, so I think my condition will take a while to get better (6 months - 2 years). But subtle improvements are all I'm looking for right now. My subtle improvements are as follows:
1) I'm not taking 1800mg of Ibuprofen per day
2) I'm not taking 2-3 Vicadin's per day
3) I'm not taking Xanax every day any more (perhaps 1-2 times per week now)
4) My flare ups are a little shorter than before - they used to last for 3-5 days, but now it's more like 1-3 days.

I'm trying to avoid unrealistic expectations of weeks of no pain. I'm just looking forward and telling myself that 6 months from now, my pain will be better. Look at the big picture and you'll be ok.

The pain sucks and it is easy to want to back off treatment. But you aren't aggravating symptoms - you are stimulating them. Each time you do it, that particular symptom will get slightly better.

Mike