We hear it ALL. THE. TIME.
"I went to my Doctor with a pain complaint, and they told me I am just old, or it should just go away on it's own. Give it 4-6 months." Maybe ice it a little, heat it a little, take some Ibuprofen or Aleve. Sound familiar?
So 4-6 months goes by and guess what? You're still in pain! But why?? Logic would say that whatever actually GOT you in pain in the first place is still there and hasn't changed just by waiting it out. This goes for back problems, shoulder problems, knee problems, etc. etc.
What we usually find to be the issue includes a variety of things, unique to each individual: A flexibility issue, a strength/weakness issue, an alignment issue, a movement pattern/bad habits issue, a postural issue, you get it. And side note, it's rarely because you have arthritic changes, a disc bulge, or otherwise "worn out" joints. Even bodies with arthritis and disc issues can be and move pain-free! The other good news? Even after 4-6 months of waiting and your pain now going from the acute stage to the chronic stage (WHY in the world would anyone recommend letting your pain transition to the chronic stage?!?), your real problem can still be found, can still be addressed, and your pain can still go away....EVEN if you're "old!"
Moral of the story, don't listen to the "wait it out" advice, it doesn't work and it's not good for your body or your mental state. Physical Therapists are Doctorate-level educated professionals who can evaluate your situation and give you practical and safe advice, exercises, and manual techniques to get you feeling great again, right away. And with Direct Access laws, you can go straight to your PT without a Physician referral in most cases.
Let us know your thoughts...were you told to just "wait it out?" How did that work out for you? I'm guessing that if you're reading this blog post, it didn't work out!!
In good health,
Dr. Ashley Bertorelli
www.thegrpt.com
Clifton Park & Troy