The prevalence of chronic pain ranges from 11% to 40%. In fact, it’s one of the most common reasons adults request medical care.
Chronic pain doesn’t have to impact your quality of life. Instead, consider exploring the benefits of the Graston Technique and how it can ease your pain.
What is the Graston Technique, exactly, and how can it help? Keep reading to find out!
After reading this guide, you can find a new way to ease your pain (without medication).
Read on to learn more!
1. Pain Relief
First, let’s answer the question that’s on everyone’s mind: what is the Graston Technique, exactly?
This technique is a type of manual therapy designed to reduce pain, improve function, and increase a patient’s range of motion. Using stain steel tools, a clinician can release adhesions in your muscles. These adhesions can include scar tissue or tight knots throughout your body.
It’s important to find a certified clinician who has experience with this form of therapy.
They’ll use their Graston Technique tools by running the stainless steel over your skin. By finding knotted muscle, the physician can focus on the root of your pain, instead of a symptom.
The Graston Technique is used by chiropractors, therapists, and osteopathic physicians to reduce pain and discomfort.
In fact, pain relief is one of the main reasons patients seek out the benefits of the Graston technique. Your clinician will consider your goals before starting treatment. For example, perhaps you’re concerned about scar tissue buildup that’s contributing to pain.
Breaking the scar tissue loose will allow any connecting tissue to move without restriction, which can ease pain symptoms.
Are you concerned about soft tissue damage instead? As the tissues heal, your pain will subside.
This technique can help remove toxins from an injury as well, ensuring your body heals.
What if you’re struggling with delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after an intense workout? Muscle soreness can keep you from maintaining your exercise routine.
Since this technique encourages your body to heal, it can decrease DOMS. In addition to ensuring your stick to your routine, it can improve your range of motion, too!
2. Fast Results
Chronic pain can slow you down. In some cases, the pain is so intense that patients can’t get up to go to work or perform daily functions. They need a treatment option that provides fast results.
For many people, the Graston treatment offers the fast healing they need. It’s ideal for people who have acute or chronic injuries.
However, the Graston Technique doesn’t work for everyone. It can sometimes take six to 10 treatments before some patients notice results. The success can depend on the severity of your pain or condition.
This technique isn’t ideal for patients who have:
- Kidney disorders
- Cancer
- High blood pressure
- Open wounds
- Pregnancy
For the best results, consult an experienced clinician who is certified to provide this technique. Your chiropractor might suggest you combine this therapy with therapeutic exercise as well.
3. Aids Natural Healing
Why is this technique so effective? Namely, this treatment option promotes natural healing.
Graston Technique tools are designed to stimulate blood flow. As your circulation improves, blood will carry essential nutrients and oxygen to injuries with ease. More concentrated amounts of nutrients and oxygen can stimulate healing.
Your tissue and muscles will heal as a result. In time, they’ll grow stronger, which can improve your mobility and range of motion.
The goals of this therapy include:
- Breaking down fascia restrictions and scar tissue
- Reducing restrictions by rearranging the structure of the treatment area’s soft tissue
- Promoting better healing
The technique activates mechanoreceptors and proprioceptors in the body as well. Mechanoreceptors detect sound, vibration, touch, and pressure. Proprioceptors receive stimuli like movement.
Together, these sensory receptors help your body continue to repair and grow stronger.
By boosting your body’s ability to heal naturally, treatment can reduce your recovery time.
4. Treats Chronic Conditions
There are a number of chronic conditions the Graston Technique can help treat. A few include:
- Neck, shoulder, knee, and back pain
- Tendonitis
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Medial tibial stress syndrome
- Scar tissue
- Hip flexor strain
- Trigger finger
- Costochondritis
- Tennis elbow
- Golfer’s elbow
- Fibromyalgia
- Plantar fasciitis
- DeQuervain’s syndrome
- Achilles tendinitis
- IT band syndrome
- Surgical and traumatic scars
For example, are you suffering from chronic back pain? You’re not alone. In fact, about 65 million Americans have reported a recent back pain flare-up.
Meanwhile, 16 million adults deal with chronic or persistent back pain. As the sixth most costly condition in the US, back pain causes $12 billion in expenses every year.
A few sessions with this technique could ease your pain symptoms. As your pain eases, your function will improve. You’ll find it easier to move and complete daily activities as a result.
Remember, this technique is ideal for acute and chronic pain. However, each patient is unique. You could require a distinctive combination of treatment programs.
It’s best to complete an assessment with your medical provider to make sure this technique is ideal for you.
5. Reduced Need for Medication
Patients spend hundreds on medication every year. These medications can cause dangerous side effects, including addiction. Some medications can even interact with the supplements you take, which could slow your health goals.
Instead of taking that risk, more people are turning toward manual therapies.
Choosing the Graston Technique could help you avoid taking potentially dangerous medications. In addition to avoiding addiction, you can save money as well.
Ease Away the Pain: 5 Benefits of the Graston Technique
Living in pain could keep you from enjoying the activities you enjoy. Don’t let your pain symptoms impact your quality of life! Instead, consider these five benefits of the Graston Technique.
By scheduling an appointment, you could ease your pain, improve your overall function, and get back to living your best life!
Ready to schedule your first session? We can’t wait to see you.
