People who experience chronic pain, either due to a medical condition or an injury, often visit their physician who will run a series of tests, determine the cause of the pain and, in most cases, prescribe some sort of anti-pain medication. While most anti-pain medications work well to reduce or eliminate pain, many of the most effective medications are highly addictive. Vicodin, for example, is an excellent source of pain relief, but is one of the most abused pain medications today. In addition to its tendency for abuse, Vicodin, taken over a period of time, can cause organ damage, particularly to the liver and kidneys. In many cases, the patient becomes dependent upon the Vicodin and is at a loss when the doctor refuses to prescribe any more of the substance. Because of this problem, many physicians are now recommending both medication and physiotherapy to help pain management.
When a physician feels that he or she has done all that they can for their patient and does not feel it beneficial or safe to prescribe any more anti-pain medications, he or she will often refer the patient to a physiotherapist. Physiotherapists treat many different dysfunctions and are very...