Achiness: 3 reasons you could be feeling it and 2 ways PT can treat it

Pain and achiness in the body are common experiences to feel for most Americans. In fact, an estimated 25.3 million adults in the United States have reported feeling persistent pain for a period of at least three months. Are you one of the many who have experienced pain and achiness that just won’t go away on its own? You can find out some possible causes and physical therapy treatments here.

What are some possible causes of achiness in the body?

There are many reasons why someone might experience achiness in their body. Some common conditions behind this physical sensation include:

• Rheumatoid arthritis — Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease. RA causes the body to attack healthy tissue, like joint linings. It results in pain, achiness and swelling in many of the body’s joints, including those in the fingers and toes. It can also affect the wrists, knees, ankles, elbows and shoulders. Most people with rheumatoid arthritis will experience inflammation in the joint linings on both sides of the body. For example, someone with rheumatoid arthritis in their wrist is likely to experience the symptoms in not just one but both wrists.

• Osteoarthritis — Osteoarthritis is a type of joint disease that involves the joints gradually deteriorating. This condition typically becomes more extreme over time and most commonly affects older adults. The symptoms of osteoarthritis are chronic. They may cause pain, stiffness and swelling over a period of many years or even throughout a person’s lifetime. As this condition progresses, many osteoarthritis patients begin to experience grinding, where two bones meet after the cartilage in a joint has deteriorated.
  
• Fluid retention — Another common cause of achiness in the body is fluid retention. You may be surprised to learn that fluid retention can be responsible for achy feelings. The fluid buildup under the skin can cause pain, stiffness and swelling. Many conditions can lead to fluid retention, including lymphedema, kidney disease, hypothyroidism and cardiovascular disease, to name several.

How can physical therapy treat achiness in the body?

Fortunately, many of the conditions that lead a person to feel achiness can be addressed during physical therapy. Here’s how a physical therapist might improve an achy patient’s condition:

• Improve joint mobility — A physical therapist can help someone with achiness by improving their joint function and mobility. Many people with arthritic joints have trouble managing their stiffness and discomfort, but guided movement and manual therapy can reduce those uncomfortable feelings and reduce discomfort in the joints. While arthritis isn’t curable, it can be effectively managed with consistent exercise and treatment during physical therapy.

• Promote fluid drainage — For those who have achiness in their body because of poor fluid drainage, physical therapy can improve that, too. Physical therapists can manually drain areas of the body that have collected too much fluid, whether due to lymphedema or another condition. During physical therapy, a licensed therapist will use their hands or a specialized instrument to push fluid away from any region where it has collected in excess and encourage proper drainage. They can also show you which movements you can perform at home to encourage daily fluid drainage when you’re not at your physical therapist’s clinic.

• Strengthen the muscles that support involved joints — Strengthening exercises are recommended to improve the function of muscles surrounding achy joints, reduce the amount of stress on the joints themselves and help to maintain joint space. Exercises can be provided at home to supplement activities in the clinic and transition you to be able to self-manage.

Let Advent Physical Therapy help you relieve your persistent achiness and discomfort

Are you experiencing achiness that occurs when you move your joints or as a result of fluid retention? Our physical therapists can improve your condition. At Advent Physical Therapy, we use a variety of evidence-based PT treatments, like manual therapy. We strive to help our patients toward relief from their discomfort.

Our patients’ health and wellness are our first priority at Advent Physical Therapy. We understand how much getting back your mobility and physical comfort can mean. When it comes to improving achiness in the body, you can consider us experts. Our clinic has some of the best physical therapists who aim to push you to meet your personal goals. We’re a team-oriented group of professionals who work with each of our patients to create the best outcomes for all. 

We can create a treatment plan to optimize your health. Our plans account for your condition now and even your health years from now. We value building relationships with our patients and helping address their discomfort. Let us provide a free screening to help you address your health.

Call us or request an appointment today to determine the source of your achiness.