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January 8, 2018

Five People Who Should Go Straight to PT (Are you on this list?)
Since 2016, people in Louisiana who need Physical Therapy can now go directly to a Physical Therapist and start care immediately without having to go to their Doctor first. No prescription is required for treatment and insurance will cover most services provided.

Athletes: When we think of athletes, perhaps we picture NFL players with whiplash or baseball pitchers with elbow injuries? The truth is that many of us are athletes, from the high school track team to Crossfitters to folks in their 40’s, 50’ and 60s who like to hit the gym 3 times a week to stay in shape. All of these folks have injuries from time to time; it comes with the territory. Injuries are easy to manage with the help of an expert and injuries don’t have to get in the way of progress. PTs are experts in treating all types of sports injuries from minor sprains and strains all the way to rehabilitation after major joint surgery. They can also help you modify your workout so you can stay active as you recover.
Back Pain Sufferers: There is no more effective treatment for back pain than Physical Therapy. Contrary to popular belief, rest does not help most types of back pain and in fact an active solution is both quicker and more effective in the long term. Many traditional treatments for back pain (such as pain medication) focus on treating the symptoms only. Physical Therapy not only helps relieve pain without the use of medication or shots, but it also focuses on identifying the root cause of the pain and finding an active solution that the patient can ultimately do on their own.
Arthritis Sufferers: Arthritis is episodic, meaning it tends to flare up for a while and then calm down for a period. Triggers for flare ups can be bad weather, a change in activity level or an accident. If not treated early, a flare up can progress to the point where it forces you to take days off work or prevents you from enjoying time with the family. Calling your Physical Therapist and getting some early intervention in a flare up not only treats the problem without adding more medication to your regimen, but it also prevents symptoms from becoming worse and interfering in your life.
People with Headaches: Center for Disease Control studies show that headaches affect 90% of the population. These range from a minor annoyance to migraines that cause people to stay in bed and miss out on life. A large percentage of headaches are caused by (or made worse by) physical problems such as tension, trigger points or stressful postures in the head and neck. In most cases these can be treated by Physical Therapy which eliminates the headaches altogether or makes them less frequent and less intense.
People Looking for Solutions: Physical Therapists are able to treat or help with a wide variety of conditions. Perhaps you have read an article online about how Physical Therapy can help your condition or you have spoken to a friend who got good results from Physical Therapy but you are not sure how to proceed? At Jones Physical Therapy, you can come to our office and consult with a Physical Therapist at NO charge and find out if Physical Therapy is a good option for you. If it is, then you can start treatment as soon as you would like. If Physical Therapy is not a good option, you will be referred to the specialist that is best suited to help with your condition.

Did you know that YOU can receive physical therapy treatment with NO prescription from your doctor? That’s right! For almost two years now, people in Louisiana have been able to walk directly into a physical therapy clinic and request treatment without seeing a specialist. Check out our most recent blog post for more information!

If you are interested in receiving treatment, looking for a second opinion or are just curious as to what physical therapy is and how it can potentially help you – give us a shout! We are offering FREE Discovery visits with our physical therapists. No fees, no paperwork and best of all, no insurance required! Just you and the physical therapist talking about you and how to get you better!