Is there a “magic pill” to make my pain go away?

As a Health Care Provider in physical therapy and as an endurance athlete, I am seeing a growing trend of the “miracle treatment” society. With our fast paced lives, we don’t have time to wait for anything, especially healing.  It’s the “Microwave Society” as some may call it. We have information, technology, everything we can dream of at our fingertips. Why not our health? Why can’t we heal quickly with a magical pill, treatment, or app and solve all of our problems? As an endurance athlete myself, I personally have been reminded that just because I have temporary pain relief, that does not mean it is okay to continue with training.

There are so many gimmicks, treatments, and quick fixes out there that all sound so great. I recently read about a procedure for chronic plantar fascia pain that breaks up scar tissue in the foot. This treatment claims to “cure” the patient and allow them to return to running in 2 weeks, also saying physical therapy may not be necessary. Unfortunately, that is not the case. If someone has been plagued by chronic pain, there have most likely been adaptive changes in strength and mobility resulting in abnormal mechanics. Most likely, you need a little training or re-education to your now pain-free body before you get excited and start training for that race.  Similar claims are often used with treatments just as injections, steroid packs, and Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) treatments. 

I am not here to argue the effectiveness of these treatments. In fact, sometimes they can make people feel better. The people providing these treatments really do want you to have less pain. We have to ask ourselves, why do these people have chronic pain? Something is not allowing the tissue to heal, whether that is a training issue, diet, or biomechanical breakdown. There is usually an underlying issue that causes the problem. A good healthcare professional will try their best to find this breakdown, not just chase symptoms. 

I urge you as active individuals, to not just seek a miracle treatment; I ask you to find someone who is willing to treat your body and your whole person and not just pain. Helping people get better is not about “curing them,” it is about empowering them and finding a solution to their pain, rather than just chasing it. So before you spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on finding your miracle fix, look for potential causes, rather than just slapping a bandage on your pain and heading out for another run.

Tracy Hill, PT, DPT, CSCS, FAFS 

Tracy Hill is a Yoga Instructor, APTA member, NSCA member, Youth leader of high school ministries at East Valley Bible Church. She has been a physical therapist at Spooner Physical Therapy since March 2007. She completed a Fellowship of Applied Functional Science with the Gray Institute in 2010 and is also a certified Gray Institute’s Nike Golf Performance Specialist. As a runner herself, Tracy has a passion to treat runners and tri-athletes through their training and addressing their injuries.