Therapy At A Pain Management Center For Benign Joint Hypermobility Syndrome

Your youngster has been diagnosed with benign joint hypermobility syndrome (BJHS) after experiencing muscle and joint pain that couldn't be dismissed as "growing pains." The doctor has recommended treatment at a pain management institute, such as Illinois Pain Institute, so your child learns to avoid injury and doesn't need to rely on pain medication. 

About BJHS

This connective tissue disorder is commonly called being "double-jointed." It involves the joints easily moving much further than normal. This can cause discomfort and pain because of extra stress on the joints and muscles. It also can result in a traumatic injury due to excessive strain.

As muscles and joints become bigger and stronger during the early teenage years, this excessive flexibility tends to decrease significantly. Some people continue to always have a certain level of joint hypermobility, but continued discomfort is uncommon.

Exercises

Doing specific exercises every day can be beneficial for reducing symptoms of BJHS. These exercises build muscle strength and stability.

A physical therapist at the pain institute creates a customized program for patients, targeting their specific needs. Your child will see demonstrations of the exercises and have time to practice them at the center. 

Activity Modification

The physical therapist listens to your youngster's descriptions of symptoms and which activities seem to cause or worsen pain. The therapist may recommend avoiding certain types of exercise, at least for the time being, if those activities cause discomfort. 

A physical therapist also can teach your child to avoid putting too much strain on the joints during regular activity. Since the excessive joint flexibility comes naturally, the youngster probably doesn't realize what normal limits are. During the physical therapy exercises, the child gets a better sense of where his or her joints and limbs are specifically located. That's important when needing to intentionally restrict joint movement. 

Manipulative Therapy

A chiropractor or osteopathic doctor at the pain institute can provide manipulative therapy, which is hands-on treatment to ease pain in the musculoskeletal system. Manipulative therapy also is intended to help the body heal itself, which is useful for the muscle strains and joint overuse associated with BJHS. 

As with physical therapy, manipulative therapy also helps the youngster realize exactly where his joints and limbs are located as the doctor moves them.

Concluding Thoughts

Don't hesitate to schedule an appointment at a pain management center so your child can begin therapy. All of this may seem overwhelming at first, but the various strategies used by practitioners at the center will help your youngster feel much better and help prevent injury.