Nutrition plays a significant role in your health and how your body works. Did you know that 70% of your immune system is located in your digestive system? How your gut works has an incredible influence on how you feel and defend yourself from illness! This can include controlling inflammation in your body, which causes pain, and may even contribute to a healthier mental status. With the number of people who experience Chronic Pain (lasting over 3 months) increasing over the decades, new solutions to control inflammation and pain are being researched. But are the answers new?
Over the past 12 months, a team of Physical and Occupational Therapists from the Outpatient Rehabilitation Department from Chester County Hospital in West Chester, PA has been studying the science of Nutrition and Pain. The result is a collaboration with the Nutrition Department to establish a pathway for Chronic Pain patients to receive nutritional counseling. A patient in Physical Therapy may receive a good foundation of information on Nutrition as it relates to inflammation and pain. Patients requiring specialized nutritional counseling are referred onto the Nutrition Department. Adding nutrition to the patient's toolbox for addressing pain is being well received by patients and referring providers!
Related Information from Chester County Hospital: