Maybe you tried to lift something too heavy. Maybe you slept wrong and now your back is feeling crunchy, or maybe you don’t know what you did but you hurt and your body just feels off.
Regardless of the cause, when you’re in pain the last thing you want to do is wait for relief. That’s why the law enacted in late 2019 that gave Texans the power to access physical therapy care without having to wait for a doctor’s prescription and referral is so important.
In late 2019, Texas joined 48 other states to allow people to visit a physical therapist without a physician’s referral. Prior to that, you would have to wait for an appointment with a physician who may then prescribe medication or refer you for pain management, physical or occupational therapy, or even refer you to a specialist, with each step delaying your road to recovery.
In addition to helping you feel better faster, research has shown that direct access to physical therapy can improve outcomes and patient satisfaction, shorten the duration of care, reduce the need for advanced imaging and its related costs, and reduce the overall costs per incident by nearly 50%!
Early access to physical therapy can also provide a safe, effective alternative to the use of opioids, and is a preferred strategy to reduce the reliance on opioids to treat pain.
Any time pain is an issue, contact us at the onset for safe, effective, immediate relief through physical therapy so you can remain active and keep doing the things you enjoy.
