Pain that lasts is a different problem than pain that starts.
Chronic pain wears down more than the part that hurts. It takes mobility, independence, and the ordinary things you used to do without thinking about them. It also does not go away on its own, which is what separates it from the pain of a fresh injury. Sciatica, arthritis, headaches, pelvic joint pain, peripheral neuropathy, frozen shoulder, foot pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and tennis elbow all show up here.
Physical therapy has a research-backed answer for this, and it starts with understanding what your pain actually is. Dr. Matthew Nelson holds a Therapeutic Pain Specialty credential, and pain neuroscience education is one of the clinic's listed specialties. That is not a soft add-on. When you understand why a sensitized system keeps producing pain, the fear comes down, movement becomes possible again, and the rest of the program has somewhere to go.
Chronic pain does not have one shape.
These are the presentations physical therapy for persistent pain is built for. If yours is on this list, there is work to do.
Arthritis Discomfort
Joint pain and stiffness that limits how far you walk, how well you sleep, and how much of the day you use.
Nerve Pain and Neuropathy
Burning, tingling, or shooting pain that follows a nerve rather than a muscle, including sciatica and peripheral neuropathy.
Persistent Muscle Tension
Muscles that never quite let go, and stiffness that returns within hours of anything that loosens it.
Fibromyalgia Symptoms
Widespread pain and sensitivity where the whole system is turned up, not one damaged structure.
Pain After Injury or Surgery
The tissue healed, the scan came back fine, and the pain stayed. This is one of the most treatable versions.
Chronic Headaches
Headaches frequent enough to plan around, often with neck and upper back tension underneath them.
Understand it, calm it down, then rebuild what it took.
Where we start depends on the type of pain you have and what is underneath it. We assess your range of motion, the habits and positions feeding the problem, and what you can currently tolerate. Then we teach you how persistent pain works, because a pain system that has been sensitized for years responds to understanding in a way it does not respond to being pushed through.
From there it is hands-on work to release tightness and restore mobility, gentle movement to improve circulation and bring the sensitivity down, posture and movement retraining, and strength and flexibility work that grows as your tolerance grows. Dry needling handles persistent muscular pain and trigger points directly. When your case calls for it, we work alongside the rest of your medical team rather than around them.
Dry needling targets trigger points in muscle. Utah physical therapists can use it because Dr. Matthew Nelson spent five years getting the law changed.
Schedule Your Appointment
No referral needed. Utah has direct access to physical therapy, and we are in network with 11+ carriers plus Medicare.
Your first visit runs about an hour, with your Doctor of Physical Therapy in the room the whole time. Tell us everything. Leave with a plan.
You’re all set.
We’ll reach out within one business day to confirm your appointment. If you need to speak with us sooner, call us directly.