Medication vs. Manual Therapy: Which One Actually Fixes Pain?

2 days ago

2 min read

0

If you’ve been dealing with pain—whether it’s from an old injury, sciatica, or chronic joint issues—you’ve probably been offered pain medication as a quick fix. While medications like NSAIDs, muscle relaxers, and even opioids can provide short-term relief, they don’t actually fix the root cause of pain.

At Advantage Therapy, we take a different approach. Manual therapy, dry needling, joint mobilization, and movement therapy work to correct imbalances, release tension, and restore function—giving you long-term relief without relying on pills.

The Problem with Pain Medication

Pain meds serve one purpose: they block pain signals. While this can be helpful for managing acute pain, it doesn’t address why you’re in pain in the first place.

Here’s what pain medications actually do:

NSAIDs (Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Aspirin): Reduce inflammation but don’t fix joint dysfunction or muscle imbalances.
Muscle Relaxers (Cyclobenzaprine, Baclofen): Temporarily loosen muscles but don’t strengthen or realign them.
Opioids (Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Morphine): Block pain signals but don’t heal tissues and come with high addiction risks.

Pain meds may mask symptoms for a few hours, but as soon as they wear off, the underlying issue is still there.

Why Manual Therapy is the Better Solution

Unlike medication, manual therapy and movement-based treatments work with your body to restore proper function.

✅ Dry Needling – Releases tight muscles, reduces nerve irritation, and resets pain pathways.

✅ Joint Mobilization & Spinal Manipulation – Realigns the spine and joints to improve movement and decrease pain.

✅ Soft Tissue Mobilization – Breaks up scar tissue, improves blood flow, and reduces chronic tightness.

✅ Functional Movement Therapy – Strengthens weak areas to prevent pain from returning.

Real Results from Real Patients

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Barbara Talisman (Google Review - 4 days ago)*"I was in some serious pain. My left shoulder and neck traps and levator scapula. Like not sleeping, can’t get comfortable and Advil sort of helped. Found some stretches on YouTube. Then Dr. Phil and Advantage Therapy were recommended. Someone canceled and I got to see him immediately. We met at a local gym with a recovery room—but he’s mobile and can meet you anywhere. He is thorough, diagnosed, and went to work. Dry needling with a stick, chiropractor adjustment, deep tissue manipulation. Some of it hurt, some of it felt great. At the end, I felt better, less tight, and my pain went from a 10 to 5. Better now a few days later.

It’s a process—he knows what he’s doing. He has followed up by text and email daily. I’ll be back next week while doing stretching and exercises as directed. Highly recommend.”*

Real Pain Relief, Not Just a Band-Aid

Medication might take the edge off for a few hours, but it won’t fix dysfunction, reduce muscle imbalances, or restore movement. If you want real relief that lasts, manual therapy is the way to go.