Austin Pain Therapy (Local)

“Ya’ll gave me my life back….”

When I was ‘stuck’ in Fayetteville, or as military ‘folk’ like to call it “Fayette-Nam” (I know, I know), I worked as an insurance billing specialist. It wasn’t until I met a man who had a traumatic car accident that I realized that Cumberland Chiropractic SAVED his life. Their referral to a neurologist and a subsequent brain surgery that he came back (with one of those Halo things on…..) that he thanked us for saving his life. See, if he hadn’t done the surgery, any accidental movement could have left him paralyzed. That’s when I realized that those who speak of chiropractic care as a ‘non-therapeutic’ treatment were wrong. Even as an insurance biller, I could see that. It wasn’t just that experience, but definitely the MOST dramatic.

You have probably read by now that I have been living with chronic back pain for over a year. Not fun! The worst has been dealing with the wrong doctors, bad referrals and those dreaded co-pays and out of pocket for medical care I PAY A LOT for through work. It has taken its toll and I was giving up. That’s not like me so I was ready to take control. My Pain Specialist referred me to a PT who didn’t work me as if I was healing from an injury; I suffered greatly from physical pain from too much, too soon. See, I have lipomas all over my body, some even debilitating. I asked for someone new. I wanted someone more holistic in nature and someone who CARED. I also needed someone close to home since my driving is affected by a lipoma directly pressing on nerves in my back. That is how I met Cris Haynes and Austin Pain Therapy.

Physical therapy – Each treatment is based on an individualized attention I’ve come to expect. My first aquatic treatment was heaven and I don’t want to stop. I realized, through APT, that my brain was not talking to my body. So, yes, they referred me to a neurologist (DONE!) which has been awesome help in healing. On top of that, I love biofeedback that has taught me where I need to work on relaxing my body (me a yogi!) but I’m no longer that fit and bendable person and I have had to come to accept that. Biofeedback has been priceless to me. Thanks, Rosemary!

Great Staff – You can tell from Cris (who is a mom to two girls and a boy and a wife to someone who, through an injury, has spinal cord issues) that she doesn’t want the co-pays to make money…but to help others. That is important to me after some miserable PT experience.

For the first time in a LONG time, I felt my therapist was LISTENING to me and not pushing me too far. My body took over a year long to get in this condition and it didn’t happen overnight which is why one-on-one treatment in a practice where people actually listen and like each other and their patients by specifying exactly what I needed.

But, let me let you talk to my favorite PT to tell you more about herself and her practice!

Q&A with Cris Haynes:

Q: What got you interested in physical therapy?
A: Initially I went to school for law and I was dead set on never taking another science class again after I graduated high school. But that all changed when my grandfather had a stroke and I realized I wanted to help people like the therapists helped him get back to “life”. It was my junior year of college and I quickly started taking my prerequisite classes for PT school and was fortunate to get in after graduation from college.

Q: You provide biofeedback and aquatic therapy at your clinic which has been a life-saver for me and knowing how my body isn’t connecting with my brain. After going through other PTs, your clinic was the first to really have a team on a holistic approach. How did you figure out how to put together such a special team?
A: Well, this concept started in 1989 by a chronic pain sufferer, Lawrence Maze, who had a vision to provide a more comprehensive approach to pain management which Laura, my business partner) and I wanted to cultivate and grow. We feel that it is important to treat the person as a whole and we take the time to really listen to our clients. We are constantly reviewing and adding different treatment options for our clients, one being a warm laser which will be available mid December. More on that in a few weeks.

Q: If a reader is interested in PT or feels like they need it, what would you suggest that they do?
A: Give us a call! We can help you get a prescription from your doctor and tell you about the treatment options available to you. We can also verify insurance benefits so you will be aware of the costs prior to coming to our clinic. We accept most insurance plans including Medicare and Medicaid, but some treatments may not be covered.

Q: You are a ‘Yankee’ like me (New York not Ohio, but close enough), what brought you to Austin?
A: I came to Austin in 1996 for an 8 week internship and at the end of my stay met my now husband, Mike. The story is much longer than that, but I’ll spare you the details.I moved down a year later after I graduated with my masters in PT. I love Austin and now my sister and my parents are here as well.

Q: What treatment do you find the most helpful for those who have debilitating and chronic fatigue?
A: Honestly it really depends. This is where is comes down to what I find at the time of their evaluation. Everyone is unique and responds differently to various treatments, as well as to different therapists, so it is constant reassessment and modification.

Q: Your referrals for me have been a lifesaver, especially seeing a connection to see a neurologist. My experience is that my previous PT kept having me go back to more sessions when I clearly couldn’t do much of the therapy. Are you unique in that way?
A: Well, it’s really my hope that other PT’s recognize when something is not quite right and refer to the appropriate professional, but unfortunately in your case this didn’t happen. I have been a PT for 17 years and have worked in a variety of settings with some amazing therapists. But I, along with other therapists, have become increasingly frustrated with healthcare and the increase demands on PT’s to see more and more patients in less time. It makes it really difficult to do our job without sacrificing quality of care. It is Laura and I’s hope, by taking over Austin Pain Therapy, to continue the goal of Lawrence to provide the quality care that our clients need and deserve.

Q: If there was one thing you could recommend to someone who is going through PT and not getting the help they need and have not hear about Austin Pain Therapy, what would you suggest?
A: I would tell them to give us a call. All PT clinics are different and every PT has different skill sets so if you are not getting the results you think you should be, try us. We will be completely honest, like I was with you, about what different treatments we can provide and if we feel we can or cannot help you beyond what other clinics have done. Give us a shot!

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I am seeing the best neurologist in Austin, but guess who referred me? My PT at APT! Yup, not my PT or my Pain Specialist and certainly not my PCP who really wanted nothing to do with me after referring me out, it was Cris. Frustrating after a year, but I’m on an awesome road to recovery I never thought possible. When you can’t walk or pick things up, it is NOT in your head (ok, well, some of it may be, but it doesn’t mean it’s not still painful to recover), and it is important it works out for your own health. I expect my doctors to do a lot because that is why I pay for my plan and – now I have what I need! So, as we find our way to the Thanksgiving table this Thursday, I just wanted to share with you – my lovely readers – what I am so thankful for this year; Austin Pain Therapy and my newfound mobility. Oh, and THIS (definitely this!):

Oh, how I love aquatic therapy! I want to LIVE in this pool! Thanks, Susan!

Other pain therapies provided:

Physical Therapy, Exercise Therapy, Aquatics, Biofeedback, Psychological Counseling, Ergonomics, Fascial Stretch Therapy, Modalities, Functional Capacity Evaluations, and more.