My name is Dr. Chelsea Jerabek, and I’m the owner and physical therapist of Thrive Physical Therapy in Olathe, KS. I experienced chronic illness and chronic pain for over 20 years. One of the reasons I started Thrive PT was that I wanted to provide hope to those who felt hopeless. My reason for sharing my story are to inspire others and help those seeking the best approach for healing and wellness.
At the age of 12, I became ill and spent 3 years without a diagnosis, which caused me to quickly lose hope. During that time, I had a wide variety of symptoms, like joint, muscle, and nerve pain, neurological dysfunction, and GI issues that no one could explain. I was scared and desperate to know what was wrong with me.
Finally, I was diagnosed with Lyme disease at the age of 15. Over the next 18 years, I received treatment for Lyme while experiencing the most excruciating pain of my life, being wheelchair-bound, losing function, and merely surviving.
Sports-induced asthma, acid reflux, digestive issues, headaches, severe menstrual cramps (requiring of surgery), uncontrollable itching, seizures, impaired cognition, brain fog, sleep disturbances, extreme fatigue, muscle/joint/nerve pain, hair loss, being bedridden, tinnitus, vision changes, heart palpitations, painful lymph nodes, anxiety, depression, OCD tendencies, decreased sensation to touch, impaired balance and mobility, and inability to walk.
As a teenager, I received physical therapy that helped me as an athlete to continue playing soccer, but it didn’t address my chronic pain during my treatment for Lyme disease. I was able to overcome Lyme disease with medication, but I still had residual pain. In my therapist's defense, there weren't a whole lot of PTs who were educated about the difference between acute pain and chronic pain due to illness, and I could not communicate my different types of pain to my PT.
While in PT school, I made it my personal and professional goal to learn all I could about managing long-term pain and became passionate about treating others who suffer from it. Too many health professionals dismiss this kind of pain because they don’t understand it, can’t fix it, or say “it’s all in your head.” I know the frustration that comes from those responses and vowed to always listen to what my patients tell me about their bodies. I may be an educated and trained expert, but my patients are the experts of their bodies.
Because of the pain and complicated health issues I experienced, I am passionate about helping patients who are going through the same things because I know how debilitating pain is and that PT is a way to heal and recover from pain, not just manage with medication. By taking courses on chronic pain and applying them to myself, I was able to treat my chronic pain. Through everything I learned, I now understand my body was protecting me for two decades, and my body is so strong that it was able to get me through all my suffering.
By focusing on understanding how pain works in the body and all the factors that play into levels of pain, your healing journey will shift from temporary relief to lasting results.
Here are some successful physical therapy techniques:
| Technique | Purpose | Results |
| Manual Therapy | Decrease pain and improve joint and tissue mobility | Increase tolerance of movement and touch |
| Therapeutic exercises | Stabilize joints and strengthen muscles to regain function | Improve spine stability, stronger muscles, and be far more functional in everyday life |
| Pain Neuroscience Education | Identify how the body responds to pain and rewire the brain to reduce pain | Identify stressors to pain and significantly reduce daily pain to the point of not needing medication to manage symptoms |
| Dry Needling | Decrease pain, improve tissue mobility, and promote healing | Significantly reduce muscle tension, improve recovery time, and overall mobility |
Today, I can live mostly pain-free and am now a fully functioning ‘normal’ human being. Physical therapy was what gave me my life back, and I am forever grateful for that. If any part of my story resonates with you—pain, an unknown illness, or a complicated health issue—please reach out to Thrive Physical Therapy, and we can start your healing journey today!
