In a typical inpatient rehab course, which of the following is included?

• A. Desensitization
• B. Cognitive therapy
• C. Pharmacologic therapy only
• D. None of the above

Answer: (A)

Inpatient rehab programs routinely use desensitization to help patients tolerate sensory input and progress with activity. This approach involves graded exposure to touch, movement, and other stimuli, starting at a very low intensity and gradually increasing as the nervous system adjusts. The goal is to reduce hypersensitivity, such as allodynia or painful scar sensation, and to improve readiness for functional tasks like dressing, transferring, or gentle strengthening. By retraining how the nervous system responds to stimuli, patients can participate more effectively in therapy and reach sooner their goals for independence.

While cognitive therapy can be part of rehab for patients with cognitive or psychosocial needs, and pharmacologic therapy is often used to manage pain or medical conditions, neither alone captures the practical, active process of re-tuning sensory tolerance that desensitization provides.