HEAD PAIN 101
One of my favorite accomplishments as a physical therapist is to treat the problem and not just the symptoms. Just a few weeks ago, I was evaluating a patient with low back pain that reported multiple surgeries over the past 3 years. He started 10 years ago with “just a low back strain at work.” Then, over the 2 years that followed, he suffered with a similar injury every couple of months. Eventually, his pain was all the way down his left leg and he could no longer function in his job. He addressed his problem with ibuprofen and “tried to make the pain go away”, but with each episode the pain worsened and took longer to resolve. After 10 years of chronic back pain and surgeries, he wished he had tried PT first in order to truly fix the problem rather than just mask the symptoms. PT is the number one option for taking care of back pain quickly and completely. Instead of just masking the pain, we, at Superior PT, treat the problem. We get to the root of the pain, correct postural issues, body mechanics, and reduce nerve compression that causes sciatica pain. Phase one of treatment is reducing the pain with hands on manual treatment, and restoring pain- free motion. Phase two includes the core strengthening, weight loss and functional improvements necessary to maintain a healthy back. Don’t get stuck in just masking your low back pain. Come see a Superior Physical Therapist today and make a difference for life. Sincerely, Bart McDonald, PT, MPT, ECS, FMSK CEO Superior PT A NOT E FROM OUR CEO
There are a lot of different types of headaches that you may experience, and each can be caused by its own different reason. For example, migraines can be caused by environmental factors, food allergies or even as a result of stress. There are headaches that can develop due to sinus pain and headaches that will develop when you are dehydrated. There are also headaches that will develop when you are exposed too long to loud noises. There is no singular fix for each of these different types of headaches, which is why attempting to treat every headache you experience with the same medication frequently doesn’t work.
One of the most common causes of headaches that are easily treatable with physical therapy is radiating headaches, which are caused by stress in the joints and muscles of the neck. This causes pain to radiate from the top of the neck into the head, especially surrounding the ears. There are a lot of reasons why radiating headaches could develop, including as a result of lack of movement and stiffness in the neck. This buildup of irritation can be treated with regular physical therapy, especially through the use of massage and flexibility exercises that target the muscles in the neck. NE CK PA I N 101 In many situations, pain that develops in the neck can be associated with one of two major problems. The first is upper-back pain that begins to radiate into the neck. The second is arthritis. Physical therapy can be used to address both types of neck pain. Cervical arthritis causes frequent aches in the neck and shoulders. This pain is generally worse when there are sudden changes in weather or at the end of the day, and while over-the-counter medication may make the pain less severe, it won’t eliminate the pain entirely. The biggest problem posed by cervical arthritis is that the pain will typically cause a loss of range of motion in the neck, which actually increases your risk of injury as a result of a sudden movement and causes regular discomfort and frustration as you are not able to utilize your neck in the way you normally could. There are plenty of situations in which pain in the neck as a result of cervical arthritis grows so severe that it can cause chronic poor posture and even a reduction in height. ADDR E SS I NG T H E C OR E PROB L EM The majority of neck and head pain can be helped with one simple strategy: strength building. It frequently happens that the absolute cause of the start of a pain in the neck or head is a result of poor posture or quickened motion, and building core strength, as well as strength in the neck, can make a huge difference in your ability to handle tasks without experiencing chronic pain. Keep in mind that the neck and head are sensitive areas, so attempting to treat the pain at home can be dangerous and may not be effective. Working with a physical therapist is the safe way to ensure that you are practicing positive techniques to find relief from your aches and pains.
You can find relief from your pain. Call Today or visit us at www.superiorphysicaltherapy.org We can help you live your life again, pain-free!
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