Health & Fitness Newsletter: Relieve Your Dizziness and Vertigo by Physical Therapy Specialties
Health & Fitness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body
Happy Holidays
DON’T LET DIZZINESS OR VERTIGO DIM YOUR HOLIDAYS
Improve Your Balance with Physical Therapy Specialties!
Health & Fitness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body
HOW STEADY ARE YOU ON YOUR FEET?
Have you noticed you are not as steady as you used to be? Do you notice that dizziness makes you feel less balanced? No matter your age, you can improve your balance. At Physical Therapy Specialties, we can help you figure out what is causing your vertigo and/or dizziness and, more importantly, how to resolve it! Balance is a big deal but we take it for granted. Your balance system is incredibly complex and allows you to walk around obstacles without thinking. However, it can be challenging to perform daily tasks and activities you enjoy when your balance is affected. If you’ve been feeling dizzy, or you think you may have some of the symptoms of vertigo, call Physical Therapy Specialties today to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced physical therapists.
Call Today for Your Appointment 925.417.8005 www.pt-specialties.com
WHAT’S CAUSING YOUR DIZZINESS AND/OR VERTIGO AND HOW PT CAN HELP
How Physical Therapy Can Help Your Balance
Dizziness is a general term used to describe a sense of unsteadiness that may be due to a lack of sleep, poor nutrition, overexertion, or a physical ailment (i.e., a head cold or the flu). Dizziness can also occur from something as simple as standing up too quickly after an extended period of rest. Some accompanying symptoms to dizziness may include: • Loss of balance • Lightheadedness or heavy-headedness • Momentarily impaired vision • Feeling unsteady or faint Vertigo is the result of an issue in your inner ear, also known as the “vestibular system.” Your vestibular system helps you maintain your balance and center of gravity by sending messages to your brain regarding your movement. When the vestibular system is impaired, the messages to your brain are altered, and your movement becomes affected. You may feel as if the world is spinning around you, you can’t focus your vision for prolonged periods, or you can’t stand/move appropriately without feeling like you’ll topple over. Some common causes of vertigo include: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). This is the most common cause of vertigo. It occurs when the tiny calcium crystals located in your ears break apart and move around to different parts of the ear that they are not supposed to be in. Meniere’s disease. This occurs when fluid builds up in your ear(s). This typically includes ringing sounds in the inner ear and sudden waves of vertigo that may last for hours. You may also experience momentary hearing losses. Vestibular neuritis. This is an inner-ear infection that can cause vertigo. Migraines. Migraines can impact your vestibular system, and may be coupled with sensitivities to light or sound, or may also impair your vision. Stroke. A stroke affects movement in your whole body. If you recently suffered a stroke, you may experience waves of vertigo which may linger for extended periods of time. Some accompanying symptoms to vertigo may also include: • Inability to focus or remain alert • Double vision • Nausea or vomiting • Arm or leg weakness • Difficulty seeing or speaking • Sweating • Abnormal eye movements
Dizziness and vertigo can both hinder your balance, limiting your ability to perform even the simplest of tasks. Luckily, no matter the cause, physical therapy for dizziness and vertigo can help. Our therapists have some of the most advanced techniques for diagnosing and treating dizziness and vertigo, including vestibular rehabilitation and videonystagmography.
Our physical therapists will perform a proper physical examination and take a thorough medical history to ensure we provide a comprehensive and personalized treatment plan. The primary goal of the assessment is to identify the specific cause of your dizziness and use a combination of manual therapy, balance exercises therapy, posture corrections, and • Reducing vestibular symptoms through specific head and body movements and positions. These movements help restore the calcium deposits to alleviate your dizziness. • Balance exercises and vestibular rehabilitation. Specific balance exercises and particular activities focus on decreasing nerve sensitivity and reducing the effects of vertigo. • Postural education to optimize function. education to help you resolve your condition. The most common treatments will focus on: Our therapists may use videonystagmography to determine whether a vestibular disease is causing your dizziness or vertigo. It is the only test available to decipher whether there is a vestibular loss in one or both ears. This non-invasive test uses infrared goggles to record a patient’s eye movements to determine how well the patient can react to visual stimuli responses sent from the vestibular system. If you believe you may be experiencing vertigo, contact us today. We’ll provide relief for all of your symptoms. Physical therapy is essential to identify the correct exercises to relieve dizziness and vertigo to improve balance. Contact Physical Therapy Specialties today to get started!
CALL TODAY! 925.417.8005
www.pt-specialties.com
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“Reaching Your Fitness Goals Can Brighten Your Mood!” SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER (SAD)
Has your mood darkened with the shorter days and longer nights of fall and winter? If you’re like many people, getting less sunshine and being less active this time of year can contribute to feelings of sadness and apathy that may be associated with Seasonal Affective Disorder (or SAD). The good news is that regular exercise can help boost your mood and guard against symptoms of seasonal affective disorder. Exercise And Seasonal Affective Disorder. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention, 14 percent of people in the United States experience SAD (also known as seasonal depression).
exposure to sunlight each day. In addition, data show exercisers have lower rates of recurrent depression compared with study participants who do not exercise. These figures emphasize the importance of exercising throughout the winter, especially if your goal is health and well-being as well as a trim waistline. Try these three tips for maintaining your winter exercise routine this winter: 1 Arrange your schedule to start and end later or earlier so that you can exercise outside after sunrise or before sundown. 2 Get outside to walk, jog, run, snowshoe, or cross country ski. The exposure to sunlight can help increase your vitamin D levels and elevate your mood. 3 Enlist the services of a personal fitness trainer. Many people find meeting with a personal fitness trainer helps them stick with their exercise routine. Personal fitness trainers also can help vary workouts to keep them interesting and effective Get Professional Help For Sad If You Need It Although lack of sunlight and activity often are culprits of seasonal affective disorder, genetics and hormonal changes also may contribute to the condition. If exercise alone doesn’t improve your mood and your sadness persists for more than 2 weeks, schedule an appointment with one of our physiotherapists. We will provide you with techniques in addition to exercise to manage stress. References: Rosen LN, Targum SD, Terman M. Prevalence of seasonal affective disorder at four latitudes. Psych Res. 1990. 31;131-144. Rosenthal NE. Winter blues: everything you need to know to beat seasonal affective disorder. New York, NY: Guilford Press; 2006. Blumenthal JA, Babyak MA, Doraiswamy PM, et al. Exercise and pharmacotherapy in the treatment of major depressive disorder. Psychosom Med. 2007;69(7):587-96. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention. CDC Features. Insufficient sleep is a public health epidemic. www.cdc. gov/features/dssleep/. Accessed November 1, 2016.Centers for disease Control and Prevention. Alcohol and Public Health. Frequently asked questions. http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm. Accessed November 1, 2016.
But research shows that many people can manage or avoid SAD with 30 to 60 minutes of exercise and 20 minutes of
Come Back In For A Consultation Whether you want to come in for a check-up, suffered a recent injury or you want to improve your health, a doctor referral is not needed. In the state of California, you have direct access to physical therapy!
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See our physical therapists for: • Recent injury • Nagging aches and pains • Back and neck pain • Joint pain and movement problems • Walking or balance difficulties
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Patient Spotlights What our patients have to say!
“I am thrilled to have had a great experience here at PT- Specialties, from the front office staff all the way to the therapists and aides. I came in initially needing treatment on my elbow. I wasn’t sure what to expect, and I was very apprehensive. I had lots of insurance questions, and Sonja really knew her stuff about my insurance. She made me feel confident that my insurance would cover almost all my treatment costs. My therapist, Shahrin, was amazing and provided exceptional, professional service. The treatment plan was laid out for
me with a realistic time frame and goals that didn’t intimidate me like I thought they would. I would recommend Shahrin to others! Kyle, the aide, demonstrated excellent service in providing equipment for exercises, timing for the reps, and modalities of ice and electrical stimulation to help reduce the inflammation. His professional demeanor was attentive and focused, and he was very patient with me. Everyone in the office was wonderful. I am completely pain-free now, and I will go back in a heartbeat if I ever need therapy again.” - Elizabeth S.
Improve Your Health In Our Warm Water Therapy Pool!
I n c r e a s e range of motion M o v e freely P r o t e c t joints R e d u c e pain O b t a i n cardio fitness V i t a l i z e muscle strength E n h a n c e flexibility and balance
Pool Therapy and Water Classes Offered Daily. Schedule is on our website.
www.pt-specialties.com COME BACK TO PT Make an appointment today with one of our therapists and get back to the activities you enjoy — pain free! 925.417.8005 Has a New Pain Started? Have you experienced an injury?
Exercise Essentials Try these simple exercises to help keep you loose and pain-free... Share this with a friend or family member to help keep them healthy, too!
Helps Improve Your Balance
Always consult your physical therapist or physician before starting exercises you are unsure of doing. TANDEM BALANCE, EYES CLOSED Stand next to the back of a chair and place one hand on it for support. Place one foot right in front of your other so your heel is touching the tips of your toes. Close your eyes and then remove your hand from the floor. Hold this balance for 30 seconds.
Who do you know that needs our help?
Refer a Friend Do You Have Friends or Family Unable to Do The Following? 9 Move without pain 9 Bend and move freely
9 Balance confidently and securely 9 Sit for long periods comfortably 9 Walk for long distances 9 Live an active and healthy lifestyle
If you know someone suffering from aches and pains give the gift of health. Refer them to Physical Therapy Specialties today. Pass along this newsletter or have them call us directly for a Physical Therapy Consultation.
Call Today! 925.417.8005
GET HELP FOR YOUR SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER (SAD) Details Inside.
CALL TODAY! 925.417.8005 3908 Valley Ave., Suite B Pleasanton, CA 94566 INSIDE: • Reaching Your Fitness Goals Can Brighten Your Mood! • Improve Your Health In Our Warm Water Therapy Pool!
www.pt-specialties.com
• Exercise Essentials • Patient Spotlights
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