The Chronicle Getting You Back on Track
“Look Up to Less Pain&More Relief!” RELIEVINGNECKPAIN
Neck pain can be a constant ache or a sharp pain with movement, stopping you from enjoying life’s activities. Neck pain is very common, affecting approximately two thirds of the population at one point or another. People with neck pain suffer mainly from one of the following conditions:
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Inside This Newsletter • Staff Spotlight • Patient Success Spotlights • Are You Hurting Your Neck While You Sleep? • Come to a Free Workshop
The Chronicle Getting You Back on Track
“Now You Can Finish Important Tasks Without Pain!” DON’T IGNORE YOURNECKPAIN
Degenerative Disc Disease Thediscsarethefluidfilledsacsbetweenthebonesofyourneck.Thenormal aging process shrinks the discs and dries them out. Repeated stress and strain also weakens the tissues that make up a disc. When this happens, the disc loses its ability to absorb shock. In turn, this causes rubbing and changes in the shape of the joints in your neck, which can be painful. Muscle Strain When there is an injury to the neck, or you overuse the shoulder and neck muscles, a strain can occur. When this happens, the neck muscles may go into spasm to help support and protect the sore area. Mechanical Neck Pain Mechanical pain usually starts from changes in the neck joints. As discs start to collapse, the space between the neck bones narrows, and the joints may become inflamed. The pain is usually chronic and is typically felt in the middle part of the neck. However, it may spread from the neck into the upper back or to the outside of the shoulder in some cases.
Radiculopathy Pressure or irritation on or around the nerves of the neck can affect the nerves’ electrical signals.Thepressureor irritation can be felt asnumbness on the skin, weakness in the muscles, or pain along the path of the nerve. Weakness in thespinemusclescancauseabnormalpressureon thenerves and increased chance of radiculopathy. If you are suffering from neck pain, our SPINE Program is ideal to quickly relieve your pain and prevent it from returning. From long-term neck pain, to recovering from a complicated surgery, we can relieve your pain quickly, returning your natural mobility and strength. Our treatments are designed to help ease pain and to improve flexibility, strength, posture, and function. We even teach you how to protect your neck in the years ahead. Look inside to learn more about our programs and say good-bye to that aching neck! synergyspokane.com
ARE YOU HURTING YOUR NECKWHILE YOU SLEEP?
We spend one third of our lives sleeping. Therefore, how you sleep and the bed you sleep on can have a dramatic effect on the support of your body. When you sleep, you need to be aware of how your neck and spine are supported. There are many different types of beds on the market today which can be very confusing for consumers. The best type of bed is the one that you try out and feel most comfortable using. Typically, a bed that is firm underneath with a softer top helps to provide support as well as contour your body. If your mattress is old, then think about investing in a new one so that your neck and spine are supported well. The best positions to sleep in for your spine are on your back or sides. Avoid sleeping on your stomach since your spine ends up twisted, especially your neck. Over the hours of repetitive sleeping on your stomach, you can damage the joints of your spine and compress the nerves exiting your spine. Use a pillow to help support your body and take the weight of your legs off your spine. If you like to sleep on your back, place a pillow under the backs of your thighs and knees. This should place your knees in a slight, supported bend which takes pressure off your lower back. If you sleep on your side, be sure to put a pillow between your knees. This helps keep the alignment of your spine, and takes the pressure of your upper leg off the spine. Have 1-2 pillows under your head to keep your neck in proper alignment. If you need 2 pillows stagger them so that one pillow overlaps the other by one half.The lowerhalfgoesunder theshoulders,while theupperhalfsupports the neck. Our physical therapists at Synergy Healthcare can show you exercises, stretches, and techniques to relieve your pain and prevent it from returning. If you are suffering with neck or back pain, call us today to learn more about how we can relieve your pain, returning you to a more active, pain-free life! Staff Spotlight Megan McMaster, MS CF-SLP Pediatric Speech Therapist A nativeof Coeur d’ Alene, ID, Megan McMaster received her Master’s Degree in Speech and Language Pathology from Eastern Washington University. Megan completed two fieldwork rotations; one in a public elementary school and the other in a pediatric outpatient setting. She has experience working with the pediatric population (birth – 18), with an interest in early speech and language delays, articulation disorders, feeding and swallowing, and augmentative and alternative communication. She enjoys spending time outdoors with her two black labs. Hiking, boating, and camping are a few of her favorite things!
CDA (208) 666-0611
VALLEY (509) 413-1630
synergyspokane.com CALL TODAY!
Patient Success Spotlight
“I was diagnosed with Meniere’s disease and I was having very severe dizzy spells, nausea, and vomiting. I was pretty much housebound. I couldn’t drive or ride my horse. I didn’t know when the symptoms would come on and they’d be so severe that I couldn’t even walk down the hall without holding on to the walls. I have been coming to Synergy for almost a year. When I started coming, it seemed like the symptoms were almost immediately relieved. Not completely, at first, but I definitely felt relieved. As I kept coming, twice a week, the symptoms were less and less severe until I could drive again. I could go out with people and ride my horse again safely. Because it’s real and it helps. Literally, it changed my life. I was non-functioning, I was very depressed, and now I am a new person. Synergy made my world normal again! ” - Pam A. “I could go out with people and ride my horse again”
Pam and Shauna
Always learning…Always growing…
FRIENDS OF SYNERGY
Find out if these workshops can help you!
“You Help Us, to Help Others”
COME TO A FREE WORKSHOP Synergy hosts monthly workshops for those interested in learning more about the techniques used and conditions treated here at Synergy. Some of the workshops include: Post Concussive Syndrome: Signs, Symptoms, and Treatments SensoryProcessingDisorder: Symptoms,HelpfulTips,andResources Frequency Specific Microcurrent: Healing Specific Tissues
Thanks to all those who referred a friend or family! You will receive $20 Synergy Bucks – equivalent to cash to spend on services and products at Synergy! Below is a list of our most current Synergy Buck recipients. Thanks, everyone, for trusting us with your friends and family.
Kerri P. Jamie S. Debbie W. Benjamin R.
Nicole A. Chuck D. Stephanie S. Sheila H. Hapi H.
12012EMissionAve SpokaneValley,WA99206 Phone:(509)413-1630 synergyspokane.com
Call today for additional details on the upcoming workshops! 509-413-1630
DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO NEEDS OUR HELP? HAVE THEM CALL TODAY! (509) 413-1630
All About Kids The Newsletter About Taking Care of the Ones That Matter Most
7 Tips to Surviving the Holidays with Your Special Needs Child For many parents of children with special needs, the stretch of time between October and January can feel like one big inhale. Between dressing up for Halloween, socializing over Thanksgiving, turning back clocks for daylight savings, and of course, the countless festivities associated with Hanukkah, Christmas, Ramadan, and other holidays, there are a lot of big events where kids are expected to be on their best behavior. The sights, smells, sounds, and expectations can make a neurotypical child irritable; it can do that and more for a child with special needs.
While no amount of preparation can make the holidays easy, there are many things you can do to make them easier. Here are seven tips for helping your child with special needs navigate the season with a little more joy. 1. Safe Space Whenever you visit a person’s house or stay at your own, establish a “safe zone” for your child so that she can retreat and be alone, if desired. This may be a room in the house or even a desk she can crawl under for a time. 2. Maintain Routines as Much as Possible Quite likely, there will be routines forsaken, forgotten, or simply adjusted for festivities. Many children with sensory issues or autism struggle with such change. If an occupational therapist has made recommendations for a special sensory diet, try to maintain those activities as much as possible to foster physical and emotional regulation. 3. Introduce Sensory Input Slowly For many of the fall and winter holidays, sensory input is at a maximum. Between Christma’s twinkling lights and Hanukkah’s fragrant oils cooking, many children with special needs are easily overwhelmed. To help with this adjustment, introduce new sights, smells, and sounds one at a time, when possible. Combine it with familiar, cozy sensory input as well. 4. Utilize Tools Ask a pediatric therapist for recommendations for equipment or tools that may help your child and family. For children with physical challenges, TheraTogs and Kinesio Tape may be useful. Children with autism may benefit from weighted blankets, earmuffs, and specialty sand. Those with ADHD often find comfort in fidget toys and calming jars. 5. Prepare Family If you’ll be spending time with family and friends who haven’t been around your child much, consider giving them a little tutorial in advance. This will help avoid hurt feelings when Madison doesn’t want Grandma’s hugs or Adam refuses to touch Uncle Luis’ casserole. If you aren’t yet comfortable giving all the details of your child’s condition, just offer ideas on how your child best responds. For instance, Madison loves high fives more than hugs or Adam is still learning how to try new foods.
6. Simplify Opening Presents Forchildrenwhostrugglewithfinemotorskills, reduce frustrationbyadjusting presents and cards. Loosen ribbons, unseal envelopes, and minimize tape so your child can feel successful with little frustration. He’ll feel a sense of satisfaction over the ability to complete tasks. 7. Enlist a Support Team Identify at least one other person who will be on your side during the gathering. This person can help ensure the special space is prepared ahead of time or that your child is taken care of while you visit and eat. There are many aspects of holiday celebrations that can be frustrating and stressful for families of children with special needs. While it’s impossible to cover every possible concern, following these suggestions should make the season more enjoyable for everyone.
synergyidaho.com
All About Kids The Newsletter About Taking Care of the Ones That Matter Most
A child’s work is play, so creativity, fun, and games are instrumental to making therapy a success. Yet it isn’t just in the office that a child’s muscles need to work. They also need strength and endurance-building activities at home. Just as is the case in therapy, it’s important to make activities fun at home. Here, we’ve outlined some enjoyable exercises and also suggested things you should consider when engaging in play-based therapy at home. Children tend to grow bored with repetition, so it’s important to keep activities varied. Obstacle courses allow for an assortment of activities that build strength and agility in a number of ways. Activities can be structured around a child’s needs. For instance, a child who needs to develop leg strength can perch herself on a scooter and use her legs to propel her through a set course. A child working on balance can walk along a balance beam, hop on one leg, or use a unicycle. For added fun, build the obstacle course around a theme, such as a circus, island adventures, or an African safari. Games with paraffin Paraffin wax is a therapeutic modality intended to heat and moisturize different body parts. Generally used for hand injuries and conditions affecting the wrist and hands, it is applied by dipping the body part into hot wax several times. Paraffin wax is extremely malleable, thereby useful for different activities. One game has the patient trying to remove a paraffin “glove” while maintaining the shape of the hand. The wax can be shaped into spheres and cubes as well, which encourages fine motor skills for children who struggle with hand movements. For added fun, consider making a game of basketball with the wax using a waste paper basket as the hoop. Water balloons Water balloons are surprisingly versatile in their function. Fill them with rice, sand, or water to create dumbbells that can be lifted from the side Make Therapy Fun! Try These 3 Therapy Exercises That Your Child Will Actually Enjoy THERAPY EXERCISES Obstacle courses
or in front of the child. Roll or throw them back and forth with a child to increase strength and conditioning. Participate in activities that allow the child to lift and carry the balloons for a unique form of resistance exercise. Children can carry the balloons with them along a balance beam or other narrow place for an added challenge to balancing exercises or aim them at a target for eye-hand coordination. If a child needs hand or foot strengthening, allow them to stretch and squeeze the water balloon that is filled with rice or sand with their fingers or toes. Children who benefit from isometrics can push the sand-filled balloon against the ground. Important considerations As stated earlier, play is a child’s work, so allow them to gain skills through play-based activities. Here are some other aspects to keep in mind: • Allow your child to take the lead; this doesn’t mean giving in to his every whim, but it does mean following his cues if he’s tired or bored. • Use objects and toys that your child likes in order to maintain interest in activities. • Describe what your child is doing in age-appropriate vocabulary—“You are bouncing the ball”—without being overly verbose. • Capture your child’s interest before trying to teach a lesson. As you engage in play-based activities, keep in your mind that your child is learning from every moment. If she is old enough to understand, explain the rationale behind movements so that she is more motivated to continue them. Use props and other motivators to keep the momentum going. And if your child is exhausted, know when it’s time to move on.
synergyidaho.com 6270N. GovernmentWay DaltonGardens, ID83815 (208) 666-0611
SPECIALIZING IN : Sensory Integration/Processing • Listening Therapies • Gross Motor & Coordination Skills Development • Play Skills • Fine Motor/ Visual Motor Skill Development • Oral Motor/Oral Sensory Development • Speech/Articulation Development • Expressive-Receptive Language Therapy • Literacy & Cognitive Development • Social Language Skills
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