Physical Therapy Newsletter by Centra Rehabilitation
Health & Wellness
“ Things Are Starting To Look Up After Seeking Treatment For My Neck Pain!” Life Doesn’t Have To Be A Pain In The Neck
Having frequent headaches and neck pain can literally be a pain in the neck, make you less happy and less productive in life. Why do you have that pain in your neck? More often than not it is caused by a muscle or joint problem. Poor posture in the upper neck area can often contribute to headaches, migraines and neck pain. When you look in the mirror do you notice that you have a forward head posture or does your head look a little shifted off to the side, not in alignment with your neck? Where Radiating Headaches Come From? Different problems with the neck movement will cause pain to be felt in different areas. For example did you know that if your pain radiates to the forehead or behind the eyes, this can be from “stuck” joints at the top of your neck? (continued inside)
INSIDE • Life Doesn’t Have To Be A Pain In The Neck
• Exercise Essentials • Patient Spotlight
Meet Renea & Lynne! Read more about them in their staff spotlights inside!
• Free Analysis • Staff Spotlight
Health &Wellness
Life Doesn’t Have To Be A Pain In The Neck | Relieve Neck Pain In Minutes | Patient Spotlights | Free Analysis | Staff Spotlights
“Discover Why Your Methods In Relieving Neck Pain Weren’t Working. ” Life Doesn’t Have To Be A Pain In The Neck
Poor movement causes stresses and strains on surrounding muscle and tissue causing irritation that affects the nerves in the area. The next level down, called C2, will often radiate pain to the side of the face / head and back scalp area. Finding the Root of the Problem To narrow the source of the problem, it is important to find out if your pain worsens towards the end of the day or is first thing in the morning. Pain at the end of the day and a complaint of a “heavy head” feeling is an indicator of spinal muscle weakness and spine instability. The neck and shoulder muscles just can’t tolerate the weight of the head (about the weight of a bowling ball) with daily activities, tiring quickly. Pain in the morning that may radiate to the shoulders or down the arms can be associated with the discs between your neck bones (vertebrae), especially if that pain is radiating. What is the best course of action? The best solution if you have neck pain or headaches is to see a physical therapist. Our physical therapists are experts in evaluating your neck joints and muscles. We help you return the normal movement of your neck joints and muscles gently and safely, relieving your pain. If you are having headaches or neck pain, discover our SPINE Program today and learn more about quickly relieving your pain.
“ Lumbar spinal stenosis, or the narrowing of the open spaces in your spine, can be treated just as successfully with physical therapy and with 15 percent fewer complications.” DID YOU KNOW?... - Annals of Internal Medicine, April 2015
“I Don’t Understand Why I’m Suffering From Neck Pain. ” Arthritis In The Neck
Do you find yourself feeling frequent neck or shoulder aches and pains? You could be suffering from cervical (neck) arthritis. Arthritis in the neck is very common as we age. With arthritis in the neck, people often complain of pain radiating into the lower neck, shoulders, or even down into the arm. The problem with arthritis is the loss of range of motion in the neck joints. As bone wears on bone, the surface of the bones actually start to change shape. This thins the bones in the neck in some parts leading to a loss of height between the bones. Due to abnormal wear and tear, new bone forms where it shouldn’t, creeping into the holes where the spinal cord passes through. In addition it can rub on the nerves out to your neck, shoulders, arms and even hands. This can lead to a condition called cervical spinal stenosis, which can be quite painful. What can be done to help neck arthritis? While pain medications can help control pain, they don’t address the root cause of the pain, which is poor strength and lack of normal movement. The neck joints on the side of the spine normally experience wear and tear over the years. However, when this wear and tear is accelerated due to poor posture, weakness or injury, this can lead to limited, painful range of motion. In addition, with neck arthritis, the smaller muscles that guide the motions of the neck become weaker, eventually leading to more rubbing and arthritis. By gently stretching these tight and restricted joints with specific hands on therapy and exercises, range of motion can be returned. While physical therapy cannot restore the cartilage or change the bony structure, it can certainly help your neck move better, become stronger, reduce pain and give you the power to stay healthier longer. Try this simple test See if you have restricted cervical joints. Stand with your back
against the wall. Can you touch the back of your head to the wall while keeping your chin level? If you cannot, then your neck joints are limited and you need physical therapy to restore the range of motion. Is your neck pain affecting your balance? Have you ever seen a person with their head protruding forward and their body bent over? This can be subtle or quite noticeable. With neck pain, limited neck posture results in loss of balance. Just pull anyone by their nose and you will see they will falter forward. This is because the normal lines of gravity through the body change when the spine posture changes. If you or someone you know has poor balance, it could be a problem with their posture. Get your neck moving and feeling better. Call us to learn more about our SPINE Program today!
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SPINACH STUFFED MUSHROOMS 8 INGREDIENTS • 20 medium mushrooms • 1/4 cup chopped shallots, scallions or onion • 2 cloves garlic, chopped • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar • 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce • 2 cups chopped fresh spinach • 1/2 cup Plain Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt • Salt and pepper to taste DIRECTIONS Wash the mushrooms and carefully remove the stems without breaking the caps. Finely chop the stems. Combine
the shallots, garlic and vinegar in a small skillet or saucepan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chopped mushroom stems and soy sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes, until the mushrooms soften and release their juices. Add the spinach and cook, continuing to stir, until it is wilted and the liquid in the pan is absorbed. Remove from the heat and let cool for a few minutes, then stir in the yogurt. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Stuff the spinach filling into the mushroom caps. Place the mushrooms in a baking pan and bake for 20 minutes, until tender. Remove from the oven and let sit for a few minutes for the filling to set before serving. Yields 20 mushrooms.
Healthy Recipe
Patient Spotlights
They take their time with you! “I have had physical therapy at several places in Lynchburg and Centra Rehabilitation is the best! Their therapists are experts at what they do and they take their time with you. I value the one-on-one care and appreciated the time they spent helping me understand my condition. They are hands down the best! ” - Mark, Lynchburg, VA After therapy I am pain free! “The therapists at Centra Rehabilitation Bedford are wonderful! I love the family atmosphere of the clinic and the friendliness of the entire team. I was in a lot of pain when I started and after therapy I am pain free! They are awesome and I recommend them to everyone!” - Tammy, Bedford, VA
Staff Spotlights
Lynne Vossen, OTR/L, C/NDT Clinics: VBH & Atherholt Road Lynne graduated from Caledonian University, Glasgow, Scotland & moved to USA in 1993 where she has worked mainly in the neurological & oncology field. She has experience in both clinical and management aspects of therapy and enjoysmentoring both staff and students. She is certified in Bioness upper extremity
Renea Cooper, LPTA IV, CLT-LANA Clinics: VBH & Atherholt Road
Renea has beenwith Centra since graduating in 1997 from the Jefferson College of Health Sciences. She has worked in numerous settings including acute care, home health and outpatient therapy. She is a Certified Lymphedema Therapist and certified on the FES bike and the Bioness L300 foot drop system. Her areas of interests include treating patients dealing with lymphedema, survivors of cancer, shoulder & knee dysfunction and wound care.
system and the functional electrical stimulation (FES) bike. Lynne has more than 20 years of clinical experience and a passion for helping patients achieve their goals.
Do you want a natural solution to your pain? Gain your freedom from pain medication and avoid costly surgery with physical therapy!
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People who go to physical therapy experience: Natural relief for aches and pains Less difficulty in reaching or bending More social activity More energy More strength Better days at work
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“Pain Medication Is NOT Your Only Option In Treating Aches & Pains! ”
5 Important Reasons To Choose PT FIRST Over Opioids According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sales of prescription opioids have quadrupled in the United States, even though “there has not been an overall change in the amount of pain that Americans report.”
You should choose physical therapy FIRST when: 1. The risks of opioid use outweigh the
rewards. Potential side effects of opioids include depression, overdose, and addiction, plus withdrawal symptoms when stopping opioid use. Because of these risks, “experts agreed that opioids should not be considered first-line or routine therapy for chronic pain,” the CDC guidelines state. 2. You want to do more than mask the pain. Opioids reduce the sensation of pain by interrupting pain signals to the brain. Opioids make it so you can’t feel the pain, but, they do not treat the source of your pain. Physical therapists treat pain by finding the source and restoring movement and function. 3. Pain or function problems are related to low back pain, hip or knee osteoarthritis, or fibromyalgia. The CDC cites “high-quality evidence” supporting exercise as part of a physical therapy treatment plan for those familiar conditions. 4. Opioids are prescribed for pain. Even in situations when opioids are prescribed, the CDC recommends that patients should receive “the lowest effective dosage,” and opioids “should be combined” with nonopioid therapies, such as physical therapy. 5. Pain lasts 90 days. At this point, the pain is considered “chronic,” and the risks for continued opioid use increase. An estimated 116 million Americans have chronic pain each year. The CDC guidelines note that nonopioid therapies are “preferred” for chronic pain and that clinicians should consider opioid therapy only if expected benefits for both pain and function are anticipated to outweigh risks to the patient. “Physical Therapy vs Opioids: When to Choose Physical Therapy for Pain Management.” American Physical Therapy Association. N.p., 15 June 2016. Web. 10 Feb. 2017. rehab.centrahealth.com
Do you have pain while reaching or bending? If you are not moving like you once were. Please don’t hesitate to come in for a check up and get back on track to feeling great again. Call the clinic nearest you today!
Relieve Neck Pain In Minutes Without Pain Medication! Try these movements if you are experiencing pain.
CERVICAL ROTATION Turn your head towards the side, then return back to looking straight ahead. Hold for 30 seconds each turn. Repeat 6 times.
CERVICAL SIDE BEND Tilt your head towards the side, then return back to looking straight ahead. (Be sure to keep your eyes and nose pointed straight ahead the entire time.)
Helps With Neck Pain
Helps With Neck Stiffness
Exercisescopyrightof
www.simpleset.net
Always consult your physical therapist or physician before starting exercises you are unsure of doing.
WELLNESS TIPS: Exercises & Pain Relief
If you have back or joint pain, there are probably some times when all you want to do is lie in bed all day. It’s tempting, but it might make the problem worse. Doctors used to prescribe bed rest for back pain and other chronic pain conditions, but studies have found that people who exercise and stay flexible manage their pain much better than those who don’t. If you do have a chronic pain condition like back pain or hip, knee, or shoulder problems, you shouldn’t begin an exercise program without guidance. Check with your physical therapist first. They have the expertise to help you develop an individualized exercise program. Have a professional; a physical therapist show you what is appropriate to do given your condition. Here are 7 exercises/activities you should do to alleviate pain: 1. Walking 2. Swimming 3. Yoga
4. Tai Chi 5. Pilates 6. Stretching 7. Aerobics
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