Health & Wellness Newsletter by Willow Physical Therapy
NEWSLETTER Health &Wellness Welcome our newest therapist to our team SHAWNA SMITH, TRAVELING PT
Willow Physical Therapy is happy to welcome Shawna Smith. Shawna is a travel PT and has been practicing for 4 years. She is originally from Michigan, the mitten state, and she happily adds Alaska as her 9th state to
practice in. She is excited to continue growth and development in the wonderful pelvic floor program that Willow has to offer. Shawna also treats general musculoskeletal injuries, BBPV, and balance. She drinks way too much coffee and loves to hike. She hopes to help you take back control over your body to improve your function and quality of life.
www.willowpt.com
NEWSLETTER Health &Wellness
LIFE DOESN’T HAVE TO BE A PAIN IN THE NECK “Discover New Adventures After Receiving Treatment!”
INSIDE: Neck Pain 101 Healthy Recipe Relieve Neck Pain In Minutes Patient Success Spotlight
Head and neck pain is not the type of pain that you can push through and deal with for too long. For one thing, chronic pain in the head or neck is often associated with some sort of chronic health concern — one that you need to deal with, not ignore. Secondly, when you are dealing with constant pain in your head or neck, it becomes difficult to concentrate. This can have a negative effect on your personal relationships, your career and more. The most common cause of neck or head pain is a muscle or joint problem. Working with a physical therapist can help you to identify the cause of the trouble and begin taking steps to correct the issue, allowing you to find relief from the pain without having to commit to long-term pain management — which often includes the use of pain medications that are potentially harmful to your health and not likely to work as well over time. Unlike pain medications that become less helpful the longer they are used, physical therapy provides long-term relief from pain by correcting the joint or muscle concern with targeted therapies like flexibility exercises, muscle strengthening techniques, and guided stretches that target core joints and muscles. Of course, not all neck or head pain is the same, so understanding the basics of what you are dealing with is the first step to achieving relief.
Head Pain 101. 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. Call Willow PhysicalTherapy today to set up a complimentary consultation and see just how well you can feel with physical therapy! Learn more about how physical therapy can help you LIVE LIFE Pain-free!
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NECK PAIN 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. Addressing the Core Problem 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. HEALTHY RECIPE Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
Willow Physical Therapy Can Help You Maintain A Healthy Neck, Naturally!
Contact us today to schedule an appointment at 907-456-5990!
INGREDIENTS • 2 tbsp olive oil • 1½ lbs boneless chicken thighs • 2 (8 oz) packages sliced mushrooms • 1 (32 oz) carton reduced-sodium
• 1½ cups thinly sliced leeks • 1½ cups ½-inch sliced celery • ¾ cup uncooked wild rice • ¾ tsp salt • 1 (12 oz) package soft, tofu • 1 cup low-fat milk (1%) • ¼ cup all-purpose flour • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
chicken broth • 2 cups water
DIRECTIONS In a 12-inch skillet heat oil over medium-high. Add chicken; cook 6 minutes or until browned, turning once. In a 6-qt. slow cooker combine chicken, mushrooms, chicken broth, water, leeks, celery, wild rice and salt. Cover and cook on low 6 hours or high 3 hours. Remove chicken from cooker. Coarsely shred chicken using two forks. If using low setting, turn to high. In a blender combine the tofu, low-fat milk, flour and thyme leaves. Cover and blend until smooth. Stir into mixture in cooker. Cover and cook 30 minutes more or until thick. Stir in shredded chicken.
HAVE YOU MET YOUR INSURANCE DEDUCTIBLE?
Patient Success Spotlight
I was able to target unused muscle groups!
An insurancedeductible istheamountofmoneythatyoumustpaybefore your insurancecompanypaysforyourmedicalservices. Ifyourdeductible is met, your Physical Therapy may not cost you anything. Patientswithfamilyplansorthosewhohavehadmajorsurgeriesorhave a chronic illness are especially likely to have a $0 balance remaining on theirout-of-pocketexpenses.Thismeansthatthecostofphysicaltherapy could be minimal or completely covered by the patient’s insurance plan. If you are close to or have met your insurance deductible for the year, then now is the time to come in for Physical Therapy! Are you feeling aches and pains? Need to work on your core? Let us help you get a head start for 2019. Have you undergone surgery recently? Call us today at 907-456-5990 to schedule an appointment with one of our physical therapists. We’ll guide you to affordable treatments that will place you one step closer to pain relief.
“I was able to target unused muscle groups and visually see themon themusculaturechart.Thishelpedme tosee theareas and start to feel the muscles as I concentrated on becoming aware of them.” - G. Pope
Relieve Neck Pain In Minutes Try this movement if you are experiencing neck pain.
CERVICAL CHIN TUCK While lying on your back with a small rolled up towel under the curve of your neck, tuck your chin towards your chest. Maintain contact of your head with the surface you are lying on the entire time. Repeat twice. Strengthens Neck www.simpleset.net
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