3 Questions To Ask About Knee Pain

If you have recently suffered an injury, had surgery, or experienced a loss of mobility, you might be able to benefit from knee therapy by a Knee Pain Doctor. Your doctor may recommend this to you, but it is entirely appropriate for you to bring it up if he or she does not. Bear in mind that your doctor may not be able to answer all your questions about knee therapy, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ask. If your doctor does not know the answer, he or she should at least be able to help you find it out.

If your doctor believes that you could benefit from knee therapy, he or she may recommend that you see a particular therapist. However, this is just a recommendation, and you have the freedom to choose which therapist to see. Before you make your choice, however, it is a good idea to ask some questions first.

1. What Do You Need To Do To Prepare for Appointments?

Knee therapy often involves exercise, so you should dress in comfortable clothes that allow you to move freely for each appointment. If for some reason you cannot go to your appointment dressed in your therapy clothes, you should at least bring them with you so you can change when you get there. You may also undergo some sort of treatment modality, such as iontophoresis. If this is the case, you should wear clothing that allows easy access to the symptomatic area. For example, for the pain in your knee, you may want to wear shorts or sweatpants that are easy to roll up.

If it is your first appointment, you may have to bring medical reports and images. However, in many cases, your doctor’s office can simply forward these.

2. What Can You Expect From a Typical Session?

Knee therapy appointments generally last about an hour. However, the exact treatments you receive depend on your diagnosis. During your first session, the therapist will perform an initial assessment and develop a treatment plan in response.

3. What Is the Knee Pain Doctor’s Experience?

Some knee pain doctors, like one from Austin Physical Therapy, are generalists that treat all areas of the body. Others specialize in a particular type of injury or body part. While you can receive treatment from a generalist therapist, it might be a good idea to seek out a specialist in your particular knee injury. If there are no specialists available, it is still a good idea to ask the therapist about his or her experience with the type of problem you have.

Contact our office with any questions you have about knee pain or to schedule your initial appointment.

Getting relief for chronic pain can take a lot of trial and error. People who have been living with chronic joint and muscle pain for years may be hesitant to try different treatment methods because they think the pain might get better on its own. When the pain gets so disruptive to the point where it is affecting how you move throughout the day or enjoy certain activities, then it might be a sign that seeing a chiropractor that Bowie, MD residents trust, like one from Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic. 

Chiropractic care can be expensive and it is often not covered by insurance, so it is understandable that many people do not go to a chiropractor for treatment right away. However, there are several different factors that can affect how much your treatment will be. 

Your Insurance Provider

Having good insurance allows you to receive quality healthcare that is affordable. If you have a comprehensive insurance plan, it may cover at least the first few sessions or part of your chiropractic treatment. Check with your insurance company to learn about what chiropractic services are covered and what you can expect to pay for a few sessions.

Diagnostic Services

A chiropractor uses several tests to accurately diagnose your condition. They need to conduct more in-depth tests to see if your pain or discomfort is due to an underlying, more serious issue. X-rays, MRI scans, electromyography (EMG) and other tests typically can cost several hundred dollars. Other related factors that may affect the cost include the area where you live and the type of medical equipment used. 

Chiropractor Experience

The years of experience that a chiropractor has will greatly affect how much they will charge for their services. A skilled chiropractor with decades of experience may have base fees that are higher. Some chiropractors charge more because they specialize in certain types of treatment or health conditions. A chiropractor may also have higher treatment costs if they consistently have positive reviews or have the latest medical equipment. 

Lifestyle Choices

A person’s lifestyle choices, such as diet, exercise and hobbies have a strong impact on their overall health. These factors determine how successful chiropractic care will be for you or how long it will take you to see results. Your chiropractic care may be more expensive if you require more intensive treatment over a long period of time. 

To get a more accurate breakdown of chiropractic care expenses, contact a trusted chiropractor in your area today.

Counseling

Life is in constant motion. No two days are alike, even if they often may feel like it. How is one expected to make it through all of the challenges life may bring? Talking things out is one way people find relief from the overwhelming issues of life. Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, may prove beneficial for anyone going through many difficulties. Consider these four scenarios where talk therapy may be an effective form of treatment:

1. Getting Through a Life Change

Life changes often come with ripple effects. Even positive ones, such as getting a job promotion, can come with unintended and unforeseen stress. A change in life can be difficult to cope with and may find a person feeling overwhelmed. A difficult element of a life change might include how others around you are dealing with it. Talk therapy can teach ways to navigate the highs and lows life may bring.

2. Feeling Anxious or Nervous

Some people struggle with worrying too much. When a person feels fear in the face of everyday situations, it may be anxiety. Excessive nervousness may have a physical impact on a person by increasing heart rate and respiration. People with anxiety are more prone to depression making counseling imperative. Along with prescription medication, talk therapy can help relieve the symptoms associated with anxiety. Learning breathing techniques and avoiding triggers can prove vital to an anxious person.

3. Struggling With Sadness

A person who often feels sad or down may be dealing with depression. Clinical depression is a medical condition that has to do with a chemical imbalance in the brain. Often, medication is recommended to regulate and balance those chemicals. Situational depression may occur episodically throughout a person’s life. It may be brought on by the breakdown of a relationship or the death of a loved one. Whether a person’s depression is situational or clinical, a therapist can provide an outlet for dealing effectively with the lows.

4. Overcoming an Addiction

Psychotherapy is one of the tools recommended for addicts in rehabilitation. Addiction often takes root in the aftermath of trauma. Whether the trauma occurred in childhood or otherwise, a failure to process and deal with it may lead people to depend on chemicals such as alcohol and drugs to cope. Talk therapy can walk a person through the source of addiction to help curb it.

Cognitive and behavioral talk therapy can prove beneficial for any situation in life. Set up an appointment with a therapist nearby and start making mental health a priority.

There are several reasons to consider the assistance of a counselor such as Lotus Wellness Center for counseling. They are available to offer support and work closely with you to develop therapeutic goals intended to help meet your needs. 

Whether you fell from a ladder, slipped at work, or were injured in a car accident, physical therapy may be beneficial for you and help speed up your recovery. Physical therapists are knowledgeable about the musculoskeletal system and the conditions that affect it. Through exercises, stretches, diet, and lifestyle changes, they can help alleviate your pain and condition your body to improve your physical health. If you have been injured in the following accident scenarios, talk to a trusted professional about the physical therapy services that they can offer you. They can evaluate your injury or condition and determine if you are a right candidate. 

As a healthcare professional who offers physical therapy in Bowie, MD services knows, such as one from Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic, everyone can benefit from going to physical therapy sessions. If you are experiencing ongoing pain, see if physical therapy is an option.

You have suffered an accident injury

An injury after a serious accident, whether it’s a car accident or workplace accident, can put your life on hold. While you are recovering, you cannot participate in many activities. Physical therapy sessions can help you recover faster and alleviate your pain. With guidance from a physical therapist, they can target areas of your body that have been affected. Low-impact exercises and stretches can help you gradually increase your strength and functionality again.  

You want to improve your flexibility and mobility

Limited mobility and flexibility is a big issue for many people. Experienced physical therapists have a strong understanding of movement and what treatment methods are best for increasing your range of motion. With a physical therapist’s help, you can become more flexible so that you can reduce any pain and enjoy your favorite activities. They can educate you about stretches you can do. 

You have pain from repetitive motion

For many people, their work-related tasks can put added stress on their body, causing severe pain. Repetitive motions like lifting, pushing and pulling can take a toll on vulnerable joints and muscles. An intensive physical therapy program provides patients relief for chronic pain. 

You want to prevent injury

Strengthening and conditioning your body through physical therapy is a great way to prevent injuries from occurring in the first place. Focusing on your weak areas allows you to stay in top condition so you are less prone to sustaining injuries. This is helpful for elderly individuals, athletes and anyone who wants to maintain their health. 

To learn more about how physical therapy can help you, schedule an appointment today.

What To Expect During Your First Physical Therapy Session

Physical therapy is beneficial for a wide range of conditions. It can help individuals regain their strength following an injury or surgery. It can also improve balance and coordination in individuals with temporary and permanent movement disorders. The first visit for a physical therapy Bowie in MD with a physical therapist determines subsequent treatment and includes multiple steps. 

Interview

During your first visit, your physical therapist will begin by asking you questions to get a sense of your overall health history, the limitations and discomfort you experience due to your condition, and what you hope to achieve through therapy.

Physical Evaluation

After interviewing you, the therapist may touch and move your body parts or ask you to perform movements or activities to determine how well your joints, muscles, and nerves function and assess your:

• Strength
• Coordination
• Flexibility
• Balance
• Range of motion
• Mobility
• Stamina

Treatment Plan

After a thorough evaluation, a physical therapist will propose a treatment plan to help you achieve your goals. Treatments often begin during the first visit and include various modalities. Sessions will usually start with an application of heat to stimulate blood flow and send oxygen and nutrients to the affected areas. Heat increases flexibility in preparation for other treatments that follow.

After applying heat, the therapist may use manual massage techniques to decrease muscle pain and tension and improve circulation. The therapist might also repeatedly move your joints in various directions to help improve your mobility.

Ultrasound is helpful in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions. A topical gel on the skin over the affected site helps deliver ultrasound waves to the muscles via a wand to improve blood circulation and promote healing. Light therapy and electrical stimulation can help reduce pain and inflammation and encourage injury healing.

Treatment sessions may also include supervised exercises that you can perform with progressive degrees of intensity as your condition heals or improves. Your sessions will end with an application of ice to control inflammation resulting from therapeutic activities.

Home Exercises

During an initial physical therapy visit to our clinic Mid Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic, your therapist may recommend exercises using special equipment available at the physical therapy site. The therapist will also review home-based exercises you can perform independently between sessions. Discussing the importance of these exercises is a crucial part of your initial visit and will help ensure that you continue to improve and progress between sessions with a therapist.

If an injury or medical condition leaves you unable to enjoy life, schedule an evaluation and initial session with a knowledgeable physical therapist to start on the road toward feeling better.

You may require physical therapy to help you recover from an injury or medical condition that causes pain or limits your mobility. Your therapist will periodically assess your abilities to determine if your therapy is helping you achieve the goals you set during your first visit. 

Typical physical therapy in Bowie, MD goals may include:

• Pain relief
• Better range of motion
• Better balance
• Greater endurance
• More strength

Your therapists may apply one of the following methods to evaluate your progress during physical therapy.

Ask for Your Feedback

One of the most significant ways your therapist can determine if you are progressing in your therapy is to rate your pain level. Before you start your treatment plan, your therapist will ask you to describe your pain’s intensity by assigning it a number on a predetermined scale. As your therapy progresses, your therapist will periodically ask you to rate your current pain level and compare it to the baseline measurement you provided at your first session.

Take Objective Measurements

Your therapist can evaluate your strength, endurance, and range of motion objectively by using various tests. For example, at the start of therapy for a shoulder injury, you may not have been able to lift your arm higher than your rib cage. If you can raise your arm above your head after several weeks of treatment, your therapist can objectively determine that you are improving without asking you.

Therapists also use various kinds of equipment to measure strength, including isokinetic dynamometers that measure muscle strength in the hips, elbows, shoulders, or knees or hand held dynamometers that a patient can squeeze to indicate grip strength.

Observe You While You Are Performing Dynamic Activities

The ability to perform various activities without pain or compensating for a deficiency in strength, flexibility, or balance are additional signs that a physical therapist will look for when assessing your overall progress. Your therapist may ask you to demonstrate your ability to perform various dynamic activities, including walking, bending, or squatting, which demonstrate the degree to which you can support your body weight and maintain balance while shifting your center of gravity. 

The goals for your therapy are established before it begins. Your therapist will determine the best approach to your treatment based upon an initial assessment. Still, a routine evaluation of your progress is necessary to determine if an adjustment to the initial approach will be beneficial or if you have attained your therapy’s maximum benefit.

Contact our experienced physical therapist  at at Mid Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic for your physical therapy in Bowie, MD, we will evaluate your condition and recommend a treatment plan to help you achieve your goals.

Chiropractor 

 Understanding Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic care has been used as a reliable treatment for back pain and other health issues for over a century, and yet it’s only just now beginning to gain any sort of mainstream recognition. If more people understood chiropractic, they would be better able to benefit from it. If you’ve been thinking about trying out a safe, affordable, and all-natural treatment option in order to improve your sense of well-being and enhance your health on an overall scale, you really should be looking into getting chiropractic adjustments from a Chiropractor.

What’s the Science Behind Chiropractic?

How can chiropractic benefit the body without relying on medication and by only using natural techniques? Chiropractic focuses primarily on maintaining the health of the spinal column. The spine houses the central nervous system, protecting it so it can facilitate communication between the body and the brain. When the spine is in its proper alignment, the central nervous system is able to function well.

However, the spine can suffer from misalignments, which are known as vertebral subluxations, due to a variety of causes such as falls, auto accidents, and muscle strains. These subluxations not only cause pain and discomfort in the body, but they disrupt the signals going between the body and the brain, which lead to a breakdown in many of the body’s other functions. As a result, issues with sleep, digestion, energy, and even stress can start to occur.

Various Chiropractic Techniques

A Chiropractor such as Ameriwell clinics, deploys a variety of chiropractic techniques, including CBD oil. Patients can choose one or more of these to address their issues. Some of the chiropractic adjustments can expect include:

Diversified technique: Widely used, this technique entails a high-velocity, low-amplitude thrust at a joint (quick, shallow thrusts that cause the popping noise).

Thompson technique: A variation of the Diversified technique, the Thompson technique uses a segmented table with drop pieces as your doctor delivers high-velocity, low amplitude, and low-force to fully adjust your spine.

Using an activator: This technique employs a small, handheld instrument called an activator. It applies a quick, low level of force to specific points on the body. These impulses dampen muscle resistance to treatment

Extremity Adjustments: While many think of back and neck issues when they consider chiropractic care, it also addresses the needs of hands, feet, wrists, and ankles. These areas see repetitive and intense movement and experience strain as much if not more so than anywhere else on the body. By addressing issues in the limbs, extremity adjustments can reduce pain and increase articulation.

Pelvic Blocking: This technique addresses pelvic or hip misalignments. Often, such issues can cause problems with the lower back, knees, and other areas.

Each of these methods alone or in combination with each other helps patients manage and lessen their chronic pain. Also, they provoke the body’s natural healing process making it more receptive and able to recover after injury or everyday wear and tear. Thus, using chiropractic adjustments regularly allows patients to stay active, strengthen their muscles, improve their mobility and range of motion, and be aware of how to keep themselves healthy over the long-term.

Consult a Chiropractor 

Chiropractic care is often a solution for a variety of different types of pain. If you have a medical issue you’re not sure what to do with, chiropractic care could be the answer. 

Chiropractic Car Accident Care

There are more than 6 million car accidents in the U.S. every year. Thankfully, the number of fatalities has gone down in recent years, but nearly 4.5 million people are seriously injured in car crashes every year.

Knee injuries account for about 10 percent of car accident injuries. People seated in the front side passenger seat are particularly susceptible, as their knees often slam into the car’s dashboard upon impact. The knee is the largest joint in the body, and though neck and back injuries are more common in car crashes, knee injuries can be just as serious.

The Most Common Knee Injuries Suffered by Accident Victims

• • Torn Meniscus. The two menisci in each knee are actually cartilage that serve as a cushion between the shin bone (tibia) and the thigh bone (femur). The cartilage can tear when the knee is under stress, and the pain and swelling will make it difficult to extend the knee.
  • Kneecap Fractures. When involved in head-on or side-impact collisions, victims could crack, break or shatter their kneecap (patella).
  • Torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL). The ACL connects your shin bone and thigh bone. When the ACL tears away from the knee joint, there will be much pain, and surgery will likely be required.
  • Dislocated Knee. This occurs when the kneecap becomes misaligned with the shin and/or thigh bone.
  • Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) Injuries. Located in the back of your knee, the PCL keeps your shin bone from moving too far backwards. When the front of your knee takes a huge hit while in a bent position (like when a passenger’s knee hits the dashboard), your PCL can be damaged.

What Are Your Treatment Options?

In many cases, car accident victims experiencing knee pain may be asked to engage in physical therapy, take painkillers and, if those fail, prepare for surgery.

A Proven Alternative – Chiropractic Care 

Another option that is increasingly popular is chiropractic care. Following extensive examinations and testing, including x-rays, most chiropractors will examine not only the knee but also your lower back, pelvis, hip, ankle and feet due to the direct impact they have on the knee. They will discuss a treatment plan with you that likely includes exercises and gentle chiropractic manipulation and mobilization techniques, as well as laser or ultrasound therapies to reduce the pain and increase your range of motion.

Car accident victims have many options to consider, as a chiropractor, like a car accident treatment professional in Glen Burnie, MD, at a practice like Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic, can explain.

Geriatric Physical Therapy

Our nation’s elderly population is susceptible to numerous age-related injuries and illnesses, such as arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, hip and knee replacements, strokes, Parkinson’s disease, osteoporosis, and more. On top of that, one out of every four older people falls every year, with about 20 percent of these falls causing a serious injury (e.g., broken bones, head injuries, etc.). It’s likely that a similar fate could await the generations that follow.

What can be done to delay these conditions?

One of the top recommendations from medical experts is to keep our aging population as active as possible for as long as possible. Whether currently active, sedentary or recovering from an injury, geriatric physical therapy (PT) can play an important role in delaying the physical challenges of aging.

Participating in a rehabilitation program or a geriatric physical therapy program can restore people’s range of motion and functionality, reduce pain and improve their quality of life. Experienced PT professionals understand that they’re not training future Olympic athletes with a strict dietary and exercise regimen. They’re helping the elderly accomplish daily tasks and recommending exercises that can be done safely and effectively.

Specific kinds of geriatric PT include:

• Orthopedic PT: In addition to helping patients recover from orthopedic surgeries, orthopedic PT focuses on treating injuries to the musculoskeletal system. Its goal is to restore function to the patient’s muscles, bones, joints, tendons and ligaments.

• Cardiopulmonary PT: This PT aims to increase endurance for those who have had heart attacks or other cardiovascular or pulmonary conditions, like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or pulmonary fibrosis.

• Neurological PT: This PT addresses both brain and bodily functions. Here, physical therapists teach seniors with Alzheimer’s disease, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), Parkinson’s disease or brain injuries to adapt to their physical and mental limitations (visual, mobility, balance, muscle loss, etc.) so they can continue to complete their daily activities.

An increasing number of geriatric PT locations use a broad range of gentle, yet effective strategies, including stretching, light exercise, walking, hydrotherapy, massage, and more. The goal remains to make basic tasks easier for senior adults and to help them be as independent as possible.

If you or a loved one are battling age-related injuries or illnesses, perhaps you should consider geriatric physical therapy? There are many options to explore, as a professional, like the geriatric physical therapy team in Baltimore, MD at a PT rehab center like Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractor, can explain.

Chiropractor

Why wait for Summer when you can get fit right away and stay healthy! Whether you are 17 or 48, there is no limitation to getting into the habit of a healthy lifestyle. We all go through different grade of stress in our daily lives. Some of us spend hours at the regular 9-5 desk jobs, even grind at construction sites and some of us play dangerous sports.

While trying to stay fit might seem like added minutes of effort, it is still the best, and perhaps the most cheapest action you could ever engage in. In fact, your body will thank you in the later years. Also, wouldn’t it be amazing to not have to go to a chiropractor? That is why we have accumulated some professional chiropractic tips to kick start your good habits for a healthier lifestyle.

1. Sit Straight Y’all!

If you haven’t done it yet after we said it in the previous line, then try now! We seriously cannot stress enough on the benefits of sitting with a good posture. A good sitting posture is essential to keep your neck and back pain miles away from hitting you. It decreases physical stress over the bones, spinal discs, pelvic muscles and ligaments holding your spinal joints together. Besides, you always look presentable and attentive in front of your boss so that’s a plus!

2. Sleep Comfortably!

Get some chiropractor recommended pillows and back cradling mattresses that will give you amazing sleep consistently. An additional tip to ensure restful sleep is to include yoga in your bedtime ritual. It will relax you into a deep sleep within minutes of resting your head. Try sleeping either by lying flat on your back, or on your side to relieve the muscles and your spine. 

3. Eat Healthy

What’s as important as exercising daily? That’s right, eating healthy! Chiropractors always advise on eating in moderation and watch out for obesity. Not only does bad eating make you obese, more health issues follow with it. Bones around your back, knees, feet and joints get affected the most. So if you want to avoid chiropractic treatment, then start maintaining a healthy weight from today.

4. Keep Yourself Active

Moments after a heavy meal, we tend to slip under the sheets or slouch on the couch. Instead of giving in, try taking a stroll across your office or your living room. It will help your back and keep your digestion proceeding. Besides exercising and stretching on a daily basis, engage in a hobby. This will keep your muscles moving, take your productivity to the next level and help you to stay fit.

Conclusion

Trying to stay fit should not have to be challenging, stressful or bank breaking. That is why these professional chiropractic in Mesa, AZ tips are cheaper and will support you in the long run. You have to agree that you have heard most of these tips before!

Thanks to LifeCare Chiropractic for their insight into chiropractic care and tips for staying fit.