Vertigo, Imbalance, Dizziness

What is Vertigo?

Vertigo is caused by a inner ear disorder, in which a person experiences a false sensation of himself or the world around him spinning.  Common symptoms include spinning sensation, floating, imbalance, nausea, and light-headedness with quick head movements or- turning in bed. One of the most common types of vertigo is BPPV- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. BPPV is a mechanical problem in the inner ear where tiny calcium carbonate crystals, otoconia, become dislodged from their natural placement within the gel in the utricle (balance organ than senses head tilt and linear motion). When otoconia accumulate in the semicircular canals(balance organ that sense angular motion), they stimulate the nerve endings in the inner ear as well as our eye muscles causing false sense of movement leading to imbalance and nausea.  

Is treatment available?

Yes. One of the treatment methods used to target the symptoms of vertigo is the Canalith Re-positioning Maneuver- Epley , Liberatory or the Apiani, depending upon which semi-circular canal is affected. A PT trained in treating these conditions can perform some specific and quick tests to match the right procedure to your condition. In this method, a trained therapist will treat a patient using a specific series of head and neck movements. The motion in this maneuver aims to displace the tiny crystals of calcium carbonate, to their original location within the inner ear. Proper placement will prevent these crystals from sending false signals of movement to the brain, thus restoring balance and alleviating motion sensitivity. 

What other Vestibular conditions PT’s treat…

Physical therapists can treat a variety of vestibular and balance disorders including concussion, labyrinthine dysfunction, vestibular neuritis, post-surgical conditions dizziness. Vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) can alleviate your symptoms and help you to return to your normal level of activity. VRT is a method that uses habituation exercises, eye muscle exercises, and balance and proprioception training exercises to improve balance during functional activities. A physical therapist will assess you to identify the root of your balance deficits  and address these through educations, individualized home exercises and home exercise program to help you resume your prior activity level.

Ease your Pesky Shoulder Pain Today!

The McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) is an inclusive, evidence-based process of examiniation, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, intervention, and prevention targeted at patient education and independence to take control of painful spinal and extremity problems.

Answer "yes" or "no" to the following questions to see if MDT is an option for you.

• Are there periods in the day when you have no pain? Even 10 minutes?
• Do you only have pain when you move your arm and shoulder?
• Are you generally better with your arm at your side or supported accoss your body?
• Are you generally worse during or after prolonged periods of holding your arms in a raised position such as driving, painting, welding, hedge trimming, etc?
• Is your pain produced or made worse when you lie on your affected shoulder?
• Is the pain confined to areas above the elbow?
• If you have pain in the upper or lower arm, does it sometimes stop completly even though you may still have pain in the shoulder?
• Have you ever had several episodes of shoulder pain over the past months of years?
• Is you shoulder pain-free between episodes?
• Are you able to move your arm freely in all directions without pain between episodes?

If you answered "yes" to 4 or more of these questions ask a physical therapist about MDT today to help get you back to doing what you love pain-free. With the help of MDT you can see results in as little as 2-3 visits, have experienced clinicians use sound treatment interventions that are based on evidence to create a tailored plan of care just for you, and minimize expensive procedures such as needles, injections, and surgeries.

If you are unable to seek help from your physical therapist right away try these tips to help and ease some of the shoulder pain you may be feeling.

• Rest
• Ice (if the injury just occured) for a maximum of 20 minutes
• Heat (if the injury occured a while ago)
• Stretch the effected shoulder
• Limit use of NSAIDs such as Aleve or Advil

Call us today for a free 10-minute phone consultation with out certified MDT physical therapist.

References from mckenzieinsituteusa.org and fishertitus.org

Living Without Neck Pain in 2020

The McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) is a method of assessment and treatment for spinal and extremity pain that has been used all over the world for more than 30 years. Its main objective is to set self-treatment principles so patients can learn techniques to improve thier pain independently. If you have ever experienced neck pain, answer the following questions with a "yes" or "no" response to see if you can benefit from MDT treatment

• Are there periods in the day when you have no pain? Even 10 minutes?
• Are you generally worse when sitting for prolonged periods or on rising from the sitting position?
• Are you generally worse when inactive and better when on the move?
• Do you sometimes experience pain across the shoulders or into the hand with symptoms like feeling of pins and needles or numbness in the fingers?
• Do you have periodic headaches?
• Have you had several episodes of neck pain over the past months or years?
• Are you able to move your head fully in all directions without pain between episodes?
• Are you pain-free between episodes?
• If you have pain in the scapulae, or upper/lower arm, does it sometimes stop completely, even though you may still have pain in the neck?

If you answered "yes" to four or more of those questions, seek a certified MDT specialist to get help with decreasing neck pain and increasing the activities you love to do.

If you cannot see a certified MDT specialist right away, try these few tips that may help to decrease neck pain due to postural deficits.

• Use the right number or thickness of pillows so as to align your neck with the rest of your spine when sleeping on your side or back.
• When using a computer, the center of the screen should be at your eye level.
• Hold your smart phone at chest level when texting and use your yes joint (upper neck joint that we nod with) to look at it.
• Exercise and stretch the neck to keep proper alignment

Call us today for a free 10-minute phone consultation with our certified MDT physical therapist.

Refrences from mckenzieinsituteusa.org and spinehealth.org

Living Pain-Free with TMJ

Temporo-Mandibular Joint (TMJ) disorder is an altered functioaning of TMJ leading to pain in and around the jaw and facial muscles that control jaw movements. TMJ is more frequently used than any other joint in the body during talking, swallowing, and breathing. You can feel this joint in front on your ear, below the temples. It can produce between 134-190 pounds worth of force. Symptomns that you may have with TMJ include pain in the ear, face, jaw, or neck when you open and close your mouth. You may also experience heahaches and or dizziness. One or many factors can lead to TMJ issues- trauma to the face, teeth, jaw alignment, arthritis, muscle tension, faulty habits or postures, teeth grinding or TMJ disc disorder being some of them. Behavior, social, cognitive, and enviornmenal factors can also play a role in causing TMJ pain.

If you are experiencing the symptomns metioned above, there could be a solution to alleviate your pain. There are many ways to manage TMJ pain and prevent it from recurring.

• Consult your dentist if you expeirence teeth grinding to minimize it with a custome made night-time rigid mouth guard.
• Use an ice pack for sharp pain (usually joint related) or a heating pad for dull aches (usually muscular). Heat or ice should not be used for more than 20 minutes.
• Massage the muscles by the ears, inside the mouth, and on the side of the neck to release muscle tension.
• Try to keep the neck muscles as relaxed as possible by sitting up with the back well supported, not craning your neck during everyday activities, and not cradling a telephone between your shoulder and cheek.
• Altering your sleep positions can also help with decreasing stress on the TMJ.

Preventing TMJ pain starts with proper dental care.

• Make sure to see the dentist every 6 months, use a soft-bristle toothbrush or a sonic toothbrush.
• Have your dentist give breaks during long dental procedures to prevent TMJ from overstretching.
• In addition, you want to avoid prolonged chewing on gum or biting on hard foods like taffy.
• Certain habits like chewing on the inner cheek, lower lip, or your tongue can also stress your TMJ.
• Try to use molars on either side equally when chewing.

A physical therapist can offer significant relief from TMJ pain and help to restore the natural movement of the jaw. Posture education, manual therapy, pain-relief modalities like ultrasound, and different exercises will be utilized to treat your TMJ symptoms.

Don't let yout TMJ pain control your daily life, try these tips and seek help from your Physical Therapist today!

Living Without Neck Pain in 2019

The McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) is a method of assessment and treatment for spinal and extremity pain that has been used all over the world for more than 30 years. Its main objective is to set self-treatment principles so patients can learn techniques to improve thier pain independently. If you have ever experienced neck pain, answer the following questions with a "yes" or "no" response to see if you can benefit from MDT treatment

• Are there periods in the day when you have no pain? Even 10 minutes?
• Are you generally worse when sitting for prolonged periods or on rising from the sitting position?
• Are you generally worse when inactive and better when on the move?
• Do you sometimes experience pain across the shoulders or into the hand with symptoms like feeling of pins and needles or numbness in the fingers?
• Do you have periodic headaches?
• Have you had several episodes of neck pain over the past months or years?
• Are you able to move your head fully in all directions without pain between episodes?
• Are you pain-free between episodes?
• If you have pain in the scapulae, or upper/lower arm, does it sometimes stop completely, even though you may still have pain in the neck?

If you answered "yes" to four or more of those questions, seek a certified MDT specialist to get help with decreasing neck pain and increasing the activities you love to do.

If you cannot see a certified MDT specialist right away, try these few tips that may help to decrease neck pain due to postural deficits.

• Use the right number or thickness of pillows so as to align your neck with the rest of your spine when sleeping on your side or back.
• When using a computer, the center of the screen should be at your eye level.
• Hold your smart phone at chest level when texting and use your yes joint (upper neck joint that we nod with) to look at it.
• Exercise and stretch the neck to keep proper alignment

Call us today for a free 10-minute phone consultation with our certified MDT physical therapist.

Refrences from mckenzieinsituteusa.org and spinehealth.org

Vertigo, Imbalance, Dizziness

What is Vertigo?

Vertigo is caused by a inner ear disorder, in which a person experiences a false sensation of himself or the world around him spinning.  Common symptoms include spinning sensation, floating, imbalance, nausea, and light-headedness with quick head movements or- turning in bed. One of the most common types of vertigo is BPPV- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. BPPV is a mechanical problem in the inner ear where tiny calcium carbonate crystals, otoconia, become dislodged from their natural placement within the gel in the utricle (balance organ than senses head tilt and linear motion). When otoconia accumulate in the semicircular canals(balance organ that sense angular motion), they stimulate the nerve endings in the inner ear as well as our eye muscles causing false sense of movement leading to imbalance and nausea.  

Is treatment available?

Yes. One of the treatment methods used to target the symptoms of vertigo is the Canalith Re-positioning Maneuver- Epley , Liberatory or the Apiani, depending upon which semi-circular canal is affected. A PT trained in treating these conditions can perform some specific and quick tests to match the right procedure to your condition. In this method, a trained therapist will treat a patient using a specific series of head and neck movements. The motion in this maneuver aims to displace the tiny crystals of calcium carbonate, to their original location within the inner ear. Proper placement will prevent these crystals from sending false signals of movement to the brain, thus restoring balance and alleviating motion sensitivity. 

What other Vestibular conditions PT’s treat…

Physical therapists can treat a variety of vestibular and balance disorders including concussion, labyrinthine dysfunction, vestibular neuritis, post-surgical conditions dizziness. Vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) can alleviate your symptoms and help you to return to your normal level of activity. VRT is a method that uses habituation exercises, eye muscle exercises, and balance and proprioception training exercises to improve balance during functional activities. A physical therapist will assess you to identify the root of your balance deficits  and address these through educations, individualized home exercises and home exercise program to help you resume your prior activity level.

Winter is Around the Corner!

Tips to help you have a Safe Holiday Season

Given the changing weather conditions during this time of year, it is important to be cautious of winter conditions such as snow, ice, and the cold temperature. 

Most common winter Injuries & how we can avoid them: 

1.       Falling on snow & ice

• Making sure your winter shoes have good traction is important. When purchasing winter shoes, pay close attention to the material and tread pattern on the soles of the shoes. Plastic or leather shoes are not optimal slip-resistant materials, a good tread design on the sole of a shoe is one that is spread out and has depth. 
• While proper footwear is helpful, it is equally as important to be conscious as you walk outdoors in the winter, because black ice can be present. Instead of only looking down as you walk, try to glance in front of you to detect uneven surfaces that are in your direction.
• Keep your arms and hands close to your body and take small steps like a penguin when walking- ankle is positioned under the hip. If you take big steps, placing the heel of your foot too far ahead of you, and the rest of your weight is shifted backwards, you are more prone to fall.

2.      Experiencing muscle strain from shoveling snow/ scraping ice

• Muscle contraction is directly affected by temperature. Oxygen is carried into your body through hemoglobin. In colder temperatures, oxygen is bound to hemoglobin more tightly which impedes the rate at which oxygen reaches the muscles. For this reason, you should always warm up before engaging in physical activity including activities like shoveling the snow. By warming up, more oxygen will be available to the muscles to allow for a stronger force of contraction.  
• Muscle strain can occur in an instant, or over time. Acute muscle strain can be a result of a slip/ fall, or heavy lifting; chronic muscle strain may arise from long-term harmful repetitive movement.  Acute strain can be minimized by being cautious of your movement, and avoiding strenuous activities. If you do not feel physically fit, shoveling heavy snow yourself may not be the best option. Look into finding an alternative by asking a neighbor/ friend, or hiring a snow cleaning service. Chronic muscle strain can be avoided by being aware of your form when you’re engaging in physical activity.
• Some tips to keep in mind when shoveling snow is to find your balance before beginning to shovel the snow. Keep your feet wide and shift weight to the front foot when digging into the snow. When pulling the snow-filled shovel upwards, shift weight to the back foot and be sure to use the strength in your arms not your back when lifting. When throwing the snow, turn your body in the direction of the shovel instead of twisting at the waist.

3. Accidents while playing winter sports and activities

• As we should do during all times of the year, wearing proper protective gear is key to having a safe athletic experience!
• Be adventurous, but dive into it slowly. Trying a sport for the first time can go two ways, it may be a very enjoyable or a very frightening experience. While it may be very tempting to try new tricks, or experiment free-style, having the proper initial training is critical. With guidance from a professional, you can learn critical skills such as how to stop, slow down, and change directions. This basic training will help you have a safe experience.
• Be mindful of barriers! Especially in popular winter sports, such as skiing and snowboarding, facilities will mark safe areas to be in. The cones, flags, and other barriers that are blocking off certain ground is placed for your safety. Do not venture off past marked trails. 

A Parent’s Guide to Concussion in Sports

According to the NFHS, National Federation of State High School Associations, it is estimated that over 140,000 high school athletes across the United States suffer a concussion each year. As a parent of active children, being aware of symptoms of a concussion is important. While many believe that concussions only occur when an athlete loses consciousness, in actuality, a concussion can occur even when symptoms are not as apparent.

Recognizing Symptoms:

A critical step you can take to ensure your child is having a healthy athletic experience is to be aware of warning signs of a concussion. You may notice changes in your child’s behavior or thinking, or your child himself may complain about cautionary symptoms.

Symptoms:

Thinking

• Feels confused
• Appears dazed or stunned
• Not thinking clearly
• Slow process of thinking
•  Concentration/ Memory problems

Physical

• Nausea/ Vomiting
• Headache
• Dizziness/ Imbalance
• Blurred vision
• Sensitivity to light/ noise
• Diminished energy

Emotional

• More emotional
• Anxious/ nervous
• Easily upset/ angered

Sleep

• Changes in normal sleep pattern

 When one or more of these symptoms are evident, it is important to

1.       Stop sport/ activity                           2. Seek medical evaluation

When Can An Athlete Return to Play?
No athlete should return to play on the same day.
All athletes who sustain a concussion must undergo an evaluation by a healthcare provider and must be clear of all symptoms during physical testing. Even if it appears that your child is symptom free, healing my not be complete. For this reason, ample rest is required for complete recovery.

• Following medical clearance, a return to play schedule should be followed to allow the brain to re-adjust to exertion. This schedule should be enforced over time allowing your child to be asymptomatic for each step for a period of time prior to progressing. 

Step 1: Light exercise, including walking or riding an exercise bike. No weight-lifting.
Step 2: Running in the gym or on the field. No helmet or other equipment.
Step 3: Non-contact training drills in full equipment. Weight training can begin.
Step 4: Full contact practice or training.
Step 5: Game play.

When Can An Athlete Return to Learn/ School?

• Just as a child should gradually increase physical activity post-concussion, all cognitive activities should slowly be reintroduced after a period of rest. By consulting your doctor, you can create the optimal return to learn schedule for your child similar to the one presented below. 

Step 1: Post concussion take a rest from cognitive activities. 
Step 2: Slowly reintroduce light cognitive activities for short periods of time (coloring, drawing,                        listening to audio books, and watching television).
Step 3: School-specific activity can be increased gradually (up to 30 minutes). 
Step 4: Allow your child to return to school under a modified schedule. This means fewer classes, or                providing extra time to complete activities when needed. 

* Note: If symptoms worsen at any time, allow your child to rest until symptoms improve. When they improve, the child may return to class. 

By having a deeper understanding about concussion identification & care, you will be able to help your child live a healthier lifestyle.