Category: Arthritis

Physical Therapy Clinic in West BloomfieldBlogArthritis
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By manish 0 Comments Arthritis, Physical Therapy

The Best Natural Treatment for Arthritis Aches and Pains

Arthritis is a painful ailment that can make a person feel isolated and confined on their path. In order to manage discomfort, many arthritis�sufferers turn to antirheumatic medicines, steroid injections, or joint replacement surgery.

Physical therapy and other natural treatments, on the other hand, have been shown to provide greater results for many people. Contact our office today for more information on how our natural method of pain treatment can help you relieve your arthritic problems. In the meantime, keep reading to learn about the benefits of physical therapy for arthritic pains!

The benefits of manual therapy

Physical therapy entails more than merely performing specialized exercises. Manual therapy is, in fact, an important component of many physical therapy treatment strategies. It is the hands-on component of PT that not only pampers arthritic patients but also helps them to feel better. A large portion of an arthritic patient’s physical therapy session is usually devoted to manual pain management.

In order to relieve hurting joints, other therapy options may include ice and heat therapies, massage, and even the use of special technology.

To treat pain naturally, your physical therapist can alternate heating pads and ice packs. Massage for rheumatic areas increases circulation and gives a relaxing, warming sensation. Ultrasound machines deliver soothing heat to the damaged joints at a deeper level. Whatever approaches and modalities your physical therapist recommends, you may rest assured that your treatment plan was created just for you.

How are painful joints isolated?

Rest can sometimes be the best cure for arthritic joints. However, too much inactivity can actually worsen the problem by weakening the surrounding muscles.

Your physical therapist can help you isolate the painful joint, so you can remain active while finding relief. Bracing provides natural pain relief for your arthritic condition. Depending on where your arthritis is rooted, a specialized neck collar or wrist splint can also provide specialized support for that joint. By isolating the painful area, you will be able to go about your daily life without worrying about the aches and pains you are carrying with you.

Improving range-of-motion with PT

Anyone who has arthritis can attest to the horribly stiff joints that come with it. When you try to move the injured joint further than it can go, you may feel anything from a nagging discomfort to complete pain. Flexibility exercises learned in physical therapy sessions help your joints become more supple over time, while resistance exercises help to strengthen the muscles that support them. Your comprehensive physical therapy session will allow you to attain diminished discomfort and improved freedom of movement by participating in such treatments.

You can learn new ways to move!

It’s not always easy to predict which of your behaviors will cause arthritic twinges and acute aches. Even something as easy as walking around a corner might cause your arthritic shoulder to stiffen and twist in ways you didn’t realize, resulting in a bolt of pain that appears to shoot straight through you. As a result, finding new ways to move is critical in order to prevent some of the unwelcomed uncomfortable sensations that can occur during the day.

Arthritic individuals might learn which motions cause them pain during physical therapy sessions. Their physical therapists can also show you how to minimize unneeded discomfort by demonstrating new joint protection procedures. It could be as easy as carrying a pocketbook with a specific type of strap to relieve pressure on your wrists, or entering the car or bathtub in a different method.

A physical therapist can show you how to carry goods with your palms instead of your fingers if you have arthritic fingers. Another typical strategy is to lay objects across the arms rather than carrying them in your hands. During your sessions, you will also learn about the most up-to-date technologies and techniques that may make everyday activities much easier.

Contact us for relief:

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By manish 0 Comments Arthritis

Got Arthritis Pain? Find Relief Without Medication

Taking an opioid painkiller for relief when a person has arthritis, especially in a weight-bearing joint like the knee or hip, can be a great temptation.

The bad news is that while an opioid can momentarily relieve pain, the patient’s bones continue to grind together, exacerbating the underlying source of the problem. That’s before you even consider opioids’ addictive properties. Rather than relying on opioids to relieve your arthritis pain, consider a chemical-free option: physical therapy.

Call our office to learn more about how working with a physical therapist can relieve your arthritis symptoms.

What is arthritis?

Arthritis is a condition that attacks the joints of the body by causing mass amounts of pain, tenderness, and inflammation. Many people falsely believe that only the elderly can be affected by this condition, but that’s not true. Anyone at any age can develop arthritis in their joints!

The good news is that you can spot the signs of arthritis and seek help with us. Physical therapy may help to restore the use of these joints and increase your ability to move about and participate in everyday activities.

Signs of arthritis

Arthritis�symptoms can be managed with the help of physical therapy. Some of the most common symptoms that arthritis sufferers have to deal with include:

  • Swollen Tissues:�The pain and inflammation associated with arthritis can cause tissue swelling near the impacted joint. The area surrounding the joint might feel warm to the touch.
  • Grinding Sensation:�Arthritis is a result of lost cartilage, the material in the joints which acts as a cushion and lubricant between bones. The loss of cartilage can make it feel as if the patient’s bones are grinding together when they move.
  • Lost Mobility:�An arthritic joint can restrict your range of motion, to the point where you are unable to carry out daily tasks like you used to.
  • Joint Stiffness and Aches:�The joints are especially stiff upon waking and may feel sensitive or painful when touched.
  • Pain:�Arthritic joints may hurt during or after physical movement.

Why are opioids so dangerous?

Both opioid prescription rates and deaths from opioid overdoses have quadrupled in the last two decades. Given these identical statistics, one can’t escape the obvious conclusion: Reliance on painkillers has gotten out of hand, and the consequences can be literally fatal.

In a study published by the American Physical Therapy Association,�titled “Beyond Opioids: How Physical Therapy Can Transform Pain Management and Improve Health,” this issue is exhaustively analyzed. It identifies three important waves of the opioid epidemic:

  1. “Increases in deaths involving prescription opioids starting in 1999
  2. Increases in deaths involving heroin starting in 2010
  3. Increases in deaths involving synthetic opioids since 2013”

Beyond extreme physical risk, over-reliance on prescription painkillers can have other detrimental effects on your health. Withdrawal symptoms can be harrowing. And while you’re still using them, opioids can lead to depression, which sets up a vicious cycle of self-medicating in order to feel better emotionally as well as physically.

The Centers for Disease Control�offers some frightening statistics from opioid overuse in 2011:

  1. “Sales of prescription painkillers to pharmacies and providers had increased 300% since 1999
  2. In 2010, 12 million people ages 12 and older reported using prescription painkillers “non-medically”
  3. More than 40 people were dying each day from overdoses involving prescription opioids”

Fortunately, as the APTA study concludes, there is a safer alternative to opioid use: physical therapy. If you have been struggling with pain or discomfort, contact us today to find out how we can resolve your issues the natural way.

Physical therapy can help you find true arthritis pain relief!

If you have been diagnosed with arthritis, you can work with a physical therapist to learn strategies that will help you manage your symptoms, without having to resort to painkillers.

Prepare to discuss your medical history with your therapist at your first meeting. You’ll be asked to describe your symptoms and how they affect your day-to-day activities.

During your first appointment, your physical therapist will likely have you do a few simple tests. The tests will vary based on which joints are suffering from arthritis.

Expect to be assessed on your strength and balance, as well as your range of motion in the afflicted joints. These tests will be used to identify how far your arthritis has progressed and to help your physical therapist create the optimal treatment plan for you.

Your arthritis treatment approach will almost definitely include manual therapy. This type of therapeutic massage can help loosen muscles and increase the range of motion in arthritic joints while also relieving stiffness and discomfort. All licensed physical therapists receive training in arthritis manual therapy.

Another aspect of your arthritis treatment will involve body mechanics. Your physical therapist will show you how to perform daily activities with the least amount of strain on your arthritic joints. This helps to prevent the grinding feeling as well as the progression of the arthritic condition.

Additional treatments for your arthritis may include:

  • Posture:�Your doctor will show you different methods of body mechanics that will optimize joint function and minimize pain. To relieve pressure on arthritic joints, you will also be taught ways to use the best muscles and joints.
  • Education:�Sometimes arthritis in the hip or knee will require the use of assistive mobility devices, such as a cane or walker. Your physical therapist will teach you the proper way to use these devices.

Exercise and weight management may be included in your physical therapy treatment plan. Your therapist may recommend aquatic exercise in a pool for joint relief depending on the location of your arthritis (as one possible example).

The goal will be to build strength in your muscles so that they can better support your weight without putting excessive strain on your arthritic joints.

Contact us today

Physical therapy can help you manage the pain of arthritis without turning to powerful opioids or other painkillers. Call our office today to schedule your first appointment with a licensed physical therapist.

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By manish 0 Comments Arthritis

Are You Suffering From Arthritis? Physical Therapy Could Help!

Have you ever found yourself relating a little too much to the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz, barely able to walk around because of painfully stiff joints? Unlike the Tin Man, you might have arthritis, and it’s gonna take a whole lot more than a little bit of oil to get you moving again! If your arthritis pain is preventing you from leading a normal, active life, it’s time to look into physical therapy.

Physical therapy can provide a number of benefits, from a wider range of motion to greater joint strength and stability — without the risks and side effects of anti-inflammatory medications. Believe it or not, your painful joints may bother you less once you start using them more! Our physical therapist will be happy to help you conquer your arthritis pain, so contact our physical therapy center today!

Arthritis Defined

According to the CDC, there are over 100 causes of joint pain and inflammation. Arthritis can prove to be confusing as it is painful. Conditions ranging from uric acid accumulation to bacterial infection can inflame and damage the body’s various joints. The usual symptoms include swollen, stiff joints that cause pain either constantly or with joint motion.

The two chief types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis typically occurs as the end result of many years of ordinary joint usage, although it can also develop more quickly in association with an injury or extreme joint wear. The cartilage that normally permits smooth, friction-free motion within the joint grows thin and breaks up, while at the same time, the joint may start producing less and less of its own natural lubricant fluid.

Rheumatoid arthritis tends to occur in periodic flare-ups instead of causing constant pain and deterioration. In this form of arthritis, an immune system reaction attacks the joint components as if they were foreign invaders. It affects the soft tissues around joints. Fluid builds up in the affected joints, causing pain, stiffness, and inflammation. What causes this kind of arthritis isn’t known, but it may be linked to genetics or environmental factors.

Do I Have Arthritis?

The classic symptoms of arthritis vary according to what type of arthritis you have. Both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis can cause joint pain, swelling, redness and deformation. But rheumatoid arthritis may be accompanied by additional symptoms such as fever, weight loss, weakness and fatigue. It also tends to come and go in acute episodes, while osteoarthritis is more of a constant, progressively worsening presence in your life.

The most common arthritis symptom is pain in the joint that has lost too much cartilage. That joint will feel stiff in the morning when you wake up, or if you sit or lie down for extended periods. Activities that use an affected joint will be painful. The joint will also hurt if you touch it or put pressure on it. An arthritic joint might be “noisy,” making cracks and pops when it is used. Your body might even attempt to grow new bone structure in the arthritic joint, as a defense mechanism; this is painful and you will feel it!

Physical Therapy Treatment For Arthritis

If it’s hard for you to turn your head, use your hands, or even walk around without pain, you might be leaning towards not using those arthritis-filled joints at all. However, regularly exercising and flexing those joints in your body really can help you feel and move better! Research shows that exercise can reduce the pain experienced by arthritis patients. Based on your particular condition and type of arthritis, our physical therapist may recommend the following kinds of physical therapy exercises:

  • Flexibility exercises – These exercises are designed to help you increase your pain-free range of motion. They can be as simple as shoulder rolls or raising your arm repeatedly.
  • Strength-building exercises – Gentle, careful weight training, as prescribed by a physical therapist, can help your muscles and connective tissues assume more of the joints’ burden and can lend extra stability to your joints.
  • Aerobic exercises – Aerobic exercises boost your circulation. This increase in circulation supports joint tissue health while helping inflammatory substances and excess fluids to exit the joints.

Contact Us For An Appointment

Remember that arthritis doesn’t discriminate against any age. You might be struggling with arthritis even if you aren’t a grandparent yet! So, are you looking for a powerful, drug-free way to ease your arthritis pain? Contact Premier Therapy Centers to schedule an appointment today.

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By manish 0 Comments Arthritis

Suffering From Arthritis Pain? Relief Is Right Around The Corner!

You Don’t Have To Live With Constant Pain

According to the Arthritis Foundation, arthritis affects over 50 million people and is the leading cause of disability across America. Arthritis can affect anyone at any age and can become downright debilitating for those who suffer from it. There are many important steps that people dealing with this condition can take to relieve their stiff and aching joints. Physical therapy is one of them! It’s a great way to create an effective plan to ease pain while remaining active. If you want to kick your arthritis pain to the curb, call our (town) office today and find out how a physical therapy program can lessen or even eliminate your pain!

Eating Healthy Is Key

Eating a healthy and nutritious diet plays an important role in easing arthritis pain. Besides kicking the refined carbs, MSG’s, and sugar filled foods (which all increase inflammation) you should add these great tasting, natural foods to your diet!

  • Walnuts – Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and can reduce inflammation and soreness. You can eat them alone as a snack, or add them into almost any sweet or salty dish for an extra crunchy boost.
  • Soy – Soy is a great tasting way to fight inflammation, as it is high in protein and low in fat. You can get your soy through roasted soybeans, tofu, and soy milk. You don’t even have to be a vegetarian to try it!
  • Ginger – Ginger helps reduce inflammation and ease arthritis pain. It also adds flavor to almost any food including meat, fruit, veggies, and soups.
  • Broccoli – Did you know that broccoli has an ingredient called sulforaphane in it, which may slow or even prevent osteoarthritis? It’s true! Broccoli is great hot, cold, in salads and casseroles, or as a side dish for meals. It is very important to get your greens in when you’re trying to have a healthy diet.

Why Choose Physical Therapy?

Exercising daily is not enough to reverse arthritis, but it can certainly help slow down its progression while easing the painful symptoms. Your physical therapist can help you form a regular exercise routine which can help you lose some weight. This will ease the strain on your joints. A physical therapist can also teach you many kinds of stretches and exercises to target your specific areas of pain. You can also stop taking excessive amounts of medication if you decide to go down the physical therapy route, which is a huge added bonus to your health and wallet!

Physical therapists are professionally trained to evaluate your condition and provide the correct exercises to meet your needs. Most of the exercises they will teach you can be done on your own at home as well, so you can continue treatment outside of appointments. You might even have some aquatic exercises! Working out in the water provides exercise that is non-impact and extremely calming to the joints. A physical therapist may recommend working out in a heated pool to help relieve pain in arthritic joints.

But How Can Physical Therapy Help Me?

Physical therapy treatment programs can not only lessen the pain you experience from arthritis, but they can also help improve your daily life. Working with a physical therapist every week can improve the following:

  • How To Start Using The Proper Technology – Physical therapists can teach you how to use walkers, orthotics, and other assistive technology devices correctly. This can help ease strain on your joints when you move.
  • Strengthen Your Muscles – Physical therapy techniques are often used to increase strength. If the muscles that surround and support aching joints become stronger and more flexible, they can help relieve arthritis pain.
  • Increase Your Range of Motion – Physical therapy can help keep your muscles and ligaments loose which will reduce inflammation and stiffness. This will decrease your pain levels, and improve your overall range of mobility.

What Treatment Methods Do Physical Therapists Use?

There are tons of treatment methods physical therapists may use to help relieve your arthritis pain. For example, they may use massage to loosen muscles and tendons around your arthritic joints. Physical therapy treatment might also include the use of ice baths or cold compresses to reduce inflammation and soreness.The use of heating pads is also normal in the loosening of tight muscles. Physical therapy treatment may also include ultrasound or laser treatment to send soothing heat waves into your joints as you progress.

Call Us Today To Get Started With Your Physical Therapy

One of our qualified movement specialists will put together an exercise treatment program to help reduce your arthritis pain and keep you as active as possible. Physical therapy is a safe and healthy way to keep your joints, tendons, and muscles working together the way they’re supposed to. Contact Premier Therapy Centers to see how physical therapy can help you live a pain-free life.

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By manish 0 Comments Arthritis

Find Pain Relief From Arthritis Without Using Medication

Arthritis can come from pain in the ankles, knees, hands, elbows, or hips, and it can affect just about anyone! Sometimes it’s a pop in your knee as you descend a flight of stairs, or a painful crack in your fingers when you try to open a jar. No matter what pain symptom it may reveal itself through, one thing is for sure: arthritis does not discriminate, and it can affect anyone at any age.

If you are suffering from pain in your hands, joints, knees, or other areas of your body, it’s time to speak to a physical therapist to discuss drug-free strategies for managing arthritis pain.

Drug-Free Alternatives For Managing Arthritis Pain

According to the Arthritis Foundation, arthritis affects over 50 million people and is the leading cause of disability across America. Arthritis may result from a variety of factors, including genetics and lifestyle habits, and millions of people turn to medications for managing the pain. However, arthritic pain is susceptible to much more than just medications! Drug-free strategies to reduce arthritic pain relies on a person’s five senses to combat the effects of arthritis, including anxiety surrounding pain, reports the Arthritis Foundation.

While medication treatment may be available, those with arthritis can benefit immensely from the use of non-drug-related techniques for managing symptoms. Below are 6 things you can begin practicing to reduce your chances of developing arthritis, as well as decrease arthritis pain you might be experiencing already.

  1. Get outside more often! Sunlight helps our bodies metabolize vitamin D. This vitamin is responsible for the proper function of the immune system and bone health. Since arthritis involves the deterioration of the musculoskeletal system, getting enough vitamin D is crucial! Sunshine also triggers the release of serotonin in the brain, boosting mood and acting as a natural painkiller.
  2. Give yoga a try. Did you know there are a ton of non-traditional means of treating health conditions, including yoga and guided meditation? These are notable for improving arthritis pain. Yoga and meditation can help a person relax and reduce the sensation of pain.
  3. Eat a nutritious, anti-inflammatory diet. Changes to your diet may benefit your arthritic condition. As explained by the National Institutes of Health, treatment for rheumatoid arthritis combined with improved dietary choices increases the chances of remission.

    Eating a healthier diet also offers advantages in other areas. For example, foods rich in antioxidants, such as dark chocolate, may reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease and improve your overall mood as well. It also leads back to better management of pain.
  4. Maintain a healthy weight. Excess weight adds stress and burden on the body, and for those living with arthritis, extra weight results in more pain. Don’t jump into a hardcore work out just yet though! Any exercise regimen should be under the supervision of a primary care physician and trained experts, such as occupational and physical therapists.
  5. Keep your mind busy. Simply spending time doing something such as reading or looking at an old photo album that allows you to reconnect with happy memories can have a powerful effect on the mind and body. This provides a small escape from your everyday routine. Sometimes trying to take our minds off of the problem can lessen the intensity of our pain.
  6. Avoid injuries by working with a professional. Physical therapy takes a whole-body approach to understanding the exact motions of joints and how to move them without causing pain. Exercising daily is not enough to reverse arthritis, but it can certainly help slow down its progression while easing the painful symptoms. Your physical therapist can help you form a regular exercise routine which can help you lose some weight. This will ease the strain on your joints.

Why Choose Physical Therapy?

A physical therapist can teach you many kinds of stretches and exercises to target your specific areas of pain with your arthritis. You can also stop taking excessive amounts of medication if you decide to go down the physical therapy route, which is a huge bonus to your health and wallet!

Physical therapists are professionally trained to evaluate your condition and provide the correct exercises to meet your needs. Most of the exercises they will teach you can be done on your own at home as well, so you can continue treatment outside of appointments. You might even have some aquatic exercises! Working out in the water provides exercise that is non-impact and extremely calming to the joints. A physical therapist may recommend working out in a heated pool to help relieve pain in arthritic joints.

Discover the benefits of natural pain relief with us!

Arthritis affects the lives of more than 31 million Americans, and that statistic will double to more than 78 million by 2040, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Arthritis does not pick and choose certain ages or races to affect; all races, genders, and ages may develop arthritis. While medication treatment may help, it is far from the best option.

Stop treating your pain with NSAIDs and other possibly harmful medications. Take advantage of physical therapy instead, and request a consultation with one of our skilled therapists today. We’re here to help ease your pain, and we’re just a phone call away.

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By manish 0 Comments Arthritis, Health and Wellness, Physical Therapy

Get Back to the Activities You Once Loved With Physical Therapy!

Can’t Live Life on Your Own Terms? Turn to Physical Therapy for Help

That oil painting you started way back when still awaits the finishing touches. You bought a guitar last year, but you can’t stand the thought of trying to play it. Your golf friends wonder if you’re ever going to join them for another nine holes. Your tennis game got rusty shortly after your elbow did the same.

Do these scenarios, or similar ones, strike a little close to home? Chronic pain, stiffness and injuries can draw strict lines governing what you can and can’t do. Taking painkillers offers little more than a stopgap solution, while major surgery could actually set you back further instead of letting you get past your problem. Fortunately, you have another option for returning to the activities you love: physical therapy.

How Painful Problems Limit Your Lifestyle

The human body is capable of an extraordinary range of physical actions, thanks to the muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints that make motion possible. Unfortunately, this amazing structure can run into problems — problems that restrict your range of motion, making even small actions too painful to contemplate. Let’s look at how issues affecting different body parts can limit your lifestyle.

  • Hands�– It’s hard to think of any artistic endeavor that doesn’t require limber hands and fingers. Arthritis can stiffen your digits until you can’t play an instrument, draw, or create handicrafts. Carpal tunnel syndrome makes even holding a pen an agonizing experience.
  • Elbows and shoulders�– Athletes regularly struggle with repetitive motion injuries, bursitis, or tendinitis in the elbows or shoulders. Two classic examples include golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow, two similar forms of chronic tendon damage and inflammation.
  • Neck and back�– Does your favorite activity require you to crane your neck or twist your back constantly? You may not be able to do either if you’re suffering from a herniated disc, a strained back, overstressed neck muscles, or degenerative spinal joint issues.
  • Lower extremities�– Any physical activity that involves running, jumping, or even standing still can become impossible if your hips, knees, or feet hurt. Osteoarthritis commonly afflicts weight-bearing joints. You could also be struggling with runner’s knee, sciatica, or plantar fasciitis.

Our Physical Therapist Can Help Restore Pain-Free Function

Physical therapy makes a natural first line of care for anyone looking to regain lost strength, dexterity, or range of motion. Many people turn to physical therapy to take away the limits imposed by chronic pain or injuries so that they can return to their favorite activities. Our physical therapist makes a point of going beyond physical exams and symptom evaluations to speak with you about your specific frustrations, limitations, goals, and hopes for relief. We can then arrange a detailed, personalized physical therapy plan that targets those ailments and objectives.

Physical therapy uses a variety of tools and strategies that work together to achieve a desired result. For example:

  • A combination of massage therapy, stretches, heat therapy and cold therapy can ease pain in your hands and wrists.
  • Strength training, chiropractic treatment, and corrective exercises may be recommended to soothe pain and prevent further injury in the neck or back.
  • Walking, cycling or swimming can improve the pain-free range of motion in your weight-bearing joints.
  • Orthotic shoe inserts can help you come back from plantar fasciitis.

Ready to Enjoy Your Favorite Activities Again?

Don’t settle for being a spectator where your favorite activities are concerned. Jump back into the fun by contacting Premier Therapy Centers for treatment!

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By manish 0 Comments Arthritis, Physical Therapy

Natural Remedies For Treating Arthritis

You Don’t Have To Turn To Medication For Relief

It is fairly common for people who suffer from arthritis pain to resort to expensive surgery, steroid injections, and prescription medications to cope with their pain. Sometimes, these treatments can actually benefit patients with severe arthritis. More often than not, the better route to go involves physical therapy and natural treatments.

Arthritis does not discriminate either, and although it tends to be found often in elderly patients, it can affect anyone at any age. According to a study on JAMA, “[rheumatoid] arthritis (RA) occurs in about 5 per 1000 people and can lead to severe joint damage and disability.” Arthritis is also one of the top causes of disability in America. If left untreated by a professional, patients suffering from arthritis can experience extremely painful symptoms for long periods of time.

If you want to learn more about how physical therapy can benefit you and decrease your arthritis pain, give our office a call today.

What Is Manual Therapy?

Manual therapy is part of physical therapy that involves hands-on treatment. This kind of treatment both pampers arthritis patients and eases their discomfort. Pain relief treatment in manual therapy often forms a large portion of a physical therapy session for someone with arthritis. Heating pads, ice packs, massage, and even certain kinds of machines all play a crucial role in relieving aching joints.

As mentioned above, your physical therapist may alternate between heating pads and ice packs to naturally relieve your pain. They might also use ultrasound machines to send soothing heatwaves deeper into your painful joints. Targeted massage techniques also boost circulation and create a warming sensation for areas affected by arthritis.

How Can You Build Your Range of Motion?

Stiff joints are no fun for anyone, but for people struggling with arthritis, a stiff joint equates to a painful joint. If a patient with arthritis attempts to push their affected joint out of its range of motion, they will inevitably experience many uncomfortable sensations.

These painful twinges can be downright agony to deal with on a daily basis, which is why it is important to increase flexibility and range of motion. This can be achieved through physical therapy. The range of motion treatment usually involves flexibility and strength exercises, which gradually allow your joints to become more limber and strengthen supporting muscles.

How Isolating Painful Joints Can Help

It is true that sometimes the best remedy for arthritic joints is to get some bed rest. However, it’s very impractical for many of us to take long bouts of rest in bed or at home away from work. There’s also the fact that not getting enough exercise or activity into your daily routine can worsen the condition by weakening your muscles.

Thankfully, there is a solution to this! Your physical therapist will know how to isolate a painful joint by bracing it. Bracing provides natural pain relief for patients with arthritis. Treatment may include wrist splints or neck collars, depending on the central location of your pain. No matter where your pain might be, there is a specialized treatment option for that joint!

How You Can Avoid The Pain

When living with arthritis, it is important to understand that if you don’t want to feel the pain you’ve always experienced, you will have to learn new ways to move around. It is not always easy to know what movements or actions bring on your painful twinges though — sometimes just standing up too quickly can cause arthritis in your knee joints to tense and twist in an unexpected way. This is why learning new ways to move is helpful; it can aid you in avoiding these unwelcome symptoms.

Your physical therapist can teach you which motions lead to discomfort, and show you how to avoid them and further protect your joints. These joint protection techniques can be as simple as carrying a purse with a particular kind of strap to take the pressure off your wrists.

Another example is getting out of your car or into the shower in a different way. Your physical therapist will make sure you have a solid understanding of what is and is not OK to do at home as far as keeping your joints unaffected.

Physical therapists don’t just focus on the big stuff though! If you have arthritic fingers, your physical therapist can show you how to carry objects with your palms instead of grasping them with your fingers. Physical therapy can also give you access to new gadgets and technology that make daily tasks much less challenging for you as well.

Learn More Today, Call Our Office

If you want to find new ways to combat your arthritis with natural remedies, call Premier Therapy Centers today to learn more. A physical therapist on our team can do a thorough assessment of you, and get you back on track to where you want to be: pain-free.

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By manish 0 Comments Arthritis, Health and Wellness, Physical Therapy

Finding Relief for Arthritis Pain Sufferers!

Millions of individuals struggle with arthritis pain and stiffness. There are several important steps arthritis sufferers can take to relieve achy, stiff joints. Physical therapy can be part of an effective plan to ease the pain while remaining active. Call Premier Therapy Centers today to find out how a physical therapy program can lessen or even eliminate your arthritis pain!

Why Choose the Right Foods?

Nutrition can play a crucial role in easing arthritis pain and discomfort. Besides avoiding MSG, refined carbs, and sugary foods, which can increase inflammation, you’ll want to add these great tasting foods that can help ease your arthritis pain.

  • Soy – High in protein and low in fat, soy is a great tasting way to fight inflammation. You can get your soy through tofu, soy milk, and roasted soybeans.
  • Broccoli – Broccoli has an ingredient called sulforaphane which may slow or even prevent osteoarthritis. Broccoli is great hot or cold and in salads or casseroles.
  • Ginger – Ginger may be able to help reduce inflammation and alleviate arthritis pain. It also adds incredible flavor to almost any food including soups, fruits, veggies, and meat.
  • Walnuts – Like fish, walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and can reduce inflammation. Walnuts can be eaten alone or added to almost any sweet or salty dish.

Why Stay Physically Active by Using Physical Therapy?

While exercise won’t reverse arthritis, it can help slow its progression and ease painful symptoms. Sticking with a regular exercise routine that’s provided by your physical therapist can also help you shed a few pounds, which will ease the strain on your joints. A physical therapist can show you several types of stretches and exercises that address your areas of pain. Physical therapy may also help you avoid taking excessive amounts of medication to reduce pain.

A physical therapist is trained to evaluate your condition and provide the correct exercises to meet your needs. Exercise during physical therapy may also include aquatics. Working out in water provides exercise that is soothing and non-impact. A physical therapist may recommend a heated pool to help relieve pain in arthritic joints.

Why Work With a Physical Therapist?

A physical therapy treatment program can ease the pain from arthritis and help improve your daily life. Working with a physical therapist can help with the following:

  • Strengthen Muscles – Muscles that surround and support aching joints can help limit arthritis pain when they’re stronger and more flexible. Physical therapy techniques can be used to increase strength.
  • Increase Range of Motion – A physical therapy program can help keep muscles and ligaments loose and reduce stiffness. This will lessen pain and improve your overall range of mobility.
  • Learn to Use Devices Correctly – A trained physical therapist can help you learn to use orthotics, walkers, and other assistive devices correctly. This will help lessen the strain on joints when you move.

What Methods Can a Physical Therapist Use?

A qualified physical therapist may use several treatment methods to help relieve arthritis pain. A physical therapist might use massage to loosen muscles and tendons that surround arthritic joints. Physical therapy might include the use of ice packs and ice baths to reduce inflammation. Your physical therapist may also use heating pads as well as other heat methods to loosen tight muscles. Physical therapy treatment may also include laser or ultrasound treatment.

A qualified physical therapist can put together an individualized program to help reduce your arthritis pain and keep you as active as possible. Physical therapy is an excellent way to keep your joints, tendons, and muscles working together efficiently. Contact our physical therapy Commerce Township MI and West Bloomfield Township MI offices to see how physical therapy can help you live a pain-free life!

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By manish 0 Comments Arthritis, Health and Wellness, Physical Therapy

Treating Arthritis Pain the Natural Way!

You’ve probably heard of people with arthritis turning to steroid injections, anti-rheumatic drugs and joint replacement surgery to cope with pain. And in some cases, these more aggressive treatments may help patients with severe arthritis. But for many patients, physical therapy and related natural treatments present better solutions. Call Premier Therapy Centers today to find out about your options.

Manual Therapy

Physical therapy isn’t just about doing specialized exercises. Manual therapy is the hands-on component of PT. These treatments not only gives arthritic patients much-needed pampering, but they also ease discomfort. Manual pain relief treatment often forms a significant portion of a physical therapy session for arthritis. Massage, heat and cold applications and even specialized machines all play a part in easing aching joints.

Your physical therapist can alternate heating pads and ice packs to naturally relieve pain. Ultrasound machines bring soothing heat deeper into affected joints. Targeted massage boosts circulation and creates a soothing, warming sensation for arthritic areas.

Building Range of Motion

For people with arthritis, stiff joints are painful joints. If you try to push the joint further than it can move, the resulting sensation ranges from a nagging twinge to sheer agony. That’s why increasing flexibility through physical therapy is yet another way to promote natural pain relief.

Range of motion work usually involves both flexibility and strength moves. The flexibility exercises gradually allow your joints to become more limber. Resistance exercises strengthen the muscles that support those joints. In this way, your complete physical therapy session will allow you to achieve greater freedom of movement. You’ll also have less discomfort.

Isolating Painful Joints

Sometimes, rest is the best cure for arthritic joints. Yet it’s impractical for most people to take long rest cures in bed. In fact, too much inactivity can actually worsen the problem by weakening surrounding muscles.

Instead, your physical therapist can help to isolate a painful joint. Bracing provides natural pain relief for your arthritic condition. A specialized neck collar, a wrist splint — wherever your arthritic pain may be, specialized support for that joint is possible. This type of bracing is another aspect of natural pain relief for arthritis.

Finding New Ways to Move

It’s not always simple to anticipate the actions that bring on arthritic twinges and sharp pains. Simply turning a corner while walking can cause your arthritic shoulder to tense and twist in a way that you never even noticed before — that is until a jolt of pain shoots through you! That’s why learning new ways to move can help you avoid some of those unwelcome sensations over the course of a day.

During physical therapy, patients with arthritis learn which motions lead to discomfort. Then, the physical therapist demonstrates new joint protection techniques. They can be as simple as using a purse with a particular kind of strap to take pressure off your wrists. Exiting the car or entering a bathtub differently are also common techniques.

If you have arthritic fingers, a physical therapist can demonstrate how to carry objects with your palms instead of grasping them. Laying objects across the arms instead of carrying them in your hands is another common technique. Physical therapy can also “hook you up” with the latest tools — gadgets that make day-to-day tasks much less challenging.

Of course, each patient is different when it comes to the best type of physical therapy and related natural treatments for arthritis. Much depends on the location and severity of your condition. Call our Commerce Township or West Bloomfield Township, MI
office today to learn more. A physical therapist on our team can give you a careful assessment. This evaluation determines the best methods to provide you with natural pain relief.