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How Can Physical Therapy Help Treat Whiplash?

If you have been in a car accident and are suffering from whiplash, physical therapy can be an effective treatment option to relieve the pain. With whiplash, the soft tissues in your neck get damaged, and a physical therapist can work with you to restore proper function and movement in these tissues.

Our team at Impact Medical Wesley Chapel explains whiplash and how our physical therapists can treat it.

What is Whiplash?

Whiplash describes injuries that result from your head and neck jolting suddenly forward and backward. These injuries often occur when you are rear-ended or in other catastrophic vehicle accidents.

Whiplash varies in severity, though most injuries associated with it are injuries to the soft tissues. Depending on the severity of your whiplash, it can take months to fully recover the previous range of motion in your neck and back. 

What Causes Whiplash?

The most common cause of whiplash is car accidents. When you are first struck in an accident, your head experiences hyperextension, where your vertebrae are flexed beyond their normal range of motion, causing the spine to form an S shape.

When your head stops moving, it falls forward into hyperflexion, which describes a muscle moving beyond its normal limit.

During this violent movement, the brain is moved forcefully toward the front and back of your skull.

Symptoms of Whiplash

If you have the following symptoms after a car accident, you may have whiplash:

• Neck pain and stiffness
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Blurred vision
• Fatigue
• Backaches or pain
• Numbness or tingling in the shoulders or arms

Physical Therapy for Whiplash

Physical therapy includes passive and active treatment modalities. Passive treatments are designed to help relax you and your body. They are called passive because you aren’t expected to participate.

You will most likely be feeling acute pain because of the whiplash, so you will likely start with passive treatments as your body heals. As you feel better using passive treatments, your physical therapist will suggest beginning active treatments.

The ultimate goal of physical therapy is to start active treatments. These exercises are designed to strengthen the body so that the spine has better support.

Passive Treatments for Whiplash

The following whiplash treatments are considered passive:

Deep Tissue Manual

This treatment technique targets muscle tension that develops due to whiplash. A therapist will use direct pressure and friction to help release the tension in your soft tissues (muscles, ligaments, tendons) to help them heal faster.

Hot and Cold Therapies

By using heat, a physical therapist seeks to get more blood to the affected area because an increase in blood flow brings more oxygen and nutrients to the area. Blood is needed to remove waste byproducts that are created by muscle spasms, and it also aids in healing.

Cold therapy slows circulation and helps to reduce inflammation, muscle spasms, and pain.

Your physical therapist will often alternate between hot and cold therapies.

When you are first injured, either in a car accident or another traumatic event, you can use hot and cold therapies at home.

• Use ice first to bring down any inflammation, and after 24-48 hours you can switch between ice and heat.

Remember, never put ice or heat directly on your skin, wrap it in a towel first.

Ultrasound

By increasing blood circulation, an ultrasound helps to reduce muscle spasms, cramping, swelling, and pain. It sends sound waves deep into your muscle’s tissues, creating a gentle heat that enhances healing and circulation.

Active Treatments for Whiplash

In active physical therapy, your therapist will teach you various exercises to help work on your range of motion and strength. Your physical therapy program will be designed for your unique situation, based on your health and medical history.

If needed, you will learn how to correct your posture and incorporate these exercises into your daily activities. Even after you recover from whiplash, these posture exercises will help prevent other forms of neck pain that develop from daily living and poor posture.

Overall, the goal of physical therapy for whiplash is to help reduce muscle spasms, increase blood circulation, and promote healing.

Treating Whiplash

If you are suffering from whiplash pain, don’t wait. Come visit our compassionate physical therapy team at Impact Medical Wesley Chapel and we will help you on your road to healing.

Call us to schedule a physical therapy consultation today at (813) 953-1002!

3 Reasons to Get Assisted Stretching with A Chiropractor

If stretching seems like well…a stretch these days, it may be time to work with a chiropractor. Just like exercising, staying hydrated, and eating a balanced diet are critical to preserving our quality of life, so is stretching. Impact Medical Group of Brandon shares three reasons why keeping your musculoskeletal system healthy through assisted stretching is so important.

A thorough stretching routine is essential to maintaining proper muscles, joints, bones, and other vital tissues within the body. Specifically, using assisted stretching techniques can promote a healthy being and longevity. After completing a full evaluation, a chiropractor will carefully curate movements that involve dynamic and passive stretches to encourage relaxation and release of the myofascial area. Not only ideal for those that enjoy physical or sports training, assisted stretching is helpful for patients who experience injuries, surgery, or have medical conditions.

1. Improve range of motion

During the initial evaluation, the Impact Medical Group of Brandon team will pay careful attention to your pain points. Using personalized assisted stretching techniques can help release tension, pain, and stiffness in your range of motion.

2. Reduce stress

Assisted stretching consistently can end up feeling similar to a spa day – but with lasting results! Releasing stress and tension from muscle tightness can help you feel more relaxed and balanced.

3. Ease muscle tightness

One of the main goals of any stretching program is to efficiently improve muscle tightness. With assisted stretching techniques, our chiropractors can also restore joint and tissue balance that can limit the natural movement of the body and its ability to perform daily activities.

Are you ready to learn more about assisted stretching and how to add it to your daily routine? Call the Impact Medical Group of Brandon team today at (813) 522-8885, or visit us online to schedule an appointment.

Is HRT The Best Solution for Menopause Symptoms?

Are you struggling with the uncomfortable symptoms that menopause causes? Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may be your golden ticket. The Impact Rejuvenation Group of Clearwater team can help with personalized solutions tailored to meet your health needs. It can be challenging navigating this new phase of life, so why not work with a dream team of professionals who will go the extra mile to make you look and feel your absolute best?

Menopause is a natural and inevitable part of the aging process. Usually occurring around the age of 51, it begins when a woman has been period-free for twelve months. Some of the most common symptoms can include hot flashes, insomnia, mood swings, and changes in libido. Weaving HRT techniques into your health journey may help you effectively manage and alleviate those uncomfortable symptoms. 

Hormone replacement therapy has been studied for nearly a century. Data has shown that patients report improved symptoms after only a few sessions. At Impact Rejuvenation Group of Clearwater, we use bio-identical hormone replacement therapy because it is natural and chemically identical in molecular structure to those hormones produced by the body. An ideal candidate would be a non-smoker, under 60 years old, within 10 years of menopause, and in good health. Currently, it is recommended that women with a personal history of estrogen-positive breast cancer abstain due to the nature of the therapy.

If you are one of the many women experiencing disruptions in hormones, HRT might be helpful for you. Hormone optimization therapy has been shown to not only restore hormonal balance but also increase energy, stamina, and sexual potency. Impact Rejuvenation Group of Clearwater provides you with the expert support needed to feel your best self. Call us at (727) 292-0200 or visit us online to schedule an appointment.

Here’s How Often You Should Be Getting Your Prostate Checked

Every man’s health needs change as they get older, and one of the most important considerations they should remember is a regular prostate exam. While prostate exams have an unpleasant reputation to say the least, they play a critical role in men’s health. These routine exams are essential for detecting prostate cancer early, at a time when it’s most treatable. But how often should a man get a prostate exam? Read on to find out all the answers.

Why Prostate Health Is Important

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers that affect men, second only to skin cancer. According to data from the American Cancer Society, one in every 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. Of that cohort, one in 41 men will die from the disease. Aside from cancer, other issues can affect the prostate as men age, particularly an enlarged prostate. More than 90% of men aged 80 and older have an enlarged prostate. That said, all men need to pay close attention to prostate health.

Age, family history, and race are common risk factors for prostate cancer. In general, African American men run a higher risk of prostate cancer than men of other races. Also, a family history of the disease increases a person’s risk, as men with a father or brother diagnosed with prostate cancer have a higher risk of developing the disease themselves.

When Men Should Start Prostate Exams

The American Cancer Society encourages men to start getting prostate cancer screenings when they turn 50. African American men and men who have a family history of prostate cancer should start screenings sooner, generally around age 45. Men should schedule additional screenings every three to five years.

During a prostate exam, your doctor will check the prostate gland for any abnormalities like lumps. While the exam itself isn’t painful, it can be uncomfortable. Here are the typical types of prostate exams:

• Digital Rectal Exam (DRE): During this examination, the doctor physically checks the rectum to discover any abnormalities in the prostate. This exam often detects prostate cancer in the early stages, when it’s most treatable.

• Prostate-Specific Antigen Tests (PSA): PSA tests check the level of PSA. The doctor performs a routine blood test, checking the blood for PSA, a protein made by the prostate. Generally, high levels of PSA are a clear sign of prostate cancer.

What Happens Next?

If your doctor has performed a DRE or PSA test and the results are abnormal, further testing could include a biopsy, imaging exam, or screening test. Should the tests discover prostate cancer, the doctor will work with their medical team to develop a plan of care. Luckily, there are several types of treatment available, and outcomes are generally good when the disease is detected early.

Schedule Your Prostate Exam Today

Early detection is critical when it comes to diagnosing and treating prostate cancer. If you’re overdue for a men’s health exam, including a prostate exam, reach out to the team at Impact Medical Group of Clearwater at (727) 292-0200. Our compassionate, skilled medical team is standing by to preserve and improve your health!