Category: Uncategorized

Spinal Realignment for Migraine Relief

While migraines have no cure, there is evidence that suggests that chiropractic treatments can help prevent migraines in those who get recurrent migraines. Chiropractic care can treat conditions that affect the bones, muscles, nerves, ligaments, and tendons which is why it can be so beneficial for migraines. 

People who suffer from migraines often choose to visit a chiropractor because they have associated symptoms such as neck pain and stiffness, which can be treated with chiropractic adjustments. 

If you suffer from migraines, you know how crippling it can be. Learn how chiropractic care from our team at Impact Med Zephyrhills can help ease the pain of migraines and offer you some relief. 

How the Spine is Connected to Migraines 

Migraines are often caused by misalignment of the upper neck. To understand this better, let’s take a closer look at what the upper bones of the neck do:

• Protect the brainstem and spinal cord
• Support the head: Our heads weigh around 10-13 pounds. (Yes, you read that right!) The upper spine keeps the head properly balanced and allows our heads to turn from side to side and forward and back. 
• Allow for blood flow: The vertebral arteries facilitate blood flow to the brain while the upper cervical spine provides the opening for this flow of blood to occur. 

When a misalignment in the spine occurs, pressure is placed on the spinal cord or brainstem and the head might become off-balanced. Shifts occur in the bones, muscles, and soft tissues throughout the spine to compensate, and blood flow to the brain could be restricted, leading to you guessed it—a migraine.

Chiropractic Care for Migraines 

Many of the medications that doctors prescribe for migraine come with significant side effects. For this reason, patients often opt for an alternative therapy such as chiropractic care. 

While the symptoms that migraine sufferers experience can vary, more than 75% of people with chronic migraines often experience neck pain, muscle tension, neck stiffness, and problems with jaw function.  

The thing about medication is that it often does not fully address the underlying symptoms, but a chiropractor can often address these underlying problems. 

Chiropractic adjustments and alignments to the upper cervical spine give the body time to heal any affected nerves and soft tissue, and as a result, many patients find that chronic migraines occur less frequently and become less severe. They might even go away altogether.

Learn More> Headaches Explained: The Different Types and What They Mean 

Treating Migraines with Chiropractic Care 

To treat migraines, our chiropractors perform gentle spinal adjustments that help reduce stress in the body and improve overall cervical spinal function. Treatment may also include soft tissue therapies such as:

• Manual
• Myofascial release
• Trigger point therapy to target tense muscles 

Your chiropractor might also offer advice on lifestyle changes such as:

• Taking B complex vitamins
• Making dietary changes
• Tips to prevent dehydration which is a migraine trigger 
• Avoiding heavy exercise and instead encouraging low impact aerobics like walking
• Advice on correct posture 

Though migraines cannot be cured, a chiropractor’s aim when treating them is to reduce pain and boost neuromusculoskeletal health. This multifaceted approach works well in treating migraines and offers lasting relief. 

Related> Treat Migraines and Headaches with Physical Therapy 

Get Relief from Migraines at Impact Med Zephyrhills 

Say goodbye to migraine pain and breathe a sigh of relief when you get a chiropractic spinal adjustment at Impact Med Zephyrhills! We will work with you to create a treatment plan that is unique to you and can help you on your journey to living migraine-free. 

Get relief from the debilitating effects of migraines. Call Impact Med Zephyrhills to schedule a chiropractic care consultation for your migraines today—813-737-7965!

Physical Therapy for Sore Hands from Using Smartphones

Smartphone technology is constantly evolving and improving, leaving many of us using our phones throughout the day, whether to text or search online. It tends to be the first item we grab in the morning and the last thing we do before going to bed at night. Here at Impact Medical Miami, we bet you may even be reading this blog post using your smartphone. But did you know that constant overuse causes pain in your wrist because the tendons that connect to your thumb can become inflamed? 

This is why you notice some discomfort, soreness, and even sometimes, shooting pains or numbness in your fingers as you’re typing away on your smartphone. Unfortunately, it’s not only your hands that are affected by your overuse of devices, but your neck also takes a beating. 

Related Blog Post: Chiropractic Care For “Text Neck”

If you find that you’re experiencing pain and discomfort in your hands and wrists, you may be suffering from the impact of overuse of your smartphone due to a repetitive strain injury. 

What Is RSI? 

RSI, or Repetitive strain injury, is used to describe the pain in your muscles, nerves, and tendons caused by repetitive movement, overuse, or spending long periods in a fixed position. This type of strain causes microscopic tears that lead to muscle injury. While it’s usually been found only in laborers, like miners, that repeatedly perform the same tasks, it’s become much more common in avid smartphone over-users. That’s because repetitive movements make it more difficult for your muscles to repair themselves. After all, you’re not giving them the resting period they need. And in some instances, if you don’t seek preventative measures, RSI can turn into chronic, long-term pain.

Common Injuries

A few common injuries are tied directly to smartphone usage, and the first is stenosing tenosynovitis, more commonly referred to as “texting thumb” or “trigger thumb.” This repetitive strain injury causes the tendon in your thumb to become inflamed. While nothing is broken or dislocated, it can be pretty painful. It’s essential to your wellbeing that preventative measures be taken because if it goes unaddressed, severe cases can lead to your thumb becoming locked in a bent position and requiring surgery to correct it.

The other common injury that comes with the overuse of your smartphone is carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a very painful wrist and hand disorder that doesn’t have a single cause but is directly tied to overusing the related muscles that come with holding a smartphone. 

Injury Prevention

One of the best ways to reduce RSI while using your smartphone is to maintain proper technique when you’re typing or texting. When texting, it is essential to keep your wrists as straight as you can. This will help alleviate stress on your muscles. And for your thumbs, be sure to use both of them for typing or scrolling—alternating helps prevent overuse. 

It’s also a good idea to take mini-breaks from your device and stretch your wrists and fingers. Spend time flexing your wrist muscles and fingers, or you can even stop to give those muscles a quick manual.

Some other stretches you can try:

• Extend one arm in front of you, with your palms upwards. Grab your fingertips with the other arm and pull your fingers down in the direction of your body until you feel a stretching in your wrist.
• Straighten your fingers, and then pull them in to form a fist. Hold this first for 30-60 seconds before release, then repeat. 
• Place your hand on a flat surface, palm down. Gently lift one finger at a time, then repeat 8-10 times on both hands.

While taking rests and stretches are a great way to relieve pain and soreness from RSI, seeking the help of a professional physical therapist like the ones at our Miami Impact Medical is the best way to prevent soreness in your hands. Our physical therapists are highly trained to target and reduce the pain in your hands using specialized physical therapy for your hands and wrists. After you complete your physical evaluation, our team works with you to develop an individualized treatment plan that’s designed to alleviate your sore hands and “text thumb” problems. 

Stop Living with Sore Hands

If you think the pain you are experiencing may be from the overuse of your smartphone or have been experiencing the same symptoms even when you’re not using your device, we invite you to reach out to our Impact Medical team in Miami. Our staff is here to provide you with expert, friendly medical care. 

The road to wellness starts here… so, give us a call today at 786-789-3171.

Physical Therapy for Ulnar Tunnel Syndrome

Most of the time when you hear of pain or discomfort in the wrist, the first thought that comes to mind is carpal tunnel syndrome. However, that’s not always the case. Many people also experience ulnar tunnel syndrome which is somewhat similar and just as much of a hassle to deal with. At Impact Medical Bradenton, we want to help you prevent any sort of occurrence that can stunt the mobility of your hands.

What is Ulnar Tunnel Syndrome?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome vs. Ulnar Tunnel Syndrome

The symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome and ulnar tunnel syndrome can be nearly identical to the average person as there’s just a slight difference between the two. While carpal tunnel syndrome is when the median nerve in your hand passes through the carpal tunnel, ulnar tunnel syndrome is when the ulnar nerve passes through the Guyon’s canal. To put it simply, ulnar tunnel syndrome is specific to the section of your hand that’s near the smaller pinky fingers.

Causes of Ulnar Tunnel Syndrome

So, what causes ulnar tunnel syndrome in the first place? The most common reason is the appearance of a soft tissue tumor, otherwise known as a ganglion cyst which presses on the ulnar nerve causing severe discomfort. Another common cause is consistent, repeated trauma on that particular area of the hand. Examples of certain activities include bike riding, lifting weights, and any sort of machinery that causes repeated trauma to the wrists. More rarely, a broken hamate bone which is located in the wrist can also lead to ulnar tunnel syndrome.

Symptoms of Ulnar Tunnel Syndrome

There are various signs of ulnar tunnel syndrome. Here are just a few:

• Numbness or tingling caused by compressed nerves
• Weakness in grip strength
• Involuntary bending of the fingers
• A burning sensation
• General pain

How Physical Therapy Can Relieve Ulnar Tunnel Syndrome

Physical therapy (PT) is an ideal method for treating ulnar tunnel syndrome because it reduces swelling to restore regular movement back to the trouble area of your body, including your hands. In this case, neural or nerve mobilization (also referred to as neurodynamics) is an excellent option for relieving nerve-related issues like those due to compression. With this technique, a physical therapist gently applies pressure on the compressed nerve to help guide it through regular movement. The consistent motions and bending of the appendages gradually adjusts your hands back into working order.

How to Get Started

Since symptoms can be easily mistaken for other issues, the first thing you should do is receive a proper evaluation to confirm the problem at hand. From there, you will be given a detailed rundown of what is causing you distress followed by suggestions on steps to take next for the most efficient recovery.

If you’re experiencing pain or discomfort in your hands, come visit us at Impact Medical Bradenton for an evaluation so we can help you get started on the best course of action for peaceful living.

How PT Can Help You Avoid Back Surgery

Oftentimes, back pains are either glossed over or the desire to have the issue checked out is minimal. This is sometimes due to the fact that the symptoms of back pain are not always immediate. The pain can begin as a minor discomfort that gradually increases over time which is why the issue is commonly slept on, both figuratively and literally. However, any slight signs of back pain that you may be experiencing should not be taken lightly as letting the problem grow can cause major conditions to your body later on.

The kind professionals at Impact Medical Cutler Bay want to help you understand the importance of being proactive in protecting your body with the assistance of PT, otherwise known as physical therapy.

Reasons For Needing Back Surgery

Before we tell you how you can avoid back surgery, it benefits you to learn the reasons for possibly needing such an intense procedure in the first place so you can understand exactly what it is that you’re trying to prevent.

Some of the most common reasons why patients undergo back surgery pertain to the bones located in that general area. For instance, spinal discs can slip out of line or break entirely. In other cases, patients have experienced extra bone mass (also referred to as bone spurs) along their spinal cord causing distress in their backside. The technical term for this occurrence is osteoarthritis.

Aside from bone-related issues, it is also possible to develop other conditions such as a spinal infection or tumor. But while broken bones and infections pose a threat, the list doesn’t end there. Here are some other back-related problems you can encounter:

• Loss of bowel and bladder control
• Numbness of the limbs
• Trouble walking normally

What Exactly is Physical Therapy?

In short, PT is a process that aids the body in relieving pain while improving function and mobility. It is a gentle, gradual approach to getting your body to perform basic functions over time.

During PT, a specialized therapist will guide you through various exercises and other physical activities to adjust your body accordingly. These therapists are typically licensed or have earned their master’s degree. A good therapist will be able to precisely evaluate your body and movements in order to give you personalized care for efficient and optimal recovery. A few of the methods they may use include but are not limited to:

• Exposure to extreme temperatures
• Regular manuals
• Practice with canes or walkers

So, What Does PT Have to Do with Avoiding Back Surgery?

Physical Therapy isn’t just for those recovering from a severe condition or surgery. Nurturing your body to good health is key to avoiding back surgery in the first place because you are improving your conditions so that all the reasons for needing surgery (as stated earlier in the article) will no longer have the means to occur. Whipping yourself into shape, both inside and out, will ward off any potential threats as long as you’re not too far along in reaching that point.

If you’re ready to be proactive in avoiding back surgery, give Impact Medical Cutler Bay a call at 305-363-7446 to speak with a professional about what you can do for a pain-free future!