SOHMA Integrative Medicine

We offer the best of Eastern & Western medicine without using drugs or surgery

Physical Therapy

When Should You Seek Physical Therapy?

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It doesn’t matter how athletic or stationary we are. Minor aches and pains can sneak up on us. If the pain doesn’t subside, physical therapy is available to help. For natural recovery, physical therapy is one of the best options. Uniquely designed for each patient, physical therapy has helped millions return to getting out of pain and balance.

Today we’ll go over what signs to look for, so you can better understand when to seek physical therapy.

Pre and Post Surgery

Surgery is frequently the last solution after all other options have been exhausted. To prepare for surgery, physical therapy may be recommended to you. Especially for those with a high probability of transfer to a rehabilitation center. Physical therapy has been shown to shorten patients’ stay at hospitals by reducing muscle atrophy. Muscle atrophy is usually one of the reasons that can delay a patient from returning to their home.

After surgery, physical therapy can help recover and regain mobility sooner. It also helps to ensure any surgical repairs or replacements will heal correctly. For many patients, physical therapy is used to manage pain. That way, they avoid using potentially dangerous and addictive pain medications.

Chronic Pain

Natural wear and tear is the most common chronic condition treated with physical therapy. This can be caused by aging, injury, or constant stress on a muscle or joint. This can include:

  • Tendonitis
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Muscle Tears and Sprains
  • Bone fractures
  • Tendon Damage
  • Arthritis
  • Back Pain

As well as conditions that affect the spine, such as scoliosis, stenosis, and herniated discs.

Although physical therapy can’t undo the damage caused by these conditions, it can help to strengthen muscles and joints. Flexibility training can help to diminish the damage caused by aging. Physical therapy is usually one of the preferred choices when dealing with long-term pain.

Primary Care Provider Suggestion

Although you can ask about physical therapy alone, when your primary care provider suggests physical therapy, you should take it seriously. They should have the best knowledge of your unique condition and issues. If physical therapy is a viable solution to your condition, it is wise to take their advice.

In California, it’s not required to have a doctor’s referral to see a physical therapist; however, you should consider letting them know you will do physical therapy so they can understand how your condition is progressing.

After An Injury

Many injuries can be helped by physical therapy. Injuries such as ankle sprains, muscle strain, or tendonitis can happen to everyone, regardless of age, physical fitness, or activity level. After suffering the injury, it’s best practice to get it looked at by your primary care provider to understand the severity of the injury. Ruling out fractures and tears can allow a physical therapist to provide a personalized program to help heal the injury. This program will need to be followed closely. If the patient doesn’t follow the program accordingly, progress may not be seen, resulting in the injury not healing correctly and chronic pain. In the worst case scenario, surgery may even be required. 

Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine

Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can reach out to us and ask about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health. 

Located in Long Beach, CA, we help individuals from the surrounding cities.

We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health.

How Long Does Physical Therapy Usually Last?

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Senior man after stroke at nursing home exercising with professional physiotherapist

Physical therapy is a treatment used to aid in the recovery of various conditions and injuries. It uses different forms of passive mobilization, facilitated stretching, therapeutic massages, electrotherapy, ultrasound therapy, and targeted exercises to help muscle imbalance re-education aimed at a full recovery to prevent further injury and pain.

All body parts can be treated with physical therapy. Every case is different, and some patients may feel there isn’t progress. This isn’t true, as physical therapy often has minor improvements that are not immediately noticed. For significant injuries, it can take numerous months before treatment ends. Many patients might be under the impression that it may not be worth the time needed.

Today we’ll review how long physical therapy lasts and when to know your body is ready to stop.

What does Physical Therapy Treat?

As previously stated, physical therapy can aid in the recovery of nearly every body part and injury to a certain extent. For example, after a bone breaks, it needs to remain immobilized in a cast while the bone heals. After the bone is repaired, you’ll need to strengthen the muscle around it to not re-injure the healed bone. Other conditions physical therapy can treat include:

  • Muscle sprains
  • Muscle tears
  • Tendonitis
  • Bone Fractures
  • Post Surgery Recovery
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

As well as several other conditions. When recovering from injuries, physical therapy is one of the most common forms of treatment, often avoiding surgery altogether. Though some situations may still require surgery, physical therapy can help you develop supporting muscles to help with post-surgery recovery. After surgeries, physical therapy is used to help reduce swelling and inflammation caused by the surgery. Some patients fear that physical therapy can cause more pain, which is generally untrue as physical therapy is designed with your current conditions in mind.

How Long Does Physical Therapy Last?

There’s no exact metric for this. Physical therapy can take months to recover fully. Every patient will have a unique program based on strengths and weaknesses to help their specific condition. Other factors include lifestyle, physical condition, age, and mindset.

Although there is no accurate number for calculating how long your physical therapy treatment will take, there are general time frames you can consider. Minor injuries can be treated with as little as 2 or 3 sessions. Injuries in the tendons and muscles may take 1 to 2 months. At the same time, chronic conditions and serious injuries can take much longer. For example, patients who undergo ACL reconstruction surgery may be required to do physical therapy for up to 6 months before regaining the full range of motion needed to relieve knee pain and strengthen the joint.

Post Treatment

Once you’ve recovered and reached the end of your physical therapy program, your therapist will give you additional instructions for using what you learned during the sessions in your day-to-day life. However, no longer part of physical therapy itself. Some of these instructions are meant for you to keep strengthening the injury and ways to ease back into activities that put some strain on the treated area. This can include stretches, exercises, and rules to avoid pain and re-injuring yourself.

Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine

Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can reach out to us and ask about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health. 

Located in Long Beach, CA, we help individuals from the surrounding cities.

We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health.

How Long Before Seeing Results with Physical Therapy?

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You should go through physical therapy with your primary care provider when recovering from an injury. Physical therapy is designed with each patient in mind and is typically different for each patient. The goal is to improve your ability to move and manage pain. However, sometimes it may take time, and it seems you’re not improving. 

Many patients are left wondering how long before they begin to see the results of physical therapy.

Unfortunately, while this question may appear simple, the answer is more complicated. Join me as we explore how physical therapy helps patients get back on their feet and enjoy life.

What is Physical Therapy?

Physical therapy is a form of rehabilitative health that uses various techniques to reduce pain and stiffness. Physical therapy also aids in improving strength, motion, and flexibility. Because the treatment method is designed to help people of all ages and conditions, every patient has a unique program to help their specific condition. Your physical therapist will monitor your progress and offer advice and suggestions on what to do after a physical therapy session.

Although in most recovery processes, some pain is to be expected, and if you continue to experience pain more than two days after a therapy session, you need to inform your therapist. Describe in detail your pain and what triggers it. Ignoring this pain can lead to a longer recovery time or further injury.

When to Expect Results

Because each program is tailored to each individual’s needs, results will vary. Minor, there should be some improvement and pain reduction after every appointment. Soft tissue injuries can take six to eight weeks to heal.

Unfortunately, many patients may not notice improvements right away. If you’re not progressing, inform your therapist about your concerts. If there is no noticeable improvement, perhaps the treatment program needs to be adjusted or reworked.

Do Your Homework

To make a full recovery, go to your physical therapy appointments. Many patients only visit their physical therapists twice during the week. This means a physical therapist will often give you exercise and stretches to do while you’re at home. The success of your recovery depends on how committed you are to the homework exercises.

 Although adding a 10 to 20-minute exercise routine may sound simple, many patients find it difficult to do these workouts as frequently your body is already in pain. Stretching and strengthening these areas of the body can be challenging. If you’re progressing through your program satisfactorily, don’t feel like you need to increase the amount of exercise you do at home. This can lead to regression. Before deciding to do more, ask your therapist if it’s a good idea to increase the number of repetitions you should perform.

Physical therapy is meant to help you recover to your fullest. This takes time and patients. In the end, you’ll be rewarded with pain management, strength, mobility, and flexibility.

Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine

Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can reach out to us and ask about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health. 

Located in Long Beach, CA, we help individuals from the surrounding cities.

We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health.

Physical Therapy Benefits for Seniors

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Being physically active is an essential part of being healthy. But as we age, this can become more difficult and frustrating, especially for older adults. As we age, we often become less active; we lose muscle density, coordination, and reaction time. We also find we need more endurance to do many physical activities.

But we need to remain active, and today we’re going to go over potential consequences of a stationary lifestyle as an older adult, and how physical therapy for seniors can be beneficial for your wellness.

Why Should Seniors Do Physical Therapy?

Seniors need to remain active at their age. Physical therapy can give them the activity their body needs to stay healthy. Many seniors suffer from chronic pain due to conditions like osteoporosis and arthritis. Many seniors over 60 may have some form of arthritis affecting their spine. This can cause pain even when doing simple tasks. Physical therapy can help maintain muscle strength and preserve joint mobility to reduce future symptoms. 

For older adults who have a more stationary life physical therapy can improve their quality of life by maintaining independence when doing common household activities. Physical therapy can help teach seniors to keep their stability and improve their balance. Injuries due to falling are the number one cause of bone fractures in seniors. Typically after they suffer an injury due to a fall, it’s not uncommon for them to fall again.

Reduce the Need for Pharmaceuticals

It’s not uncommon for seniors to be prescribed pain medication when suffering from chronic back or muscle pain. Many older adults often prescribed a number of pharmaceuticals. Many of which are necessary to maintaining proper body functions. However physical therapy for seniors can help with managing pain.

When followed thoroughly, physical therapy has been shown to generate similar results compared to surgery when treating conditions like spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis can put pressure on the spinal cord and nerves within the spine, causing neck and lower back pain.

Independence and Healthy Lifestyle

As you age, a certain amount of mobility is lost; many think this means they can’t live safely in their own home or else risk injury. This isn’t always the case; with physical therapy, seniors can keep their independence for much longer than expected. Though if a senior does sustain an injury, they may require some supervision during the recovery. Physical therapy can be used to recover sooner, allowing them to continue with an active lifestyle.

A healthy, active lifestyle is needed to avoid some of the dangers of a stationary lifestyle. Generally, not being active can lead to muscle loss, flexibility, and overall mobility. Physical therapy is a great way to get moving again.

Not only helping by preventing falls and managing pain, but physical therapy can also improve cognitive abilities to a certain degree. It’s been shown that having an active lifestyle later in life can help slow the advancement of cognitive decline. This can significantly improve their ability to live independently.

Staying Active

Physical therapy is only the first step to a healthy lifestyle for seniors. Our physical therapists will provide an individualized program for each patient. But will also provide exercises for you to practice at home. These will likely be simple exercises to help regain the strength, balance, and coordination to recover and improve the ability to walk and move on your own.

Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine

Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can reach out to us and ask about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health. 

Located in Long Beach, CA, we help individuals from the surrounding cities.

We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health.

Physical Therapy for Back Pain

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What is physical therapy?

In short it’s a uniquely specialized program to help the patient recover from pain and regain mobility due to injury trauma or as a post surgery aid.

About 16 million American adults suffer from chronic back pain every year. Which can result in limitations on common everyday activities. The most common sufferers of back pain report it to be caused because of simply sitting behind a desk for hours on end.

How can physical therapy help your back pain?

Join us as we explain why and how physical therapy can be used to relieve back pain and help prevent it as well.

What Causes Back Pain?

Back pain can be caused by a number of reasons ranging from a harmless sprain that can resolve itself within a couple weeks to a fractured vertebrae that may need immediate attention. You can develop back pain after suffering from damage caused to the muscles, tendons, and discs in your back. Some of these include the aforementioned sprains and fractures as well as:

Back pain can also be caused by inflammation, which can be caused by injury, trauma, or arthritis. Osteoporosis which can leave vertebrae vulnerable to fractures. And fibromyalgia which can cause muscle pain and fatigue. 

Kidney pain caused by stones or infection are often confused with lower back pain, if you feel like treatment for your back isn’t helping the pain. Speak with your primary care provider to clear up any confusions.

What Does Physical Therapy Entail?

During your initial visit, there will be a thorough evaluation of both your symptoms and medical history. We will analyze your posture and determine your range of motion. Afterwards a physical therapist will create a program to target the cause of your pain. The intention for physical therapy will be to reduce pain, while increasing strength. 

This may involve exercises to increase strength of your abdominal, quadriceps and gluteal muscles to reduce the stress on your lower back. Exercise such as stationary bike, treadmill, or medical Tai Chi can help improve endurance. Stretching may also be used to regain and improve mobility. Don’t be surprised if you are assigned “homework” as you may be required to do more stretches at your home to improve the strength of your back muscles more quickly. 

Physical therapy may not be able to help everybody, some patients may still require surgery after a physical therapy program. Though this is still valuable as the stronger you are going into surgery the stronger you will be going out of it. This can reduce the amount of recovery time post surgery and is often done after surgeries to help recover even sooner.

Preventing Back Pain in the Future

Just because you’ve relieved your back pain after physical therapy doesn’t mean it won’t come back. Many times if the patient does not change their habits, the back pain can return. For this reason our physical therapists as SOHMA Integrative Medicine will teach you proper posture when sitting, standing and exercising to reduce the chances of injury.

Physical therapy is not only used to get better, but to also educate yourself in how to take care of your body. We may provide exercises and or a stretching routine for you to follow at home after the original program has ended. By incorporating these into your own exercise routine you’ll be able to reduce the chances of stuffing with back pain.

Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine

Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can reach out to us and ask about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health. 

Located in Long Beach, CA, we help individuals from the surrounding cities.

We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health.