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Shockwave Therapy for Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar Fasciitis is a foot disease and it is the most common cause of heel pain. Patients with Plantar Fasciitis go through extreme pain, usually in the morning or after a period without walking. It is estimated to affect 10% of adults, mostly those who fall between 40 and 60 years old and the younger group of habitual runners. Its prevalence has been reported to be higher in women than in men. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy has been widely used for decades as an alternative treatment option for Plantar Fasciitis.

 

Description of the intervention

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) has been proven to be effective and it is a widely preferred intervention due to:

 

  • The quick recovery times caused by the stimulation of collagen production, which helps muscles and soft tissue structures to repair and heal faster. There is also the formation of new blood vessels in the area because the shock waves promote angiogenesis. The availability of more oxygen and nutrients help in the repair and healing process of the injuries.
  • Its noninvasive nature – ESWT does not involve puncturing the skin or entering the body cavity, meaning there is no surgery needed.
  • Pain reduction – Nociceptors are pain-sensing nerves and this intervention dulls them, making it more bearable for a patient.
  • Suitability to the day-to-day life of patients – The intervention, popular for musculoskeletal, treatment has few latent complications and allows the patient to get back to normal routine faster.

 

How the intervention works

Shockwave therapy was first used in the intervention and management of Plantar Fasciitis in 1996. Several practitioners and investigators have published scientific studies and successful results after using shock wave intervention to treat Plantar Fasciitis. It is considered a safe treatment option with positive outcomes.

There are two types of ESWT; focused shock wave therapy and radial shock wave therapy. Focused shock wave therapy focuses on a specific spot, while radial shock wave therapy sends pulses around the site. There is a high-energy and low-energy form of shock wave treatment. They are, however, not linked to focused shock wave therapy and radial shock wave therapy because those are two different technologies.

Low-energy shock wave treatment is administered in a series of three or more therapies that have pain intensities ranging from none to mild pains. In distinction, high-energy shock wave treatments are administered in one session. They are usually painful and anaesthesia may be administered for the therapies.

A mechanical device is necessary to produce pressure pulses for both types of therapy. Focused shock wave therapy uses three different generator technologies; electrohydraulic, electromagnetic and acoustic waves. Radial shock wave therapy uses a new generation pneumatic machine and is administered to the skin directly.

 

Despite extracorporeal shock wave therapy being a bit expensive, it is has been proven to be quite effective in the management and treatment of Plantar Fasciitis. Patients may benefit from shock wave therapy because it is a reasonable and cheaper option than surgical intervention. Its potential side effects are also low, making it a safe treatment alternative to surgery.

What is Nerve (Neuropathic) Pain?

Neuropathic pain if a form of chronic pain condition that is accompanied by, or caused by an infection, disease, or injury. On the other hand, the condition cannot be attributed to any one single factor. Pain normally comes about due to an illness or injury. For instance, dropping a heavy item on your hand, leg, or foot will cause your nervous system to transmit pain signals immediately your body is hit by the item.

With nerve pain/pinched nerve pain, there’s no single injury or event that can be said to be behind the pain. What happens is that the body just begins to transmit pain signals to your body without being prompted. A person suffering from this condition is likely to routinely experience burning or shooting pain.

It’s a pain that can either come randomly or remain constant. You may also experience a loss of sensation or numbness in the affected area. With time, this condition may either start to improve or become worse.

Statistics indicate that one out of every three people in Australia suffers from chronic pain. Of this, every one out of five will suffer from neuropathic pain. A certain study estimated that about 10percent of the Australian population experiences a particular kind of neuropathic pain.

Neuropathic Pain Causes

The causes of this form of pain can be divided into:

 I. Accidents

Neuropathic pain can be brought about by injuries to joints, muscles, or tissues. Similarly, problems in your hips, legs, and back, or injuries in these areas can also lead to long-term nerve damage. Even though the injury will begin to heal with time, the damage to your nerves cannot be reversed.

This may lead to you experiencing persistent pain for the next few years.

 II. Infection

Infections are a popular cause of this condition. Individuals living with AIDS or HIV are highly likely to experience this kind of pain. It’s also possible for you to experience a stinging and unexplained pain when you have a syphilis infection. Long-term neuropathic pain may also be caused by shingles, brought about by a chickenpox outbreak.

III. Surgery

Phantom limb syndrome is an uncommon condition that tends to occur when your leg or arm gets amputated. In spite of losing a vital limb, the brain will still continue to assume that the pain signals are coming from the part that has already been amputated.

In reality, what will be happening is that the nerves located in this area will be misfiring, and in the process will start to transmit defective warning signs. Apart from your legs and arms, the phantom pain can also be felt in your ears, fingers, penis, and toes.

Symptoms of Nerve Pain/Pinched Nerve Pain

The symptoms experienced by each person are bound to vary. But all conditions tend to have popular symptoms that occur in many of its sufferers. In this case, the common symptoms include:

  • Difficulty resting or sleeping
  • Spontaneous pain
  • A chronic sensation of being abnormal or unpleasant
  • Stabbing, burning or shooting pain
  • Loss of sleep

How to Manage Neuropathic Pain

This type of pain tends to manifest itself in the form of a long-lasting condition. It, therefore, doesn’t react well to modern types of treatment. While it may not be able to permanently get rid of the problem, a few lifestyle changes can help relieve the symptoms.

Massage, relaxation, and physical therapies can assist you to ease its symptoms. Therapies help the muscles to relax, and this, in turn, assists to reduce your nerve-related issues.

Hip Bursitis Remedies

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of this problem will always start with a history and physical examination. Physical examination helps determine the stiffness in the hip and whether you have a limp. Most patients notice the pain when climbing or descending stairs, but It is also essential to determine the other types of movements causing the pain. Some of the remedies to the condition include exercises, cortisone injection or anti-inflammatory medication. Patients can also try weight loss and using the right footwear for exercise activities.

 

Exercises for Hip Bursitis

Exercise is very successful in treating most of these conditions because they strengthen the tendons and the muscles surrounding the affected area. In most cases, tendons are the primary cause and not bursitis. It always helps to talk with a medical practitioner or with a physiotherapist. A good example is a physiotherapy North Shore. These professionals are experienced and will help you create an exercise program that does not increase the risk of injury. Most of these exercises aim at improving the strength with a focus on the pelvic region, gluteus Maximus and the lower back. Patients may require surgery if physical therapy does not solve the issue. Below are some of the exercises for hip bursitis.

 

Bridges: This exercise involves lying on your back with your knees bent and your legs flat on the floor. When still in that position, squeeze your butt and abs and lift the lower body part a little off the floor. You should not raise your lower body too high to avoid exerting too much pressure on your neck. Hold the position for 10 – 30 seconds and then lower the back to the floor. Try to repeat the procedure ten times. The benefit of this exercise is that it improves bursitis symptoms by engaging the hip flexors, hamstrings, quads and muscles.

 

Hip Press: For this exercise, you should have a therapy band around your thighs and lie on your back with bent knees and the feet flat on the floor. Try to exert resistance on the band for thirty seconds and repeat the exercise 10 times.

 

Standing buttock squeeze: This exercise involves standing in a straight posture with a few inches gap between your feet. Also, note that the feet should be flat facing forward and flat on the floor. Try using your heels to push the ground away without moving your feet and hold for thirty seconds, try repeating the exercise several times.

Cervical Radiculopathy (Back Pain)

cervradBack pain, clinically known as Cervical Radiculopathy is one of those common occurrence suffered by many. It affects persons of all ages and can be caused by a variety of factors. Some of the causes of back pain may include the type of activities we perform, occupation, bad practices such as lack of regular exercise, bad posture or a generative disc disease among others. While it can be debilitating, uncomfortable or painful, one can get help to rectify the problem. While some back pains may go away after some time, if the symptoms persist, it is recommended to get help as soon as possible. This is in order for a diagnostic to be performed and ensure it is nothing serious, as well as ensuring you are getting professional treatment.

 

Symptoms of Cervical Radiculopathy

Our backs are made of complex bones, discs, muscles, ligaments, nerves and tendons, which all work together to support our bodies and enable mobility and flexibility. When any of these components suffer any problems or damage, it may result in back pain. Patients experiencing back pain may feel weak or numb at the affected area. While the pain can only be felt in the affected area, it can also progress and be felt in other areas. For example, if pain is felt in the shoulder region, it may also be felt in the entire arm and even in the hands and fingers.

 

Back pain can hinder performance of simple activities since the spine is responsible for mobility and everyday movements such as bending and twisting. One of the major causes of back pain is injury. When muscles, discs, nerves, ligaments or joints suffer any type of injury or strain, the body may react and mobilize an inflammatory response to enable the injury to heal. While the inflammation may be minor, it can lead to severe back pain. In addition, since there are numerous nerves in the spinal region of our bodies, the brain has a hard time to accurately sense the exact cause of the pain. For example, you may suffer from a torn lumbar disc, which the brain may interpret as a pulled muscle. This means that your body will respond by creating an inflammation and a muscle spasm in the same area to try and combat the pain.

 

The symptoms of back pain will mostly depend on the underlying cause. It may occur suddenly, or start slowly and gradually become worse over time. Some of the symptoms may include feeling pain, weakness or numbness on the shoulders, upper arm region, neck, hand or lower back. Some patients may also experience multiple symptoms when inflammation and/or nerve compression occurs along multiple levels of the spine.

 

When to visit a specialist

When you suspect you have back pain and are experiencing symptoms that do not seem ordinary, it is highly advisable to get an accurate diagnosis. This is to ensure the treatment you receive targets the right place. Here are at Turramurra sports and spinal physio, we specialize in relieving your pain and restoring your lifestyle. For any back pain issues, you can call us on 9144-1510 now to schedule an appointment with one of our physiotherapists.

Chiropractic Care for Arthritis Relief

arthritis reliefIntroduction

Arthritis is a form of joints inflammation. It is a collection of conditions that involve joints and or soft tissue damage. However, there are more than 200 unique types and causes of arthritis that affects both the old and young people. Most of these types naming is as per the various parts of the body that they harm. The discomfort and that comes with arthritis attack at its different stages is so much to bear. Sunbury chiropractors come to the rescue of arthritis patients with medical treatment, healthy living prescription and therapy. The rheumatologists start with a proper examination of the patient from the case examination and history, MRI or X-ray scans, blood and urine tests. Effective treatment can only get offered upon diagnosis of the type of arthritis. The chiropractors are mainly on the correlations between different body functions and the structure.

 

The Common Types of Arthritis

  • Most of the popular forms of arthritis, degenerative joints or osteoarthritis disease comes due to repetitive joints trauma. The conditions become more common as the individual’s age progresses. It is medically proved that deformity of joint, abnormal anatomy, like hip dysplasia, could lead to the prompt osteoarthritis development. Immobilization, poor blood and nerve supply, poor nutrition are also contributing factors.
  • Other types of arthritis include psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. The general characteristic of the three is that they are autoimmune diseases where the body creates an attack on itself. They in most cases affect the younger people.
  • Gout condition is also a form of arthritis and metabolic disease. Uric acid crystals deposits in the joints cause painful inflammations. Pseudogout which comes due to deposition of CPPD (crystals of calcium pyrophosphate).
  • Septic arthritis is a bacterial or viral painful infection within the joints. These causative germs may be within the bloodstream from a different part of the body. The agents may also be from a penetrating injury which then delivers germs openly to the joints. It commonly affects and not limited to the knees, shoulders and hips. The infection may severely and quickly damage the bone and cartilage within the joint, and thus immediate treatment is vital.

 

Why it is Important to Consider Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic care and treatment greatly benefit most arthritic conditions. Chiropractic ought to get considered as an appendage. Osteoarthritis gets frequently treated utilising anti-inflammatory medication, where it is a big mistake. The anti-inflammatory medication for long-term impairs the cartilages healing rate and may even damage the stomach lining and cause fatal stomach bleeding especially in the elderly. Sunbury chiropractors offer their chiropractic treatment like gentle exercises, regular, diet improvement and laser treatment. Resultantly, the patients reduce or even eliminates the need to use the anti-inflammatory medication. Inflammatory arthritis has no real cure, but there is relief with the chiropractic care. It acts as therapy enough to control the symptoms as the patient continues with medications. Chiropractors might gently manoeuvre the painful soft tissue to relieve tenderness and stop muscle spasms. They may also use traction or active exercises to gently stretch the affected joints and increase the range of motion.

Kinesio Taping: Why and How?

Kinesio-TapingIf you are active in the sports world – playing or watching, you are probably familiar with seeing different kinds of tape around various body parts of athletes. This is becoming a quite common form of healing and pain relief for those who indulge in physical activities and sports games around the world. The method is called Kinesio taping and it is used for different reasons, but was designed for a single motive – relief. As luck would have it, Sunbury chiropractor has the professionals you need to help you with questions or concerns you may have about this type of pain soother for your muscles and joints.

How Is Tape Going to Help my Pain?

It may sound strange, but this tape can definitely soothe your aches and pains. The tape is thin and elastic-like so it feels and acts just like your skin does once you put it on. It can get wet from showering, swimming and sweat and dry off with a towel just like your skin does. Kinesio tape can be left on for up to 5 days in a row and you will never even know it’s there! The length of time you can keep it on helps immensely to relieve your pain and allow your joint and muscle inflammation to be corrected, quickly. The tape should be placed directly over the area that you are feeling pain in; it acts as like a vacuum to your underlying muscles and causes the inflammation to subside.

What Is It Going to Do for Me?

There are some temporary alternatives to Kinesio taping that will help the pain go away for a little while, however, this tape should be your go-to for prolonged relief pain medication may help for a short period of time, but because you can use this tape for up to 5 days in a row without re-applying or adjusting it, you are guaranteed those 5 full days of the tape working its magic. Because the material that the tape is made from is so similar to your skin, it also breathes and moves just the way your skin would. Because of this, you won’t have to do any adjustments or be concerned about the tape moving out of place or sliding around at all.

Conclusion

The effects of Kinesio taping can be seen and felt within a matter of hours after it is applied. Your best bet is to try and have a professional apply it for you to make sure it is getting placed in the precise location for maximum relief. Once you have this method done to your aching joints and muscles, there is no way you will resort to any other alternative, again. It is effective, it is healthy and safe for your body and it will give you the strength and confidence you need to get back to your game, faster. We have 2 different locations with professionals who are ready and waiting for you to ask for their help. Give us call in Roxburgh Park at (03) 9303 9952 or in Sunbury at (03) 9746 3977. Begin your pain free life, today!

National Pain Week – Chronic Back Pain

backpain1Health experts define chronic pain as the pain that lasts for more than three to six months or beyond. The most common chronic pain is back pain which is typically felt in the lower back area. Chronic back pain can cause soreness, stiffness, and inflammation and the pain may range from mild to severe or from dull ache to sharp pain. People with chronic back pain often find the pain interfering with their daily activities which make them feel frustrated and sometimes even depressed. Scarborough Chiropractor Dr. Adam Rocchi explains that due to the pain, a feeling of helplessness sets in and the condition can lead to poor sleeping pattern and impact the quality of life.

Causes of back problems

Identifying the actual cause of back pain requires a detailed diagnosis. However, back pain usually occurs due to direct injuries such as sprain or strain and sometimes medical conditions like sciatica or a slipped disc. Chronic back problems can also be an outcome of certain lifestyle choices. People with poor sitting posture or those who are inactive are at a greater risk of experiencing a back problem since these conditions cause strain on the spine.

Types of Back Pain

It is important to understand the major types of back pain as it will be helpful when you consider any treatment option with Scarborough Chiropractor Dr. Adam Rocchi.

  1. Nociceptive Pain– Our body has a type of sensors known as nociceptors which alerts us on an injury to a muscle, soft tissues like ligaments and tendons, joints, bones, skin or any other organ. The signals are relayed to the brain through our nervous system which gives us the sensation of pain. Scarborough Chiropractor Adam Rocchiexplains that this type of pain can be usually described as soreness, deep aching or throbbing. Some common examples are pain in the back after an injury or accident, pain after back surgery, and arthritis. The nociceptive pain usually goes away as the injury heals.
  2. Neuropathy– A neuropathic pain is a pain that is caused by an injury or damage to the nerve tissue. An injury or infection in the body can result in nerve damage. Once the damage occurs, the nerves keep on sending pain signals even after the person has recovered from the original injury. Sciatica is a condition of neuropathic pain associated with the back. Sciatica is known to occur when something presses the lower back region against the nerve root thus triggering the numbness and discomfort all along the sciatic nerve that stretches from buttocks to the feet. Some other examples of neuropathic pain include pain that goes down from spine to the arm region and the pain which persists post back surgery.

The above two categories of pain can be further classified into chronic and acute pain. In the case of acute pain, the severity depends on the amount of tissue damage. Our body has the protective reflex to prevent such pain like pulling back your hand on touching some sharp object. The acute pain goes away as soon as the underlying cause is cured. Whereas in the case of chronic pains our body does not have a protective reflex. The nerves continue to transmit pain signals even after tissue damage has repaired.

Chronic pains can take a toll on your daily life and hence it is essential that you consult Scarborough Chiropractor Dr. Adam Rocchifor further treatment.So, call the practice now on (08) 61508785 Scarborough or (08) 61508783 Mount Pleasant to arrange an appointment

 

 

Cervical Disc and Pain – Finding the root of the problem

Neck-painNeck pain is a problem affecting millions of Australians every year. and this socioeconomic burden is taking it’s toll both financially, emotionally and physically.

If you are one of the many people suffering from debilitating neck pain you know how this impacts your work, your lifestyle and the time spent with family. Perhaps you deep down fear that surgery will one day have to be the reality you face to get out of pain and discomfort.

At Spine Scan Chiropractic we are dedicated to delivering safe and gentle treatment for neck pain. Take action today to prevent further pain and degeneration, call us  now on (08) 61508785 Scarborough or (08) 61508783 Mount Pleasant to book an appointment.

The neck – Not just support

Your cervical spine supports the stack of 7 bones between the bottom of your head and bottom of your neck, and these bones protect the most important means of communication in your body; your nervous system. The bones function as an armour to protect your spinal cord from damage and interference, allowing the natural communication to flow from your brain to your body, and back. Every little part of your body needs this dual contact between the cells and the brain to function at it’s best.

What happens when this no longer works

As a part of this protection system we have discs in between the bones in the spine to cushion and disperse impact from daily movement. When put under abnormal demand, the discs can strain and herniate, allowing the gelatinous centre of the disc to rupture out and affect spinal nerves, causing pain and inflammation. If this happens in the neck, you can experience symptoms such as pain, tingling, electrical shooting, burning, aching, numbness and discomfort anywhere between the neck, shoulder the arm and into the hands and fingers.

When this type of injury occurs, your body intervenes to protect the damaged area of the spine, and you might therefore often experience muscle tightness and restricted movement along with the pain caused by the inflammation and damage to the joints. This can be very debilitating for someone struggling with non-relenting neck pain.

Supporting the restoration

Chiropractic care provides and excellent option of treatment to the traditional way of pain medication and surgery. Aiming to decrease pain and restore proper function of the neck, the spine, and and the nervous system governing your body, the chiropractors at Spine Scan will work with your body to get you back to proper function.

Because a chiropractor undergoes 5 years of rigorous studying, examination and training, they have a unique understanding of the body, allowing them to assess and treat the musculoskeletal system without the need of medication, hospitalisation and surgical intervention. In a gentle and safe way, a chiropractor will locate the cause of the problem and treat the cervical spine as a whole; the involved muscles, joints and ligaments through a safe hands-on approach.

Call (08) 61508785 Scarborough or (08) 61508783 Mount Pleasant to schedule a time to see how we best can help you live a full and happy life, doing the things you love, both now and in the future.

Easy Ways to Reduce Fall Risk

fallAs people approach old age, declines in muscle mass and bone density, impaired vision and other sensory impairments, inner ear disturbances, side effects of some medications, and symptoms of some conditions can all increase the risk of a fall and fall related injury. The most common injuries from a fall are fractures, particularly hip and thigh fractures, followed by head injury. About 90{c8a638b1e7709e6694e28f267820d53a0efdb8b78b20236c90a8c073c646f8af} of hip fractures are caused by a fall, and fall related injuries are one of the leading reasons older adults are admitted to hospitals and nursing homes.

It may not be possible to completely eliminate the risk of a fall or fall related injury, but a few lifestyle changes can significantly reduce the risk of a fall and the likelihood of being injured if a fall does occur. Nutrition and exercise go hand in hand to build muscle mass and bone density, improve balance and reaction time, increase mobility, and promote heart health, which can help stabilize blood pressure and prevent blood pressure dips that can cause lightheadedness.

Dehydration and dips in blood sugar can both lead to dizziness and falls, so eating frequently and staying hydrated are vital to fall prevention. Dizziness can also be a symptom of nutritional deficiencies, including magnesium deficiency. Eating a nutrient rich diet and taking a good quality multivitamin every day can help prevent these deficiencies. Other causes of dizziness include inefficient cardiovascular function and cognitive impairments. Getting plenty of omega-3 fatty acids in the diet promotes healthy heart function, which can minimize the drops in blood pressure that can cause dizziness, and healthy brain function, which can protect against cognitive decline.

When many people think of bone health, the first thing that comes to mind is calcium. While calcium is important, magnesium and phosphorus are just as critical to building strong bones. Also critical is ensuring the minerals can be assimilated into the bone. Vitamin D helps the body absorb and assimilate calcium and other minerals, while some foods, particularly soda, can inhibit calcium absorption. It’s also important to be aware that calcium can only be absorbed in small amounts at one time, so consuming calcium rich foods a couple of times a day is important.

Many studies have shown that weight bearing exercise can increase bone mass reducing the likelihood of a fracture, and that a sedentary lifestyle can actually cause bone mass to decrease, increasing fracture risk. Weight bearing exercise may involve weights, but not necessarily. Walking, dancing, climbing stairs, lifting weights, or any other exercise that involves working against gravity will help move improve balance and mobility.

Weight bearing exercise also builds muscle strength, which provides added support to the bones and helps keep the joints stable and mobile. Be sure not to forget about upper body exercise. Keeping the spine strong makes it easier to stand erect; inability to stand erect can interfere with balance, making it harder to avoid falls. Strengthening the arms can improve your ability to stop a fall in progress.

If you’ve experience a fall or a fall related injury, or just want to know how to minimize your risk, call Neurobalance at 02 9938 5456 to arrange an appointment. We’ll talk to you about your conditions, your medications, and your lifestyle habits to help you determine your biggest risk factors for a fall, and we’ll help you determine the best ways to minimize your risk, including dietary changes you can make and exercises you can do to help improve your balance and mobility.