AppalachianPT: Relief For Neck Pain & Headaches

2019

NEWSLETTER

SPEND QUALITY TIME WITH LOVED ONESWITHOUT NECK PAIN

INSIDE: • Physical Therapy and Neck Pain • Exercise Essentials • Patient Success Spotlights • Diversity Can Lead To Strength

2019

NEWSLETTER

ENJOY THE HOLIDAYSWITHOUT NECK PAIN

Whether you have aches and pains or have been suffering for a long time, seeing a physical therapist at Appalachian Physical Therapy, Inc. can help you return to a more active and pain-free life. Give us a call at: • Broadway: 540-901-9501 • Harrisonburg: 540-209-8977 • Pinehurst: 910-215-0541 A spasm in the neck muscles could lead to constricted blood circulation, and therefore migraine headaches. What’s worse, since the neck is connected to the spinal column and therefore connected to the nervous system, pain in the neck can quickly develop into tingling or numbness in the hands, arms and fingers, which can be uncomfortable and frustrating when you are going about daily tasks. When neck pain develops as a result of a pinched nerve, the radiating neck pain can result in severe headaches, and in some cases, even migraine headaches. The pinched nerve can cause pain to radiate from the neck into the skull and can cause a disruption to typical nerve patterns. Working with a physical therapist can help you address pain caused by a pinched nerve, and therefore can reduce the severity of headaches that develop as a result of neck pain.

If you really had to narrow down the frustrations that come with dealing with chronic pain, perhaps the single largest frustration would be having to deal with the pain day after day. Chronic pain has a way of interfering with the most basic activities. Getting out of bed and driving to work can become a challenge, as can sitting in a desk chair all day, or attempting to pick up your child when he or she is upset. Some of these tasks are more difficult to get around than are others, and, depending on how the pain is impacting your life, the stress of having to go through extra steps to make basic things happen can really get out of hand. Neck pain is one of those types of pain that is difficult to work around. Pain in the neck and back will frequently begin to radiate the longer it hangs around, and that could mean shooting pain up your neck and back, all the way into the base of your skull. Once neck pain begins to turn into headaches, attempting to concentrate at work can become exceedingly difficult. What Causes Neck Pain? There are a large number of culprits that could be behind your experience of neck pain, including accidents, such as a car accident or a slip-and-fall accident, as well as sporting injuries. The reason why neck pain frequently becomes so severe is due to the fact that blood vessels have to pass through your neck to reach the head.

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PHYSICAL THERAPY AND NECK PAIN

The good news is that there is actually a lot that you can do to support the healthy operation of your neck, thereby reducing the severity or frequency of your neck pain. Working with a physical therapist is the best way to address neck pain. During physical therapy, your neck pain will be addressed holistically, taking into consideration the initial injury that may have caused the pain to develop, but also any other habits, movements or compensations that may be contributing to the discomfort. Physical therapy takes advantage of strategies like massage, stretching and muscle training to reduce neck pain, and many of these strategies can be adopted in part at home or on the-go to help you address your neck pain when it is bothering you the most. Adopting healthier habits can have a big impact on your management of neck pain. These include: • Practicing improved posture • Wearing recommended footwear • Using lumbar support in your desk chair or car • Exercising regularly • Engaging in regular stretching, like yoga One of the primary goals of physical therapy is to address whole-body well-being by encouraging improved overall health. In many situations, this includes improved flexibility and range-of-motion training, muscle building and strength training, and even in some cases, encouragement with cardiovascular activities and weight loss. At the end of the day, the best way to be free of neck pain is to prevent neck pain from developing, and working with a physical therapist can help you in this regard,

as well. The tasks that you do every day can build up over time and cause a lot of stress on your body, and the neck and shoulders are some of the most common places to carry that stress. You may not even realize the impact that simple tasks that you do every day have on your body and your experience of pain. Things like driving, lifting heavy objects — like packages at the front door or even your groceries — and repetitive movements like hunching over a keyboard at work can all seriously impact your neck pain. The longer you let neck pain linger and disrupt your life, the more difficult it becomes to treat. If you experience an injury, the smart thing to do is to consult a physical therapist soon after the pain develops. Source: https://www.moveforwardpt.com/symptomsconditionsdetail.aspx?cid=8402b1d2- 6580-41b2-b4ff-25a0cd6dac3a https://www.verywellhealth.com/pinched-nerve-headache-treatment-1719581

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PATIENT SUCCESS SPOTLIGHTS

“I was able to complete all of my workouts!” “I came in for IT band syndrome. I was unable to complete many of my track workouts beforehand. My training was very limited and was very painful. Once I started therapy, I was able to complete all of my workouts and went on to win a state title in the 1600 meter run. Thank you.” - Jessica C. “He listened to my problem and goals!” “I came to Appalachian PT with my neck so sore and range of motion so limited it was hard to drive or do anything physically. John is a fantastic PT. He listened to my problem and goals and constructed a safe and effective plan for my rehab. He is truly a professional and a pleasure to work with. I loved the culture of the staff here. Welcoming and relaxed. I recommend John and Appalachian PT with the highest satisfaction.” - Ken S.

“I am now walking without a limp and very little pain!” “I had a total knee replacement after 7 previous surgeries on the same knee. Came in after surgery and started therapy. Ten weeks after surgery and a manipulation, I am now walking without a limp and very little pain. This was an awesome place to do my therapy and I would recommend anyone else to go there.” - Ron H.

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FREE ROTATOR CUFF WORKSHOP Attention Rotator Cuff Sufferers!

Who is the Workshop For? The Rotator Cuff Workshop is for people suffering with shoulder pain who are looking to feel normal again and heal naturally without medications, injections and surgery. REVEALING HOW TO GET BACK TO NORMAL WITHOUT MEDICATIONS, INJECTIONS & SURGERY...

Don’t delay! Register today! Use the camera app on your smartphone to see the next Rotator Cuff workshop at the location nearest you:

BROADWAY, VA HARRISONBURG, VA PINEHURST, NC

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DIVERSITY CAN LEAD TO STRENGTH

I am always amazed at the many different backgrounds physical therapists cover here in the states. There are so many ways a person can gowhen it comes to studying. My professors were correct when they stated this profession beginswith a lifelong learning process. That is true of most professions and organizations. We must be malleable if we are going to withstand the pressures of society, not that living is so rough. Being flexible is far more desirable than to be rigid in one’s beliefs and practices. I can remember early on in practice that I passed by some very good treatment options because I failed to take into consideration what I observed to be too good to be true. Now it is true that if you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything. Youmust have some core beliefs and values, not just in a personal way but also professional. We all have to have a starting point. Wherewe go from there is another issue. I dare say all of our PT’s here in Appalachian Physical Therapy practice 60-70 percent the same way or close to it. That means we all have some room to be diversified and the ability to bring something different to a treatment plan with our patients. This is so necessary and is preferable as our patients are all different andmay require something else than what one professional has to offer. A quick question or a second opinion with one of our colleagues can make the difference in a patient progressing or progressing well. The same is true of our classes we attend. I used to think PT’s were so special and I only wanted to attend those post graduate classes that were restricted to physical therapists. I mean, we would learn faster by covering information we were all familiar with or should be andwe could get a deeper understanding from us all being on the same page. Well, I soon found this was not at all true. You certainly must have a basis of knowledge to begin with to understand the information being passed on. However, having different professions involved in the process has the ability if allowed that will help us see a broader picture. Today our society seems to be so focused on ourselves. It

takes only a fewminutes to walk around to figure this out. We have road rage with folks raising cane with others on the roadwho are less than courteous. We see folks stopped at intersections texting when no one is in front of them. They are so focused on themselves they are oblivious to those behind them. Heck, we had a student walking on a sidewalk a few years ago in our county who was texting with her mom and walked off a curb into a bus and was killed. There seems to be a lot of anxiety and even hate involved in our society today. We get bent out of shape at the color of our skin and where a person is from than who the person really is. I have to tell you being brought up in the south as a child, I was exposed to many things that had a tendency to shape me into a person thankfully I amnot today. I was able through a lot of prayer, faith and friends to find a better way and realize no one has all the answers and all of us are God’s gift to the world. I would like to think I ama better person for it. I need to remember I am only human and always have a tendency to fall back on my old ways. Keep praying for me. Our staff here at Appalachian Physical Therapy comes from all walks of life and brings strength to our company if we let it. The same is true of the society we live in today. There is so much diversity in our communities and to believe any one segment has all the answers would be akin to sticking our heads in a mound of sand. I was reading in scripture today 1st Corinthians 12: 12-26: 12For as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many are one body, so also is Christ. 13For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bound or free; and have beenmade to drink into one Spirit. 14For the body is not one member, but many. 15If the foot shall say, because I am not the hand, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? 16If the ear shall say, because I am not the eye, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? 17If the whole body was an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing,

where would be the smelling? 18But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased Him. 19And if they were all one member where would the body be? 20But now there are many members, yet but one body. 21And the eye can not say unto the hand, I have no need for you. Nor again the head to the feet, I have no need for you. 22No much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary. 23And those members of the body, which we think to be less honorable, we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts havemore abundant comeliness. 24For our comely parts have no need: but God has tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked. 25There should be no division in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26Andwhen onemember suffers, all themembers suffer with it; or one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. These verses stick in my head every time I work with one of our patients. I hear way too often this is a shoulder or a knee or back. No! It is a person with an injured shoulder or an injured knee or an injured back. It is but one part of the whole body and all parts work together to make the whole body functional. We have to look at the whole body to see the injured member. The same is true with our society. So during this time of year, it would be wrong to just wish you a Merry Christmas. Yes, I have been brought up in the Christian faith but there are many other faiths out there that are just as important to those who practice them. Besides Christians we have Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and many others. Together with our diversity, we can accomplish a great deal if we work together tomake a better world. A unified body! Let’s be thankful and really make an effort this coming year to be patient and supportive of all folks and faiths, especially those different from us. It only takes a second for us to realize we are different to them. Reach out and shake a hand or give a smile or aword of encouragement. It makes a difference. Have a great holiday season and may you enjoy this time with friends and family.

ARTWORK AT THE OFFICE

Harrisonburg Artist: Trudee Smith Trudee Smith, artist for Harrisonburg. December 2nd through February 5th. Trudee Smith was born and raised in central Wisconsin where she also studied art in the University of Wisconsin system. She took every painting and drawing class that was offered, as well as every

G Smith Facebook page. Pinehurst Artist: Beth E. Roy Beth E. Roy, artist for Pinehurst. December 2nd through February 5th.

Growing up in rural Michigan, artist Beth Roy acquired the foundation which allows her paintings to come to life today. She began riding horses at an early age and her life-long relationship with them has allowed her to translate them beautifully. Her professional art schooling was obtained at Austin Peay State College, in 1986-87 and at Christopher Newport College in 1989. Her works are currently represented in Beaufort

independent study course that was available. Shemoved to Virginia in 1984 and settled in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley. She now lives just outside of Waynesboro, Virginia. Trudee impacts this to others in the art workshops she teaches in Grottoes, Virginia. Trudee also teaches piano and guitar to both adults and children. Trudee has hadmany gallery shows, been accepted intomany juried art shows and won numerous awards, including “Valley Best Artist” in 2005 and 2006. Trudee has sold her work nationwide. Her paintings are on display in many municipal settings, in businesses, as well as in private collections and galleries in Arizona, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Virginia. She has done many commissioned pieces, including portraits, pet portraits, and local landmarks, in both pencil and in oils. Still life, florals, and seascapes are found in most of her exhibits, but landscapes remain her favorite. Trudee paints for joy of painting and loves the challenges of a changing palette and new and different subject matter. It is all exhilarating, but she is drawn to bucolic scenes, mountains roads, Wisconsin lakes and farms, as well as Virginia’s country lanes. She has a fascination for the play of light and shadow and the many moods of color and loves to paint them in a way that seems to speak to the soul of the viewer. Painting is one of her greatest pleasures and is truly a passion of her heart. The paintings of Trudee Smith can also be viewed on her Trudee

and Southern Pines, NC. After painting in watercolor for 15 years, Beth changed to oils in 2002 for the permanency. In 2006 Beth was awarded an Honorable Mention for oils in the ACMC Festival and then in 2008 was awarded 1st place in oils at the Festival for the large landscape “Water Lilies. In 2009 she was awarded Best in Show at the juried Artist League of the Sandhills Pot of Gold Show. In 2015 Beth created a pottery studio in her garage which allows her tomake stoneware and raku pottery as a relaxing “hobby”. After many years of showing horses Beth accepted the formidable position of Volunteer Coordinator for Carolina Horse Park. She also co-organizes Running Start Horse Trial and Carolina Derby Cross. Beth and her husband Tom live on their farm in Vass, NC with 3 horses, 2 cats and a dog. Other pastimes are mountain biking, yoga, Jazzercise, reading, cooking, and spending time with friends and family. Visit her website at www.betheroy.com.

EXERCISE ESSENTIALS Try these exercises to keep you moving...

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RETRACTION/CHIN TUCK Slowly draw your head back so that your ears line up with your shoulders.

Strengthens Neck

MEDIAN NERVE GLIDE Start with your arm hanging down at your side with your elbows straight and palm facing forward. Next, bend your wrist forward and back. Your other hand should be checking to make sure that your shoulder stays down and drawn back the entire time.

Stretches Neck & Shoulder

Exercises copyright of

www.simpleset.net

Always consult your physical therapist or physician before starting exercises you are unsure of doing.

Why You Need To Come In For Another Check-Up:

� Move without pain � Bend and move freely � Balance confidently & securely

� Sit for long periods comfortably � Walk for long distances � Live an active & healthy lifestyle

TAKE CARE OF YOUR ACHES & PAINS BEFORE IT ’ S TOO LATE!

BROADWAY CLINIC 540-901-9501

HARRISONBURG CLINIC 540-209-8977

PINEHURST CLINIC 910-215-0541