Avenues: Neck Pain & Stress

Avenues: Neck Pain & Stress

Health &Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

INSIDE: • Focus On Neck Pain To Relieve Headaches • Crossword Puzzle • Patient Success Spotlights NECK PAIN & STRESS

Do you suffer from frequent neck pain and headaches? People literally live on Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen for years because they constantly have a nagging headache, induced by muscle spasms in the neck. Many people who suffer from frequent headaches fear they have an underlying neck problem that may go undiagnosed or untreated. The Cause of Most Headaches. Headaches can range from minor nagging pains to full- blown migraines that knock you off your feet for a day or two. Any headache, whether tremendous pain or not, should be a warning sign that the muscles around your spine and neck may be too tight and tense. Prolonged muscle tension may cause you to feel stiff and achy. One may feel pain in the shoulders, neck, upper back and even radiating out to the upper arms. Most people who have headaches complain about having neck and shoulder pain. The most intense pain usually lies directly in

the upper back sides of the neck. The pain then radiates into the shoulder area. This is why many people who have headaches treat themselves to frequent neck and shoulder massages. Relief That Works. Physical therapy goes beyondmassages to evaluate and treat the root cause of your pain. Muscular tightness may lead to poor joint movement and weakness. Our medical physical therpy experts are trained in specialized, hands-on treatments to quickly reduce your pain. Furthermore you can enjoy the added benefits of corrected posture and improved motion. We help to train you in gentle exercises and self-help techniques to relieve neck pain and headaches independently and prevent the problem from reoccurring. Physical therapy can help you to relieve the tightness and tension in your muscles, helping you live a happy, pain-free life.

Health & Wellness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

DONNA’S TRIP TOHAWAII

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Misspelled Mania Edition

Find the misspelled word in this newsletter for your chance to win a $10 GIFT CARD! Call In & Win Hotline: 307-634-0298 *Contest for past and present patients ONLY Last Month’s Winners: Barbara Costa & Ann Redman

Our massage therapist Donna took a 10 day family vacation to Hawaii this past summer. She went with her daughter Jessica, son-in-law Pat, and Pat’s dad Ron; pictures on right above.

Whatwasyourfavoritefoodthere? Wewenttoa luauandthefreshpineapple andcoconutwerebeyondamazing. Itwasthefreshestandsweetestpineapple I have ever tasted. Which tourist spot was your favorite? My favorite spot to go to was the rainforest.Wetookatourand learnedhowclovegrowsontrees.Thecinnamon trees are beautiful, and we learned that cinnamon spices come from the bark of the trees. It was beautiful to see six different water falls. What was your favorite memory? On Kona it rains only a few days out of the year. My son-in-law rented a Mustang convertible. From the airport we had to packallfourofus intothecar,pluswehadfour largesuitcasesand4carry-on bags.Trying to fit all of that was not going to happen even with the top down. Weputone largesuitcase in thetrunkwithallthecarry-onbags;thenRonhad a largesuitcaseonhis lap inthefrontseat,andJessicaand Ihadtheothertwo suitcases on our laps in the back seat. As we drove to our condo there was a down pour of rain, we were all soaked to the bone by the time we got there!

Which part of Hawaii did you go to? We visited the big island of Hawaii. We went to Kona which is the volcanic side of the island, and Hilo which is the rainforest side. Whatweresomeofyourfavoritepartsofthetrip? Myfavoritepartofthetrip was getting a Lomi-Lomi traditional Hawaiian massage. We all loved having a pool 20 feet outside of our back door; we swam all the time. The best part was it was never below 75 degrees.

www.avenuestherapyclinic.com

FOCUS ON NECK PAIN TO RELIEVE HEADACHES The neck can be a hidden and debilitating source of headaches. Very often neck pain and headaches go hand-in-hand, leading to a miserable time coping with everyday activities. According to the National Institute of Health Statistics, neck pain and headaches are the second most common form of pain experiencedby Americans, with59% reporting itaffected their enjoyment of life. Some headaches are often grouped under the term “cervicogenic headache” meaning that the primary source is from the neck. There are well mapped out patterns of headaches that come from the different parts of the neck, shoulder and upper back areas. The discs between your bones (vertebrae) and joints in the upper neck often contribute to headaches. Even headaches located in the forehead or behind the eyes are often referred pains stemming from problem areas in the neck and base of the skull.

The joints connecting the top three vertebral levels of the neck handle almost 50% of the total motion of the entire neck. This means they absorb a lot of repetitive strain. These joints bear the main load of the weight of the head (about that of a bowling ball). With fatigue, poor posture, injuries, disc problems, arthritis, muscular stress and even prior surgeries, the wear and tear on this critical region of your body can prove too much, resulting in pain. It is also possible that you may develop a narrowing of the spinal canal itself. Since the spinal cord runs through the spine, a narrowing of the canal or where the nerves exit, can lead to a condition called spinal stenosis. There is much that can be done to treat neck pain and headaches. Our expert physical therapists have years of experience helping people with neck pain and headaches. By finding the root cause of your neck pain and headaches we can relieve your pain quickly, reduce the need for medication and get you back to the activities you enjoy. 2 3 4

Discoverhowour teamofspecialistsatAvenuesTherapyCliniccaneliminate your neck pain and headaches allowing you to live a happy, active and pain- free life. Call today for more details!

FORMORE UPDATES, LIKE US ON FACEBOOK! We invite you to view and like our page on Facebook! We’d love to hear how physical therapy has impacted your life and how we can help even more!

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Call us today at 307-634-0298 to schedule an appointment! 6 7 8

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Patient Success Spotlights

“I have a mild case of scoliosis and when it started to flare up, it hurt badly to do everyday things. I decided I needed to do something about it. Eric was so helpful with all of the stretches and exercises. He helped me get back to feeling good and going back to the gym. All of the handouts I got will go into a folder so I can continue to do what Eric taught me! I cannot thank him enough for his patience and consideration!” - Kielee O’Brien Back to feeling good and going back to the gym!

“I came in hurting. Linda took me on and listened to me and what I thought the pain was from. She agreed I might be right. We did some exercises that day and I started getting better and moving without thinking about it, which was and had been normal. I appreciate knowing how to help myself to continue moving. I will practice what I learned at home.Thank you Linda and Avenues Therapy Clinic.” - Carole Vogel “Learned how to help myself to keep moving!”

Avenues Gives Back

I can walk straight now!

“Before I started my therapy at AvenuesTherapy Clinic, I did not want to go shopping, go to church, or do anything fun. I couldn’t even stand to cook a meal or clean a room. I was really beginning to feel depressed. My muscles were so weak that I would get terrible muscle cramps in my thighs, buttock, legs and back; that would take my breath away. I wouldn’t walk or stand straight because I felt better slouching, it didn’t hurt as much. I needed a knee replacement, and I needed therapy before I could have it done to get my muscles working again.Thanks to Kelsey at AvenuesTherapy Clinic, I feel confident and have no cramping anywhere. I can walk straight now and I am ready for surgery. I went to the Botanical Gardens with my grand-children and we walked the area with no problems, and even played miniature golf with them afterwards. I am so happy; I am now able to move without pain.” - Shirley Lopez

Avenues Therapy Clinic employees had a wonderful time this holiday season sponsoring a family from Safehouse. Pictured is Kelsey and Linda giving boxes of gifts to Kathy from Safehouse to deliver to a family in need.

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DOWHAT’SGOOD FOR THEHEART Tips For Better Heart Health

1. Aim for lucky number seven. Young and middle-age adults who sleep 7 hours a night have less calcium in their arteries (an early sign of heart disease) than those who sleep 5 hours or less or those who sleep 9 hours or more. 2. Keep the pressure off. Get your blood pressure checked every 3-5 years if you’re 18-39. If you’re 40 or older, or if you have high blood pressure, check it every year. 3. Move more. To keep it simple, you can aim for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week of moderate exercise. Even if you exercise for 30 minutes a day, being sedentary for the other 23 1/2 hours is really bad for your heart. 5. Find out if you have diabetes. Millions of people don’t know that they have this condition. That’s risky because over time, high blood sugar damages arteries and makes heart disease more likely. 6. Ditch the cigarettes, real and electronic. Smoking and secondhand smoke are bad for your heart. If you smoke, quit, and don’t spend time around others who smoke as well. E-cigarettes are popular, but they’re not completely problem-free. They don’t contain the harmful chemicals UPCOMINGWORKSHOP!

in cigarette smoke but they still do contain nicotine, so your goal should be to quit completely, not just switch to a less toxic version. 7. Clean up. Your heart works best when it runs on clean fuel.That means lots of whole, plant-based foods (like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds) and fewer refined or processed foods (like white bread, pasta, crackers, and cookies). Heart Healthy Recipe

LEMON ROSEMARY SALMON

We will be hosting a workshop at our clinic. Please see our website for more information and to register at www.avenuestherapyclinic.com. Learn how to manage back pain and sciatica naturally, without medication, injections or surgery. If you are having pain or problems with day to day activities such as walking, standing, sitting for long periods, going up or down stairs, getting in or out of the car, sleeping or driving then you should attend this FREE Back Pain workshop! February 3rd at 10:00 AM

Ingredients • 1 lemon, thinly sliced • 4 sprigs fresh rosemary

• 2 salmon fillets • Salt to taste • 1 tablespoon olive oil

This workshop is FREE but there are only a limited number of spots available. You must register in advance to secure your seat! CALL TODAY! 307-634-0298 Visit our website to register for this FREE Back Pain & Sciatica workshop or

Directions Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Arrange half the lemon slices in a single layer in a baking dish. Layer with 2 sprigs rosemary, and top with salmon fillets. Sprinkle salmon with salt, layer with remaining rosemary sprigs, and top with remaining lemon slices. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until fish is easily flaked with a fork.

AVENUES THERAPY CLINIC NECK PAIN AUDIT Q: I woke up with a ‘kink’ in my neck 3 days ago and it hasn’t gone away. Can physical therapy help me? A: This is a common question, and one we hear from a lot of people. Before we answer this for you, we want to walk you through a simple test. We call it the ‘neck pain audit.’ It will tell us if PT can help you or not.

Part 1: The “Changing Lanes & Backing Your Car Up” Test 1. Sit in a chair keeping good posture. 2. Turn your head to the right as far as you can. 3. Turn your head to the left as far as you can. Is it harder to tum one way than the other? Or are they the same? If you felt pain, soreness or stiffness turning your head, then write it down here:

Part 3: The “Holding the Phone Between Your Shoulder & Ear” Test: 1. Sit in a chair keeping good posture. 2. Tilt your head to the right (right ear to right shoulder ...don’t scrunch your shoulder up). 3. Tilt your head to the left (same thing to the other side). Was one side tougher than the other? Write down what you felt:

Part 2: The “YES” Head Nod Test 1. Sit in a chair keeping good posture. 2. Look up as far as you can. (Tilt your head back like a PEZ dispenser). 3. Look down as far as you can. (Try to touch your chin to your chest). Did you have any pain, soreness or stiffness? If so, then write it down here. Note what you felt with what movement (example: ‘A deep ache in my right shoulder when we tucked my chin to my chest. Felt stiff.’):

Now that the test is done, let’s take a look at this. A really simple rule we use in PT is: if the pain is reproducible, then it’s reducible . This means that if one of these movements made your neck pain, soreness or stiffness worse, then there’s a good chance we can help you in physical therapy. So here’s what to do next: if you are ready to get rid of that kink in your neck so that you sleep better and don’t have pain at work, then complete this form and bring it with you to your FREE exam. At the FREE exam you will receive: • A detailed plan that explains where your pain is coming from • What successful treatment looks like • The cost and time needed to heal If you are ready to schedule your FREE exam, give us a call today! 307-634-0298.

4000 Central Avenue Suite 3 Cheyenne, WY 82001

FREE EXAM CERTIFICATE Call 307-634-0298 today to schedule you free exam (limited to the first 10 callers). We need to limit this to the first 10 people to call because of our therapists’ schedules. If you or someone you know needs help, do not delay, this offer expires 02-28-2018.

P.S. If you have a friend or co-worker who’s rubbing their neck and want to help them, give them this sheet. Stop by our front desk to grab more copies.