G3 PT. Understanding Herniated Discs

G3 PT. Understanding Herniated Discs

The Newsletter About Caring for Your Health Physical Therapy & Wellness

Encinitas G3 Team

Understanding Herniated Discs Is Your Back Pain Caused By Herniated Discs?

A L S O I N S I D E : Do You Know About Telehealth? • Exercise Essentials Letter From The Owner • Healthy Recipe • Stretch Your Brain!

Solana Beach G3 Team

Understanding Herniated Discs

Is Your Back Pain Caused By Herniated Discs?

How Does This happen? The vertebrae in the spine are stacked closely together, with only a small amount of space for the discs in between each bone. A disc can become herniated as a result of injury, car accident, or even simply from overuse. One of the most common causes of a herniated disc is heavy lifting. Weight lifters have to be especially wary not to suddenly lift something too heavy, otherwise risk experiencing a slipped disc. But experienced gym-goers are not the only ones at risk. Every time you attempt to move a piece of furniture, a heavy box, or even a big bag of books you need to be wary to lift correctly, otherwise face the risk of potentially herniating a disc in your back. Treatment for Herniated Discs Pain associated with a herniated disc often develops in the sciatica nerve, and doesn’t subside with simple rest and relaxation. While hot and cold therapy will help alleviate the pain associated with many different back issues, it won’t make the pain of a herniated disc go away. The pain is often frequently associated with numbness, weakness, and tingling in the legs. In many situations, the pain will feel more severe after initial movement, such as standing up or laying down. Many people mistakenly refer to having a herniated disc as having “pinched a nerve,” but that is not the case. Physical therapy is a great resource for attempting to overcome the pain associated with a herniated disc. A combination of passive and active techniques is typically employed, including deep tissuemassage, electrical stimulation, and hydrotherapy, as well as deep stretching and strength building. If you suspect that you may have a herniated disc, contact a physical therapist right away. Attempting to engage in therapy at home could lead to further injury. It is best to have an experienced therapist assess your injury before attempting any treatment options.

Back pain can develop for all sorts of reasons. From a car accident to bad posture, to an uncomfortable seat for a prolonged period of time, back pain can come out of nowhere and cause no small amount of discomfort once it arrives. There are some back injuries, however, that are even more painful than your run-of-the-mill back pain. A herniated disc is one of the most painful back injuries that you can experience, and it is far more common than you may be initially aware. What Is a Herniated Disc? Your spine is made up of a series of interlocking bones with small cushions in-between each joint socket. The structure of your spine is what allows you tomove freely from side to side. Every time you crunch your abdomen by bending forward, or lean to one side or another for a deep stretch, those little vertebral bodies move with you, keeping you comfortable and your back strong. Without cushioning in between each of those sockets, the bones would rub against one another with every movement, and this would be incredibly painful. When a disc becomes herniated, the cushioning in between the vertebrae will rupture, essentially deflating the cushioning in between the vertebrae and causing the bones to begin to rub against one another. This is painful enough as it is, but can become even more painful if the herniated disc actually begins to press on the adjacent spinal nerves, causing the pain to spread even further up the spine. The most common placement for a herniated disc is at the lumbar vertebrae in the lower back. While it is not the only reason that pain can become severe in the lower back, it is definitely one of the most severe forms of back pain. If you suspect that you may have experienced a herniated disc it is important that you seek medical attention, such as from your physical therapist. A herniated disc will not heal on its own, and working with a physical therapist is one of the best ways to experience relief from the pain associated with this common concern.

Call G3 Physical Therapy & Wellness at 760.452.2640 or visit g3.life to schedule your appointment today!

Do You Know About TELEHEALTH? A Safe, Convenient Option for Physical Therapy

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic that has been causing numerous health care facilities to shut down, we asmedical professionals are diligently trying to serve our patients in the best ways possible without risking the spread of this disease. Because of this, in addition to keeping our facilities open, we are also offering virtual E-Visits and Telehealth services for those who wish to stay at home. By providing care for our patients virtually, as opposed to in person, we are able to keep both our patients and PT providers safe. For more information on our telehealth services and how they may benefit you, feel free to call us at (760) 452-2640 to schedule a telehealth appointment. You can also visit our website ( www.g3.life ) and schedule your appointment through our chatbot feature or by clicking on the telehealth appointment page. What Is Telehealth? You may be wondering what exactly telehealth is. Essentially, it is a way for us to make sure that our patients are still receiving the highest possible quality of care they need from a remote location. Telehealth services can be accessed via your smartphone or computer, and you will be able to perform your PT treatments from the comfort of your own home during this quarantine. You will also be able to track your progress and see how you are improving throughout your treatments – without coming directly to our clinic.

At G3 Physical Therapy, our telehealth services offer live consultation where you can meet and chat with your physical therapist about your treatment plan. At any point you can also message one of our physical therapists to ask questions or get advice about your condition. That being said, there are numerous conditions that can still be treated and improved via telehealth services, including, but not limited to: • Arthritis pain • Back pain • Headaches & migraines • Post-surgical rehab • Injury rehab • Sports medicine/athletic training • Fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s Disease, & other chronic conditions • And much more! In addition to allowing for the practice of social distancing, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, telehealth also has other benefits for patients. As stated by the American Physical Therapy Association, just a few of these include: • Patients typically in clinical or hospital settings could be managed from their homes • Quicker screening, assessment, and referrals can improve care coordination within collaborative deliverymodels such as accountable care organizations or patient-centered medical homes • Telehealth can facilitate consultation between providers or in clinical education

Exercise Essentials

Healthy Recipe Immunity-Booster Chicken Soup

• 2 tbsp olive oil • 1 lb organic chicken breast • 1 medium organic onion, diced • 3 large organic carrots, diced • 2 organic celery stalks,

diced • 3 cloves of garlic, minced • 1 medium lemon • 1 handful fresh organic ginger • 2 qt organic chicken broth • 1 can organic coconut milk (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add chicken breast and brown. Add onion, garlic, carrots, celery, salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 min until softened. Add 2 quarts of chicken broth and ginger with the skin on. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 35-45 min (the longer you boil ginger the stronger it is). Remove ginger and discard. Remove chicken, then shred and set aside. Add lemon zest and squeeze lemon to taste. Continue to simmer for 15 min. Add shredded chicken and coconut milk.

Anterior Chain Maps

Lunge forward while swinging arms up. Repeat 10 times on each side.

Letter FromMike I’d like to first send out our well wishes to you all, hoping everyone is well and safe. These are certainly difficult and challenging times for us all, but I wanted to take a moment to talk about the silver linings that, hopefully, we are all able to see. For our family, it’s been a blessing to spend more time with the kids, working with them more with their school work as well as their physical fitness and training while their sports teams are shut down. For our G3 family, it’s been pulling together as a team, getting creative on how to help our patients that are self-quarantined. I’m absolutely certain that, when this ends, we’ll all end up being stronger with a renewed appreciation of the most important things in life: family, friends, service and health. Until we see you again, please stay safe. Mike Van Gilder Clinic Owner, PT, DPT

WE’RE KEEPING YOUR HEALTH IN MIND!

CLEAN YOUR HANDS OFTEN

AVOID TOUCHING YOUR FACE WITH YOUR HANDS

SNEEZE & COUGH INTO TISSUES

AVOID HUGS & SHAKING HANDS

USE GLOVES WHEN NECESSARY

DISPOSE OF USED TISSUES QUICKLY

KEEP DISTANCE FROM THOSE INFECTED

AVOID BUSY PLACES & EVENTS

G3 Physical Therapy is committed to your health and wellbeing. In the wake of the recent spread of COVID-19, also known as the novel coronavirus, we are taking every precaution. Though many businesses have closed their facilities, physical therapy has been deemed an essential healthcare provider, so we will continue to stay open to provide quality physical therapy to our patients. We believe that continuing to offer physical therapy will not only help patients continue their recovery and stay on course but also give patients that have been recently injured or suffering from chronic pain someone to readily consult without visiting the doctor’s office. Before and after every session we are asking our patients and staff to wash/sanitize their hand. Staff members are wearing gloves and masks and we are taking the temperature of all staff

members and patients to ensure everyones safety in the clinic. Additionally, we have increased the number of times per day that we sanitize our equipment and facility. To do your part to prevent the spread of this contagious disease, we ask those who may be demonstrating symptoms of coronavirus— coughing, sneezing or fever—to please stay home. If you wish to remain home, feel free to use the mentioned telehealth services that will allow our physical therapists to continue your treatments remotely. Your cooperation in this tough time is what makes us able to continue to provide valuable services to you and your family. We appreciate your ongoing support and wish you good health and safety.

Stretch Your Brain!

Get those answers in! The first to respond correctly wins a $5 Starbucks Gift Card! Email your answers to [email protected] ! 1. To which city did Charles Lindberg make his solo transatlantic flight? 2. What did Howard Carter discover in 1922? 3. What country was created in 1922 with the signing of a treaty in London? 4. In what year was the novel The Great Gatsby published? 5. What soda was created in 1929? 6. Which New York City location was hit with a bomb in 1920? 7. In which country were the first Winter Olympic Games held in 1924? 8. Route 66 was created in 1926 connecting which two major US cities?

Are You Staying Active?

One of the best ways to keep your body healthy during this time is to staymoving and reduce inflammation. Though it is tempting to be sedentary and make poor diet choices while self-isolating, these habits have the potential to inhibit your immune system and increase your risk of infection. In order to stay healthy, we advise all of our patients to stay flexible, strong, well-balanced, and fueled by a nutritious diet. During this time, even if you cannot make it to your physical therapy appointments, we encourage you to continue your exercises at home.

6. Stretch regularly. 7. Take frequent breaks for breathing exercises (Inhale & exhale deeply). 8. Continue your home exercise program 2-3 times per week.

1. Stay active & start exercising. 2. Eat nutritious foods. 3. Stay hydrated! 4. Refrain from smoking. 5. Get a good amount of rest.

Answers to last month’s trivia: 1) Vernal Equinox, 2) True, 3) September, 4) Japanese Cherry Blossom, 5) 1857, 6) Persephone, 7) The Great Sphinx