Total Care PT: Helping Aches and Pains

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

5 NATURAL WAYS TO BEAT SPRING ALLERGIES

1. Spend your time outdoors wisely. Jog in the evening instead of the morning when pollen counts are higher. Before heading outdoors, check your local pollen counts online, and on days when pollen counts are high, head to the gym instead. 2. Get natural relief. Some herbal remedies may help stave off allergy symptoms. More research is needed, but an extract from a shrub called butterbur shows promise. Biminne, a Chinese herbal formula with ingredients like ginkgo biloba and Chinese skullcap, may also help. One study found that people who took biminne five times a day for 12 weeks still felt the benefits a year later. 3. Keep pollen out of your home. Simple changes make a difference. Shut all windows to keep out pollen. Use an air conditioner to cool your

home instead of a fan, which draws in air from outside. Take off your shoes at the door and ask guests to do the same to keep allergens outside. Also, bathe pets that go outside more frequently during allergy season. 4. Wear a mask for outdoor chores. Wearing a pollen mask while doing yard work or tending your garden can minimize your exposure to pollen particles. 5. Try a salt water rinse. A saline nasal rinse can help clear allergens from your nasal membranes and gargling with salt water can reduce throat irritation.

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

HELPING YOUR ACHES AND PAINS “Don’t Let Pain Keep You From Life!”

Inside:

• Why Do Your Muscles Ache?

• Healthy Recipe

• Relieve Back Pain In Minutes

• Patient Success Spotlight

Happy With Your Experience? We would love for you to share your story of success with others! Please visit www.TotalCarePT.net and click on to get started!

It is an unfortunate reality that pain is a part of life. Having aches and pains inyourneck,back,knees,andhips iscommonplace,especiallyasyoubegin to age. However, as those aches and pains grow more severe they can become more challenging to deal with. It is never a good idea to let aches and pains grow so severe that they interfere with your quality of life. These are a few ways to help alleviate any aches and pains that you may have: 1. Hot and Cold Therapy Using ice and heat to manage pain is one of the oldest known remedies. Oftentimes, muscle pain develops as a result of injury or overuse and using over thecounterpainmedications likeacetaminophenor ibuprofencanhelp, but combining medications with repeated ice or heat is a better strategy for reducing overall pain. In addition, combining ice with elevation will help reduce swelling in a joint or muscle. 2. Rest When you are experiencing pain in a certain muscle group or joint, resting that area is highly recommended. Sleep, in general, is beneficial for helping withpainandswelling,especially ifcombinedwithelevationorcompression.

Increasing the amount of sleep you are getting by just one or two hours per night could be beneficial in reducing your overall pain level. 3. Exercise Lack of exercise can lead to stiffness and weakness in muscles and joints, and regularly stretching and moving can help increase blood flow. Carrying excessweightcanalso leadtopainanddiscomfort,andexercise isbeneficial in supporting weight loss efforts. Cardiovascular activities like walking, cycling, and swimming are especially good options for alleviating pain if they are completed in a safe manner. Check with your physical therapist before trying a new form of exercise. 4. Physical Therapy Physical therapy is an ideal solution for addressing pain, especially pain that develops following an injury or surgical procedure. Physical therapy programsusespecializedhands-on techniques to target thespecificareaof pain to help improve a patient’s quality of life.Total Care PhysicalTherapy’s programsuseacombinationofexercise,stretching,manual techniquesand modalities to alleviate pain and other issues.

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Why Do Your Muscles Ache?

Musclepain isoneof themostcommon formsofpain. It frequentlydevelops as a result of injury or overuse and can develop almost anywhere in the body. It is most common in the arms, shoulders, legs, hips, back and neck. Sometimes, muscle pain will come and go, developing and then quickly subsiding. If it is not treated properly, it can become a long-term issue. But this is not always the case. A sprain or strain of a ligament, which are the fibrous tissues that connect bones and joints, can cause long-term pain if correct healing does not occur. The most common types of muscle pain are related to injuries, especially: • Neck and back injuries • Shoulder injuries • Sprain or strain injuries • Overuse Injuries In some situations, muscle pain can also be caused by: • Certain medication usage • Fibromyalgia

In situations like these, your pain may need to be addressed by a medical professional. Physical therapists are able to address the underlying cause of pain in many chronic conditions, such as certain autoimmune diseases and fibromyalgia. In general, most aches and pains are temporary and generally only last 1-3 days. However, once the pain begins to go past 3 days without changing, it’s time to give us a call as there may be an underlying problem. At Total Care PhysicalTherapy our goal is to get you pain-free as quickly as possible!

• Autoimmune disease • Other chronic concerns

Healthy Recipe Red Snapper with Arugula Salad

Ingredients • 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• 6 (6-ounce) red snapper fillets • 1/4 tsp black pepper • 5 ounces baby arugula • 1/4 cup sliced red onion • 2 ounces pecorino Romano cheese • 6 lemon wedges

• 1 tsp grated lemon • 1 tbsp lemon juice • 1/2 tsp minced garlic • 3/4 tsp kosher salt

Directions Combine 3 tablespoons oil, rind, juice, and garlic in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle fish with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add 3 fillets, skin side down; reduce heat to medium, and cook 5 minutes or until skin is golden and crisp.Turn fillets; cook 3 minutes or until done. Remove fish from pan; keep warm. Wipe pan clean; repeat procedure with remaining oil and remaining 3 fillets. Add arugula to dressing; toss.Top with onion and cheese. Serve salad with fillets and lemon wedges. Courtesy of: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/red-snapper-arugula-salad

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Patient Success Spotlight

Refer A Friend

“I have always appreciated that the staff atTotal Care has always worked to make my visits to their office comfortable. Tom has helped me to regain my mobility and work to strengthen my knee. I feel that the staff is truly invested in me and my recovery. I would recommend Tom at Total Care to anyone needing strength and mobility help.” - Jennifer B. I feel that the staff is truly invested in me and my recovery. “I had a fabulous experience with Total Care. The entire staff is very friendly, and Tom has helped me regain full mobility in my arm. With determination and hard work, along with Tom’s encouragement and expertise, you can achieve the best possible results at Total Care. I would highly recommend them to any of my family and friends.” - Beth G. I would highly recommend them...

Do You Have Friends Or Family Unable To Do The Following:

Who Do You Know That Needs Our Help? � Move without pain � Bend and move freely � Balance confidently & securely � Sit for long periods comfortably � Walk for long distances � Live an active and healthy lifestyle If you know someone suffering with aches and pains, give the gift of health! Just pass along this newsletter and have them call us directly to schedule an appointment. When they call have them mention your name to receive your gift card. www.totalcarept.net • Cost Effective • Non-invasive • Safe & Natural • State-of-the-art Facility Features of Physical Therapy: DO YOU HAVE BACK PAIN?

Relieve Back Pain In Minutes Try these stretches if you are experiencing back pain.

SUPPORTED BRIDGE Lie on your back with knees bent and feet hip distance apart. Place your feet close enough so they can be touched by the finger tips. Inhale and lift the hips, place a block under the sacrum. Keep the chest open. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat 10 times. Helps Relieve Back Pain Exercisescopyrightof

Mention This Coupon To Receive A FREE BACK PAIN ANALYSIS

Call Today! 908-262-7404

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