South Toledo 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.

Inside: • Helping Aches and Pains • Why Do Your Muscles Ache? • FREE Pain Analysis • Exercise Essentials • Patient Success Spotlight

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

HELPINGYOURACHES ANDPAINS “Don’t Let Pain Keep You From Life!”

It isanunfortunatereality thatpain isapartof life.Havingachesandpains in your neck, back, knees, and hips is commonplace, especially as you begin to age.However,as thoseachesandpainsgrowmoresevere theycanbecome 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 lead topainanddiscomfort,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 developsfollowingan injuryorsurgicalprocedure.Physical therapyprograms use specialized hands-on techniques to target the specific area of pain to help improve a patient’s quality of life. South Toledo Physical Therapy’s programs use a combination of exercise, stretching, manual techniques and modalities to alleviate pain and other issues.

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Why Do Your Muscles Ache?

Muscle pain is one of the most common forms of pain. It frequently develops 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 SouthToledo Physical Therapy our goal is to get you pain-free as quickly as possible!

• Autoimmune disease • Other chronic concerns

Healthy Recipe: Honey Garlic Shrimp

Ingredients • 1/3 cup honey • 1/4 cup soy sauce (reduced sodium) • 1 Tablespoon minced garlic

• 1 lb medium uncooked shrimp, peeled & deveined • 2 teaspoons olive oil • optional: chopped green onion garnish

Directions 1. Whisk the honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger (if using) together in a medium bowl. 2. Place shrimp in a large zipped-top bag or tupperware. Pour 1/2 of the marinade mixture on top, give it all a shake or stir, then allow shrimp to marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or for up to 8-12 hours. Cover and refrigerate the rest of the marinade for step 3. (Time-saving tip: while the shrimp is marinating, steam broccoli and microwaved some quick brown rice). 3. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place shrimp in the skillet. Discard used marinade. Cook shrimp on one side until pink-- about 45 seconds-- then flip shrimp over. Pour in remaining marinade and cook it all until shrimp is cooked through, about 1 minute more. 4. Serve shrimp with cooked marinade sauce and a garnish of green onion. The sauce is excellent on brown rice and steamed veggies on the side.

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Refer A Friend

• Cost Effective • Non-invasive • Safe & Natural • State-of-the-art Facility Features of Physical Therapy: DO YOU HAVE ACHES & PAINS?

Mention This Coupon To Receive A FREE Muscle Pain ANALYSIS

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

� 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

Who Do You Know That Needs Our Help? If you know someone suffering with aches and pains, give the gift of health! Refer a friend or family member and receive a $35 dollar Visa gift card! Just pass along this newsletter and have them call us directly to schedule an appointment. When they call have themmention your name to receive your gift card. www.southtoledopt.com

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Call Today! 419-380-9316

Exercise Essentials Try these stretches if you are experiencing aches & pains.

Patient Success Spotlight

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. Exercisescopyrightof

“I came to South Toledo Physical Therapy with constant low back pain. I was unable to be on my feet for more than five minutes at a time before having a high increase in pain. Also, I was unable to sleep with any consistency. After attending therapy for a few visits at South Toledo, my pain began to go away. I am now able to grocery shop without any pain! Thank you to Aaron and his staff!” -Joyce B. “I am now able to grocery shop without any pain!”

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