Synergy Healthcare: Live Without Neck Pain & Headaches

Synergy Healthcare: Live Without Neck Pain & Headaches

The Chronicle Getting You Back on Track

“Make Neck Pain aDistantMemory! ” LIVEWITHOUT NECK PAIN&HEADACHES

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. A concern with those who have frequent headaches, is an underlying neck problem that may go untreated.

Inside This Newsletter • Staff Spotlight • Patient Success Spotlights • Stop Stressing Over Neck Pain • Practice News

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The Chronicle Getting You Back on Track

“Could Your Neck be the Cause of Your Headaches?” LIVEWITHOUT NECK PAIN&HEADACHES

The Cause of Most Headaches Headaches can range fromminor 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 in 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 back and upper 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. Physical therapy can help you to relieve the tightness and tension in your muscles, helping you live a happy, pain-free life. Relief That Works Physical therapy goes beyond massages to evaluate and treat the root cause of your pain. Muscular tightness may lead to poor joint movement and weakness. Our medical 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.

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STOP STRESSING OVER YOUR NECK PAIN

Theneckcanbeahiddenanddebilitatingsourceofheadaches.Veryoftenneckpainand headaches go hand-in-hand, leading to a miserable time coping with every day activities. According to the National Institute of Health Statistics, neck pain and headaches are the second most common form of pain experienced by Americans, with 59% reporting it affected theirenjoymentof life.Headachesareoftengroupedunder 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 foreheadorbehind theeyesareoften referredpainsstemming fromproblemareas in the neck and base of the skull. The joints connecting the top three 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, thewearand tearon thiscritical regionofyourbodycanprove toomuch, resulting inpain. 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 named 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. Heather Shipley was born and raised on a farm near Moscow, Idaho. She will never outgrow her love of dirt, seeds, and growing things; after moving to the “big city” (Greater Spokane Area) she turned her back yard into a vegetable garden. Her love of the human body has led her to pursue many knowledge paths. Along with being a Physical Therapist, she is also a Registered Dietitian and yoga instructor. Her approach to health focuses on the whole person, and is based on helping people listen to and work with (instead of against) their own bodies. “I love helping people learn to embrace a lifelong commitment to movementandwellness,acquire the skillsneeded,andenjoy the process.” Staff Spotlight Heather Shipley, DPT, COMS, RD synergyspokane.com

Discover how our team of specialists at Synergy Healthcare can eliminate your neck pain and headaches, allowing you to live a happy, active, and pain-free life. Call today for more details!

HeatherShipley

HerPTstrengths include jointmobilization,myofascial release techniques, and movement training. She has nearly completed a 2-year Orthopedic Movement Specialist certification, and is pursuing additional training in manual techniques. Out of the clinic, she enjoys doing life with her family, gardening, rock climbing, yoga, biking, and song writing.

CDA (208) 666-0611

VALLEY (509) 413-1630

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Practice News

Farewell Amy Fox Pemberton, FAREWELL Amy came to us 2 ½ years ago and became an integral part of our team. In that time she married Ryan and bought a home and fell in love with him and the idea of moving to Ecuador to live with her parents at a Resort that they own, treating clients in the region. Amy gave so much to all of us, both staff and clients, and boy will she be missed. In true form, she replaced herself before she left, with Heather Shipley an amazing find. We’ll miss you, Amy. But, the time seems right for you and Ryan. We sincerely hope that Ecuador is wonderful and we wish you lots of joyous time with your family. We all truly appreciate everything you did for the team and our patients over the years. Your drive, passion, and eagerness to learn and develop your skills have been inspiring to us all. We hope that all your dreams are met and beyond! You will always be welcome back. It’s hard to imagine our workplace without you. All the best! Shauna, Robin , Kelli , Kayla , Debbie , Aiko , Kevin , Nora , Chuck , Arch , Heather , and Jason Well, we will most definitely feel your absence, Amy.

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Always learning…Always growing…

Patient Success Spotlight

I was able to sleep without pain meds!

“I had knee arthroscopy one year ago to repair a torn meniscus and clean out arthritis behind the patella. Since the procedure, the pain has increased as my knee mobility decreased. I have had to cut back on my walking. A patient who was seeing Kevin for FSM recommended I try a treatment. I was skeptical that it would work for me, boy was I pleasantly surprised. After just one treatment I was able to sleep without pain meds and the ice pack I have resorted to for the past few months. I am looking forward to more sessions to allow me to walk for exercise again.” – Nora G. “ I have been coming to Synergy for about 7 years and have tried other places, but no one was like Synergy and the people here. One time I visited a P.Tat another clinic and after a whole session with hot packs she came in for 2 mins ran her thumb down my back and said, come back next week. Also they gave me a 3 foot rubber band and sent me on my way.” I didn’t go back. When I first started at Synergy, I was heading towards using a wheelchair and could barely walk. Now I walk on my own. I have had many surgeries due to cancer. I have had one kidney removed and part of my lung, and my thyroid, and have lots of scar tissue that gives me really terrible pain sometimes. I also have bad memories from the war and sometimes have a really hard time sleeping. Shauna has started using the FSM machine and I am calmer and so much better. Nora works on my scars and helps me to move better. I used to be a bowler and that is my goal, I want to bowl again with my friends. I couldn’t function without Synergy and tell all my Doctors and everyone I meet. I believe in Synergy over all the other rehab centers. I give brochures to friends and family members and doctors and military facilities.” – Evelyn R. I believe in Synergy over all the other rehab centers!

Shauna, Evelyn, and Nora

All About Kids The Newsletter About Taking Care of the Ones That Matter Most

Handwritingwithout Tears: Tips for Practicing Handwriting with your Child

Handwriting is a multifaceted process of coordinating hands, arms, eyes, and body posture. While it is undoubtedly important for writing-- in fact, K-5 teachers indicate that 24 to 58 percent of classroom time is spent writing on paper -- it is also a building block for many other skills. Being able to print letters clearly and with ease impacts children’s self-esteem, physical development, literacy skills, memorization, and creative writing. As a parent, youmaynotice thatyourchildstruggleswithhandwriting.Tobesure,10 to30 percentofelementarychildrendo.Herearesome tips formakinghandwriting more successful, and also ways that a pediatric physical therapist may help. WHAT YOU CAN DO? Help him increase his hand strength and writing endurance by: • Offering him a tennis ball with a slit in it; hide small objects inside the ball so that he must squeeze the tennis ball in order to retrieve the objects • Asking him to crumple a sheet of newspaper in one hand, while his arm is raised • Suggesting that he use his fingers to “walk” a tennis ball up and down his legs using one hand • Hiding objects in silly putty or theraputty for him to find MAKE IT FUN A lot of children and adolescents simply grow bored by the mechanical act of writing. You can make it more enjoyable by mixing up how and why your child writes. Also, mix up the reasons that she’s writing. Depending on her age, one day she might try circling a certain letter in the newspaper, and the next day she may send a postcard to Grandma. INCREASESTRENGTH. Asignificantnumberofchildrenlackthebodystrength to support lengthy stretches of writing time. It’s important for your child to gain strength, not only in her hand, but also in her shoulder muscles. Some suggested exercises to do this include: • People Push: Two children stand facing one another with their palms touching and one leg in front of the other. On the count of three, they begin

pushing each other as hard as possible until one person falls over. If there is a clear strength imbalance, encourage the stronger person to “go easy” or only use one hand. • Wall Push: With hands at shoulder-height, push against a wall as though it is falling down. Hold the position for 5 to 10 seconds, then run around before repeating the exercise. • How a pediatric occupational therapist (or physical therapist) can help. A physical therapist’s role in this case is to assess the child’s handwriting and recognizeany issues thatmakehandwritingdifficult.Apediatricphysical therapist can evaluate a child for sensory, motor, perceptual and postural deficits.The therapistcansuggestmodifiedequipment,suchaspencilgrips, adjusted tables, or differently-shaped writing instruments. As technology becomes more pervasive, it may seem that handwriting is growing obsolete. However, this is an erroneous conclusion. People still need the skills to pen information carefully. If you suspect your child’s development is lagging, it may be time to consult a pediatric physical therapist or other professional for intervention. Source http://www.aota.org/about-occupational-therapy/patients-clients/childrenandyouth/schools/ handwriting.aspx http://occupationaltherapyforchildrenover-blog.com/article-handwriting-67838149.html

Kids work hard for us in therapy. Why? Because it’s fun! We focus on what they need and what they love to do. That keeps them motivated, keeps them improving. We can’t wait to get to know your kid! Come play with us!

All About Kids The Newsletter About Taking Care of the Ones That Matter Most

Helping Children with Bullies

by supportive friends. Whether it’s classmates,friends,neighbors,oradults, kids need to surround themselves with people who they feel comfortable with and can trust. Bullies often gain their power from making their victims feel powerless and isolated. Sticking with others, especially when the bully is around, should be a priority. 3. Ignore a Bully if Possible While it may not always be possible to ignore the actions of a bully, this approach is often the best. Bullies are looking for a reaction. Children should be taught not to get angry, cry, or lash out at the bully since this will only encourage the bully to continue their behavior. Ignoring a bully, however, shouldonlybeencouraged thefirst few times thebullyingoccurs. If thebullying happensona regularbasis ignoring the behavior probably isn’t going to work. 4. Don’t Bully Back As tempting as it may be, bullying

While public awareness regarding bullying has increased in recent years, it is still a prevalent problem for many children. There are several effective ways for children to deal with bullies. Fortunately, a lot of the harm a bully inflicts can be prevented. 1. Be Confident This may sound like generic advice that won’t do much to stop a bully, but displaying a strong, confident attitude may be enough to stop some bullying before it even starts. Bullies tend to seek out individuals who appear weak and unsure of themselves. Speaking with confidence and looking people in the eye will show a bully that a child will not be easily intimidated. Children shouldbe raised tobestrong,confident, and able to speak up for themselves. 2. Safety in Numbers If children know they may encounter a bully in a particular place, it may be a good idea to be surrounded

back will only make things worse. For starters, if a child bullies back he or she may be the one to get caught and get punished for bullying even though someoneelsewas initiallyat fault.Even if in some circumstances a child could intimidate the bully, this is not the way children should be taught to resolve difficult issues. 5. Stay Safe Online Cyberbullying occurs online through emails, text messaging, and social media.Whetherachild is inelementary school or high school age, there are a few important things to keep in mind whenonline.First,kidsshouldneverput theirprivate informationon the Internet. Children should never respond to the bullyandnegative informationshouldbe saved if possible. Finally, delete bullies from social media and block their cell phone and email address. 6. Tell a Trusted Adult Even ifchildrenbelieve they’rehandling

a situation with a bully on their own, a trusted adult should still be made aware of the situation. If for some reason the situation should suddenly escalate, adults need to know what’s been happening before something serious takes place. The concept of what “tattling” is and isn’t needs to be well defined. Children need to know that if another person is hurting them or someone else in any way that it is acceptable to tell an adult. Following these steps can go a long way in preventing bullying and dealing with it effectively once it has started. Children need to be told at a young age how toappropriately respond tobullying whether it happens to themselves or those around them.

SPECIALIZING IN : Sensory Integration/Processing • Listening Therapies Gross Motor & Coordination Skills Development • Play Skills • Fine Motor/ Visual Motor Skill Development • Oral Motor/Oral Sensory Development Speech/Articulation Development • Expressive-Receptive Language Therapy • Literacy & Cognitive Development • Social Language Skills

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