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Holistic Medicine Division Archives » Physical Therapy Clinic | CA | ReVITALize Rehab Club

Physical Therapy Clinic | CA | ReVITALize Rehab Club

Category: Holistic Medicine Division

  • How to Get Rid of Joint Pain and Stiffness

    About one in five American adults experience chronic pain. That’s about 50.2 million people across the US. Lost productivity due to chronic pain has reached $300 billion annually, too.

    In fact, chronic pain is now among the most common chronic conditions in the company. If you’re struggling with joint pain and stiffness, you’re not alone.

    You don’t have to keep living with your joint problems, though. Instead, read on to discover what causes joint pain and stiffness. Then, use the tips we’ve included below to ease your pain. 

    Understanding the root cause of your symptoms can help you choose the right treatment options.

    Read on to learn more about stiff joints today. 

    What Causes Joint Pain and Stiffness?

    It’s common for people to develop stiff joints as they get older. After all, time can take its toll on our bones, muscles, and joints. 

    You might first notice your joint stiffness upon waking up. Lying down for hours at a time to sleep reduces fluid in the body. Joints could have a difficult time moving as a result. 

    You might first notice your joint pain and stiffness feels mild. Symptoms might only impact your mobility in the morning. You could notice symptoms flare up after you’ve remained seated for a period, too.

    In time, however, stiffness can have a bigger impact on your mobility and well-being.

    In addition to joint stiffness, you could experience inflammation as well. Inflammation is the body’s response to illness, disease, or injury. Too much inflammation can cause pain to flare. 

    In some cases, however, joint stiffness isn’t the result of getting older. It’s possible you have an underlying condition like bursitis, lupus, or arthritis. Lifestyle factors, including your weight and diet, can also have an impact.

    What causes joint pain and stiffness, exactly? Here are a few conditions that might cause your symptoms. 

    Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

    By 2040, as many as 78 million US adults could have doctor-diagnosed arthritis. That’s 26% of the country’s population.

    Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the most common reasons people develop stiff joints. It’s one of the most common forms of arthritis. You could experience symptoms between the ages of 30 and 60.

    Also an autoimmune disease, this chronic inflammatory disorder occurs when the immune system attacks healthy parts of the body. Bone erosion and joint deformity can occur over time. Pain, inflammation, and joint stiffness are all common symptoms.

    There’s currently no cure for RA. Instead, you’ll need to maintain symptoms through medication and other treatments. 

    Osteoarthritis (OA)

    Osteoarthritis is another form of arthritis. It commonly affects people over the age of 65.

    OA occurs due to wear and tear on the joints.

    Your cartilage, which protects the bones in the joints, can wear away with time and use. When cartilage can no longer protect bones, pain and swelling can occur. Cracking sounds when the joint is in motion can occur, too.

    OA can affect different joints, though usually, it impacts the:

    • Fingers
    • Neck
    • Hips
    • Knees
    • Back

    Your bones could break as a result of OA. Treatment can help replace lost cartilage and fluid in the joints.

    Reducing weight and pressure on the joints can help, too. In some cases, however, patients require joint replacement surgery.

    Bursitis

    The tiny, fluid-filled sacs in the body that cushion ligaments, bones, and muscles in the joints are called bursae. When the sacs become inflamed, you could develop bursitis.

    Joint pain and stiffness can occur as a result. This condition usually affects the hip, shoulder, or elbow.

    The condition is usually temporary. You might need to reduce your physical activity if symptoms occur, though. 

    Lupus

    Like RA, lupus is an autoimmune disease. The body could attack your joints, tissues, and organs. Swelling, pain, and joint stiffness could occur as a result.

    The symptoms of lupus match symptoms for other conditions, though. As a result, it’s sometimes difficult to diagnose.

    This condition is chronic and has no cure. 

    Bone Cancer

    If you’re experiencing stiffness and pain, make sure to visit your doctor. Bone cancer rarely causes these symptoms, but it is a possibility.

    You might notice increased sensitivity and swelling near the bone, too. 

    Gout

    Gout symptoms can occur as you sleep. You might experience joint stiffness upon waking up as a result.

    Gout is a type of arthritis that often affects women after menopause. 

    Solutions

    Now that we’ve discussed what causes joint pain and stiffness, let’s consider your treatment options. Here are a few treatments you can discuss with a specialist. 

    Over-the-Counter Medications

    Over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can help ease mild joint pain symptoms. For example, you could take naproxen, ibuprofen, or aspirin.

    Make sure to consult a specialist before taking medications to avoid interactions. 

    Steroids

    Steroids could treat joint stiffness as well. They could help ease your inflammation and pain symptoms. 

    Exercise

    Try reducing your stiffness through exercise and physical therapy. Exercising and PT can improve your strength and flexibility. They can also help you maintain a healthy weight.

    Otherwise, excess weight can increase your risk of conditions that might cause stiffness in the future. 

    Hot or Cold Therapy

    A hot or cold compress could ease your joint stiffness. Hold a bag of ice against the stiff joint for 15 minutes to ease inflammation and swelling.

    You can also use a heating pad or take a warm bath to increase circulation and relax your muscles. 

    Flaxseed

    Flaxseed contains omega-3 fatty acids, which can ease symptoms of joint stiffness and inflammation. You can take flaxseed oil through capsules or in a bottle. 

    Fish Oil Supplements

    Talk to your doctor about natural remedies you can use to ease your joint problems. For example, fish oil might help reduce your joint stiffness and pain. 

    Talk to a doctor to avoid interactions with other medications. 

    Visit a Specialist

    Schedule an appointment with a doctor right away if you experience:

    • Rapid swelling
    • An inability to move a joint
    • Intense redness
    • Skin that’s hot to the touch
    • Severe pain
    • Joint deformity

    They’ll determine the underlying cause of your symptoms before determining a course of treatment. 

    Joint Pain and Stiffness: You Guide to Keeping the Pain at Bay

    You don’t have to live life with joint pain and stiffness. If these symptoms sound familiar, consider giving physical therapy a try. PT can improve your strength and reduce your likelihood of injuries. 

    With help, you can improve your mobility and quality of life. 

    Interested in physical therapy to reduce your joint stiffness? We can help.

    Contact our team today to learn more. 

    About one in five American adults experience chronic pain. That’s about 50.2 million people across the US. Lost productivity due to chronic pain has reached $300 billion annually, too.

    In fact, chronic pain is now among the most common chronic conditions in the company. If you’re struggling with joint pain and stiffness, you’re not alone.

    You don’t have to keep living with your joint problems, though. Instead, read on to discover what causes joint pain and stiffness. Then, use the tips we’ve included below to ease your pain. 

    Understanding the root cause of your symptoms can help you choose the right treatment options.

    Read on to learn more about stiff joints today. 

    What Causes Joint Pain and Stiffness?

    It’s common for people to develop stiff joints as they get older. After all, time can take its toll on our bones, muscles, and joints. 

    You might first notice your joint stiffness upon waking up. Lying down for hours at a time to sleep reduces fluid in the body. Joints could have a difficult time moving as a result. 

    You might first notice your joint pain and stiffness feels mild. Symptoms might only impact your mobility in the morning. You could notice symptoms flare up after you’ve remained seated for a period, too.

    In time, however, stiffness can have a bigger impact on your mobility and well-being.

    In addition to joint stiffness, you could experience inflammation as well. Inflammation is the body’s response to illness, disease, or injury. Too much inflammation can cause pain to flare. 

    In some cases, however, joint stiffness isn’t the result of getting older. It’s possible you have an underlying condition like bursitis, lupus, or arthritis. Lifestyle factors, including your weight and diet, can also have an impact.

    What causes joint pain and stiffness, exactly? Here are a few conditions that might cause your symptoms. 

    Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

    By 2040, as many as 78 million US adults could have doctor-diagnosed arthritis. That’s 26% of the country’s population.

    Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the most common reasons people develop stiff joints. It’s one of the most common forms of arthritis. You could experience symptoms between the ages of 30 and 60.

    Also an autoimmune disease, this chronic inflammatory disorder occurs when the immune system attacks healthy parts of the body. Bone erosion and joint deformity can occur over time. Pain, inflammation, and joint stiffness are all common symptoms.

    There’s currently no cure for RA. Instead, you’ll need to maintain symptoms through medication and other treatments. 

    Osteoarthritis (OA)

    Osteoarthritis is another form of arthritis. It commonly affects people over the age of 65.

    OA occurs due to wear and tear on the joints.

    Your cartilage, which protects the bones in the joints, can wear away with time and use. When cartilage can no longer protect bones, pain and swelling can occur. Cracking sounds when the joint is in motion can occur, too.

    OA can affect different joints, though usually, it impacts the:

    • Fingers
    • Neck
    • Hips
    • Knees
    • Back

    Your bones could break as a result of OA. Treatment can help replace lost cartilage and fluid in the joints.

    Reducing weight and pressure on the joints can help, too. In some cases, however, patients require joint replacement surgery.

    Bursitis

    The tiny, fluid-filled sacs in the body that cushion ligaments, bones, and muscles in the joints are called bursae. When the sacs become inflamed, you could develop bursitis.

    Joint pain and stiffness can occur as a result. This condition usually affects the hip, shoulder, or elbow.

    The condition is usually temporary. You might need to reduce your physical activity if symptoms occur, though. 

    Lupus

    Like RA, lupus is an autoimmune disease. The body could attack your joints, tissues, and organs. Swelling, pain, and joint stiffness could occur as a result.

    The symptoms of lupus match symptoms for other conditions, though. As a result, it’s sometimes difficult to diagnose.

    This condition is chronic and has no cure. 

    Bone Cancer

    If you’re experiencing stiffness and pain, make sure to visit your doctor. Bone cancer rarely causes these symptoms, but it is a possibility.

    You might notice increased sensitivity and swelling near the bone, too. 

    Gout

    Gout symptoms can occur as you sleep. You might experience joint stiffness upon waking up as a result.

    Gout is a type of arthritis that often affects women after menopause. 

    Solutions

    Now that we’ve discussed what causes joint pain and stiffness, let’s consider your treatment options. Here are a few treatments you can discuss with a specialist. 

    Over-the-Counter Medications

    Over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can help ease mild joint pain symptoms. For example, you could take naproxen, ibuprofen, or aspirin.

    Make sure to consult a specialist before taking medications to avoid interactions. 

    Steroids

    Steroids could treat joint stiffness as well. They could help ease your inflammation and pain symptoms. 

    Exercise

    Try reducing your stiffness through exercise and physical therapy. Exercising and PT can improve your strength and flexibility. They can also help you maintain a healthy weight.

    Otherwise, excess weight can increase your risk of conditions that might cause stiffness in the future. 

    Hot or Cold Therapy

    A hot or cold compress could ease your joint stiffness. Hold a bag of ice against the stiff joint for 15 minutes to ease inflammation and swelling.

    You can also use a heating pad or take a warm bath to increase circulation and relax your muscles. 

    Flaxseed

    Flaxseed contains omega-3 fatty acids, which can ease symptoms of joint stiffness and inflammation. You can take flaxseed oil through capsules or in a bottle. 

    Fish Oil Supplements

    Talk to your doctor about natural remedies you can use to ease your joint problems. For example, fish oil might help reduce your joint stiffness and pain. 

    Talk to a doctor to avoid interactions with other medications. 

    Visit a Specialist

    Schedule an appointment with a doctor right away if you experience:

    • Rapid swelling
    • An inability to move a joint
    • Intense redness
    • Skin that’s hot to the touch
    • Severe pain
    • Joint deformity

    They’ll determine the underlying cause of your symptoms before determining a course of treatment. 

    Joint Pain and Stiffness: You Guide to Keeping the Pain at Bay

    You don’t have to live life with joint pain and stiffness. If these symptoms sound familiar, consider giving physical therapy a try. PT can improve your strength and reduce your likelihood of injuries. 

    With help, you can improve your mobility and quality of life. 

    Interested in physical therapy to reduce your joint stiffness? We can help.

    Contact our team today to learn more. 

  • Patterns & Pain, Stability & Mobility, What do They Have in Common?

    Welcome to another article written by intern Marvin Perkins during his mentorship at ReVITALize Rehab Club. The topic at hand is to determine which factor is important during your physical therapy rehabilitation or sports medicine performance enhancement experiences. This complex but crucial topic was meaningful for Marvin since he was dealt with a common but under-managed sports injury. As a collegiate sports athlete, we felt it was fitting for him to learn more on building movement from a foundation of mobility and stability.

    Hope you enjoy his article. Share your thoughts about your injury.

    Medicine is often viewed as a parts-based system. While that may be true to a certain extent, in reality, patterns often play as large, or a larger factor in medicine than most individuals realize. What does that mean? I will explain it. On the day to day, medical professionals see athletes or individuals come in with all sorts of complaints. It can be seen they are well versed in the anatomical parts that are creating the issue for them. However, when it pertains to function, they are less educated.

    For example, a woman might come into the office and say, “Hey Doc, I am having pain in my knee, I think it is just deteriorating due to all my years as a powerlifter.” In my case, I once strained my quadricep during a track meet in the spring of 2019. I went to a Physical Therapist for rehabilitation, but I did not fully understand what he was doing concerning my therapy.

    When we have pain, there is a tendency to point to the part as the main issue or focus. While in some instances that may have some merit, often it can be a misleading idea. Let’s go back to the powerlifter example, she is complaining of knee pain, but the imagery shows her knee is normal. The actual problem is that she suffers from poor hip stability, which is perpetuating that knee pain. In discussing my quad, when I was attending therapy, I expected that my PT would be focusing solely on that area, which was not the case. He had me performing rehab exercises that focused on my hips, ankles, and feet.

    The point is that patterns of movements created from multiple areas largely contribute to the function of a part. Primarily people are uneducated about this aspect to misguide their thinking regarding what is wrong with them. Using a parts based perspective will not yield the desired results. On the other hand, investigating with a pattern-based perspective provides the most efficient method in seeking a part.

    (more…)

  • Why should eye-hand coordination matter to your spinal tension?

    Eye-hand coordination is more than the idea of see and catch. What matters to most people is to move and to perform at a comfortable level. If you look at the brain, almost a third of your mind is dedicated to using your eyes! That should give you an idea of how vital your vision systems are. As a duel Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Specialist, we have been amazed at how much lasting changes happen when we address the software (brain + mind) with the machine (human body).

    Your spinal muscles are taken for granted when you feel great. When you have tension or discomfort, we push through it, and then the discomfort goes away. When you take the body signals seriously or have a convenient time to help, the typical path is to target the neck or spinal muscles as the first-line treatment. We are here to help you understand that it may be wise to manage the body holistically, so you are not in the quick-fix trap.

    Types of movement

    There are two types of movement: power and strength versus balanced and finesse. We chose different words because we are implying movement necessary for daily and reflexive tasks. Tasks that need less cognitive thinking to execute. Then some jobs require training and different sets of skills to acquire. You might be wondering how strength is an acquired skill? You have been working on building strength your whole life. However, if you are sedentary as a child, you can still move, but lack strength. There is a lack of cognitive training to allow you to access more of the nerve to muscle connection called the motor unit.

    Yes, this is a very simplistic explanation. We can break it down into reflexive and non-reflexive. Vision helps us bring a more transparent connection and intuitive control to your spinal muscles: neck, torso, rib cage, lower back, and pelvis. You can add your hips and shoulders to this.

    Research has shown that when you need to react or quickly decide to reach or lift for something, your body reacts before moving your arms and legs!

    You have seen the athlete that moves with finesse. Think Kobe Bryant. He makes everything look easy, but when we try, we find it harder to dribble, sneak through two defenders, and know where everyone is. Your spinal muscles need to have this Goldilock phenomenon. Your lower back and hips need to contract just enough: not too strong and not too relaxed. Your next quick step forward or decision to pounce backward is executed efficiently like you have been doing this for the 1000’s of time, or clunky. His peripheral vision is clear and his ability to manipulate his body based on his sight of the vision and vice-versa is what he has mastered.

    (more…)

  • What a Holistic Multi-Factorial Physical Therapy Approach Looks Like.

    Preface. This article is a summary of one of the podcasts that we host called “Awakening the Physio”, where Dr. Ngo elaborates on how he brings a holistic approach to a singular field of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. You can listen to the podcast as linked below. As part of Dr. James Taylor’s mentorship, he graciously took on this task as part of his mentorship experiences at ReVITALize Rehab Club.  

    Before we start with Dr. Taylor’s summary, we would like to emphasize that there is ONE focus when it comes to how we bring care to you. Your goal is our goal. Many come to us with the desire to move better and enhance their mobility, strength, alignment, and/or posture. The holistic perspective is good and dandy, but unfortunately, the consumer gets the short end of the stick when a holistic practitioner is not focused on one particular path during your plan of care. Holistic is broad and the experience can be all over the place. This is the reason why we decided this is an important article to help you to know how we blend many systems with the FOCUS on better movement.  

    Everything trickles down to movement. We evaluate holistically to learn how we can help you to move better. Every question we ask is targeted in the direction of learning why you have trouble moving. The targeted treatment and therapeutic exercises are geared towards getting you to be closer to enhanced movement. More energy. More confidence. As you read this whole article, you will understand why 90 minutes is the right amount of time for a practitioner to understand your problem at another and deeper level. This is how you will get better.  

    Enjoy! The article starts below and is geared to teach other Physical Therapist aspiring to adopt the Holistic and Functional Medicine model.

    One of the biggest keys is to build good habits and make it a system. Part of these good habits is to keep the system always adapting, as this is what drives good outcomes. There are many systems in movement science (Maitland, Frank, Sahrmann, Greg Johnson, Mulligan), and these systems produce good results. However, one issue that arises is that clinicians have to immerse themselves in these systems, and many tend to become rigid and don’t tend to deviate as much from these systems. The purpose of this discussion is to examine Dr. Ngo’s system.  

    One model that research is proposing is the biopsychosocial system as well as the work of Chad Cook and Yannick Tousignant-Laflamme, the developers of the “five domains of pain and disability driver’s model”, which blends an ortho-sports model with holistic and functional medicine.

    In addition to the sensory system, we also must consider the socioeconomic status of the patient as well as their spiritual and/or religious beliefs as these will place a huge impact on whether they will follow through with the advice that you are giving them. Paul Chek developed a totem pole hierarchy which states that one’s sense of self is at the top. From the primal/ancestral perspective, the general thought is that your body will protect you at all costs, however in some cases, feeling important and having a sense of purpose is more important than having a sense of existence. This is why people who feel deficient in this area tend to commit suicide because they feel (rather, unfortunately) that they have stopped to matter. 

    All of this is why Dr. Ngo spends at least 5 minutes of every evaluation discussing what motivates the patient, what gets them going in the morning so that he can evaluate to what extent they have a sense of purpose. If this is not included or considered, it would mean more work and more time that needs to be dedicated to helping them feel better.  

    Dr. Danh Ngo will elaborate more about the biopsychosocial model later as there is a key concept that will help bridge the two systems of managing the person and managing the body’s ability to move. One of the key principles of this model is that the source of an individual’s dysfunction comes from one of the following three areas: input, processing, and output.  Constantly, the body receives info through the peripheral sensory system that is delivered to and is processed by cortical/spinal structures. These then initiate an output based on how the brain interprets what it is receiving from the periphery. Any patient coming into a PT clinic typically complains of an output problem manifested by pain, tightness, or decreased ROM. This means that the body’s ability to produce output is dysfunctional. This output problem is what school generally teaches to focus on, but we must look at the inputs that are creating this output problem. 

    An important concept to keep in mind is the fact that the sensory drives motor, whether that be from the auditory system through the startle reflex exhibited when you hear a loud “boom”, the visual system that causes you to shorten your stride when in a dark room, and any of the olfactory, vestibular, or proprioceptive systems.

    The end goal of treating any patient is to get them to move well and without compensation.

    To reinforce that brain/body connection, we want the output to be very predictable so that the patient can predictably produce a good movement pattern or motor response. For example, if you have your client performing a knee extension, they may feel it more through the inner thigh or hamstring area. This level of unpredictability messes up the equation. 

    Anything that interferes with the input and the ability to bring better “ease of pain, better movement” output can be looked at as “white noise”. There is an error in processing, as demonstrated in the example above. Another way to think about processing errors is with the metaphor of mind-body connection. Healthy movement leads to a harmony of muscles working like an orchestra to work with the joints, ligaments, and other passive structures. Movements are dictated by the brain. You cannot move if you are brain dead. Right?  

    The mind-body connection can be looked at the same as a router-wireless connection. The number of blocks or walls that prevent the router (brain) from transmitting a clear signal to the body (WiFi) is what we need to determine and address it. We need to help the brain to process the sensory and motor input for healthier movements. 

    The end goal of functional medicine is to help eliminate this “white noise” by looking at the internal health of the patient, utilizing movement (external health) as a reference point. Movement, in and of itself, never “lies” as it is a product of the response of the CNS to an input. Any factor that impacts this internal health and well being of the individual, not just the musculoskeletal system, will be reflected in the quality of their movement. 

    There are 8 categories of dysfunction that can create this “white noise.

    •  gut dysfunction
    • Hypothalamus-Pituitary axis (HPA) dysfunction
    • chronic infection
    • cellular dysfunction
    • nutrient imbalances
    • immune dysregulation
    • hormone imbalance
    • toxic overload. 

    All of these categories can affect the threshold of a patient’s pain, so we must examine areas such as the cardiovascular system and the patient’s history of chronic disease or autoimmune disorders. 

    Anyone who has an emotional breakdown or who lacks sufficient self-confidence cannot be expected to perform at peak efficiency. The same holds of those who train endlessly to participate in high-level spots but who also neglect to get sufficient sleep as this significantly impacts the brain’s ability to provide clear and precise signals to the desiredmotor output. Unlike the zombies of the Walking Dead show, we do not move as coordinated and reflexively when we are sleep deprived zombies. 

    Another important area to screen for is that of the level of stress or “allostatic load” on the individual, a concept developed by Bruce S. McEwen.

    According to Dr. McEwen, there are four types of stress.

    • Perceived (Anxiety/depression related to neurotransmitter imbalance)
    • Circadian disruption (sleep impacted by caffeine/sleep apnea and an irregular work shift),
    • Inflammation (inflammatory signals (interleukin/TNF/high glycemic index)
    • Glycemic dysregulation. 

    An easier way to screen for stressors in the PT clinic would be to examine the pneumonic NUTS. By this device, we ask if the stressor is Novel (something new), Unpredictability (no way of knowing if/when that stressor can occur), Threat (any perceived threat), and Sense of Loss of Control (feeling you have no control in a situation). 

    Our current situation with the onset of COVID-19 reflects as it impacts all four of these areas, and hence creates white noise so that the brain has to work harder to connect to the musculoskeletal system. 

    From an osteopathic perspective, mechanical stress on any bodily tissue can also create white noise that affects the connection to the musculoskeletal system. Dr. Ngo’s training reflects this perspective, as he has been trained in visceral, cranial, and vascular manipulation that he utilizes in his clinical practice regularly. 

    In summary, it is important that, in addition to being pain-free, your patients can feel how they are supposed to move. For this, Dr. Ngo created a screen containing the common stabilizers for each joint and tests these to make sure that the patient is feeling the muscle work in the correct position (i.e. making sure the patient feels the longus colli and rectus capitis muscles work anteriorly in a deep neck flexor endurance test and not more laterally).

    Healthy movement is a big subject of debate within PT as the pendulum is swinging from a strict biomechanical perspective to a model more accepting of movement variability. From Dr. Ngo’s perspective, 80-90% of the time, people go through a predictable sequence of activity in their day (get up, brush teeth, go to work, etc.), and our expectation of movement should reflect this. Novelty and variability within the movement are great, however, we need predictability for what the body region in question is supposed to deliver. 

    This can first involve tapping the sensory system through the vestibular and ocular systems and improving this area first so that the body-brain map is less smudged. Once we provide a predictable response that the CNS can react to positively, then we can add in layers to build upon this (for example, progressing from left/right discrimination to explicit motor imagery). 

    From there, we can start to focus on breaking down the components of complex motor tasks that are meaningful to the patient. Has the client acquired the skills of moving well with factors that we can influence include endurance, flexibility, power, and speed? This applies whether we are training a normally, sedentary individual or training a high-level athlete. If we do not take the time to instill a predictable pattern of what movement should feel like, the patient might feel better for 3 minutes before they revert to their older patterns (most likely utilizing common global movement patterns).

    Treating patients requires looking at the rehabilitative process from a multi-faceted perspective. Yannick Tousignant-LaFlamme and Chad Cook are among the chief proponents of this model. Yannick and Cook’s theory describes a pentagon with each side of the pentagon representing a different driver that can increase the level of pain/disability that the individual is experiencing.

    Yannick Tousignant-LaFlamme’s model and list below. 

    • Nociceptive pain drivers
    • Nervous system dysfunction drivers
    • Comorbidity drivers
    • Cognitive-emotional drivers
    • Contextual drivers. 

    Looking from this perspective involves looking at that patient’s history for MVA’s (recent trauma), sports participation, and/or physical abuse. Other models integrated in Dr. Ngo’s practice include those models of understanding pain offered by Butler and Moseley. As PT’s help bring higher level of understanding of the brain and individual’s expression of pain, we forget that the nervous system can greatly be enhanced with direct mechanical interventions. Dr. Ngo utilizes the hands to address mechanical tension in the brain/spine/dura. He provides dietary considerations to get nutrients more in balance. As the brain and body have the fuel resources to comprehend the task at hand, it can help.  

    Ultimately, it is the responsibility of us as clinicians to listen with an open heart to the patient and be emphatic to the patient’s situation as if it were your own. Science/evidence has a purpose to protect our clients and to give us as clinicians a framework from which to do no harm and to allow us to see the client as a whole person.

    For further questions with the topic discussed, feel free to email us at info@revitalizerehab.com.

    We like to express gratitude for Dr. James Taylor for his contribution.

  • 5 Ways to How to Improve Gut Health

    Contrary to popular belief, bacteria isn’t always bad. In fact, an ecosystem of trillions of bacteria called the ‘gut microbiome’ plays a vital role in our body’s overall health. As we’ve previously shared in our ‘Stool Testing 101 and How Your Gut Impacts How You Feel’ post, a healthy gut microbiome is important for our mood, our muscular system, and our cognitive functions. If you’re not quite sure how to maintain a healthy gut, here are some tips.

    1. Eat the Right Food.

    Eating the right diet is a key factor in keeping your gut healthy. Case in point: Consuming food that’s rich in fiber stimulates the growth of good bacteria in your gut — from fruits and vegetables, to legumes and grains. True enough, SELF Magazine notes that whole grains not only block the reabsorption of cholesterol in the gut, but they also supply it with prebiotics — which is essentially food for healthy gut bacteria. Also, foods that contain polyphenols such as nuts, soy products, and dark chocolate, help promote both diversity and the number of bacteria in your gut.

    (more…)

  • 21st Century Health Care Solutions: The Functional Medicine Approach to Chronic Illness

    Chronic illness impacts over 125 million Americans.

    While so many people suffer from chronic illness, many don’t get the treatment they need. When it comes to chronic illness, too many people live with the aches, pains, and discomfort associated with it.

    The reason for this is that symptoms of chronic illness can often look like acute conditions that are able to be treated with medication. Well, functional medicine makes relief a possibility! 

    Functional medicine offers an approach that traditional medicine fails to offer patients.

    To learn about why functional medicine is the best option for coping with chronic illness, keep reading!

    What Is Functional Medicine?

    Where traditional medicine focuses on prescribing medication for chronic illness, functional medicine takes a more holistic approach.

    The goal of functional medicine is to identify the cause of chronic illness. To do this, a doctor specializing in functional medicine will take a look at all the symptoms you’re experiencing. Then, they will determine a possible cause.

    (more…)

  • The Body and Brain Connection: Functional Medicine and Digestion

    Since your body is closely connected to your brain, this connection regulates everything from your diet to your digestion. Speaking of your gut, everyone suffers from digestive upset or nervous colitis in their life.

    While many have chronic issues that they take medication for, they have no idea that functional medicine can help bring relief. From IBS treatment to stomach massage benefits, find out more about the body and brain connection below!

    The Brain-Gut Connection and Digestion

    Back in the day, scientists focused on treating different areas of the body separately to study them in different ways. But nowadays, researchers are realizing that every part of the body is connected. Thus, nothing can be treated in complete isolation.

    For instance, the “brain-gut connection” is a striking example of this natural phenomenon. When it comes to the relationship between the gut and the brain, it might be a little difficult to understand at first. Here’s the breakdown.

    First of all, the brain functions by sending signals to the gastrointestinal or digestive tract. The signals can either be sent through the:

    • The sympathetic nervous system, which controls the fight or flight impulse
    • The parasympathetic nervous system, which controls the rest and digest impulse

    Here’s the craziest part.

    The speed that these signals are sent through your body controls how your body absorbs nutrients and how fast it digests food. Not to mention that it impacts how your body secretes digestive juices too. All this is connected to the amount of inflammation in your body’s digestive system as well.

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  • Stop the World from Spinning: Vestibular Rehab and Vertigo

    Have you ever felt like the room was spinning? And we’re not talking about the one time at the Jimmy Buffet concert. Today, we’re going to discuss vertigo, the unsettling sensation that the objects in your field of vision are moving.

    Vertigo and associated conditions affect millions of Americans every year. People experience in different ways and the causes of vertigo are diverse and sometimes physicians are unable to pinpoint an exact cause.

    If you have experienced this, vestibular rehab can be helpful. Read ahead to learn more about this condition and how it’s treated.

    The Physiology of Balance and Coordination

    Some bodily functions are seemingly automatic. We don’t really have to think about keeping our balance until we are losing it.

    You have structures within your inner ear that can detect head movements and changes in position. The semicircular canals are tiny tubes that contain hairlike structures suspended in a liquid.

    The liquid moves around in the canals when you move and this causes the hairs to move. An extremely specialized nerve ending detects these movements and sends a message to your brain. This message lets feel your body’s position in relation to the ground.

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  • Stool testing 101 and how your gut impacts how you feel.

    Your digestive health is an important and under-treated aspect of your quest to improving mobility, strength, alignment, and being pain-free. There is undeniable and growing research that is linking the health of how your body feels through pain and emotions. The gut’s impact on the following systems: bone, muscles, joints, brain, nerves, hormones, skin, and immune system.

    This article cannot go into an extensive explanation of how your digestive system work or what is troubling your gut. We will explain when, why, and what will you gain when you get a stool test. There are many types of stool tests out there that can make consumers like you confused or spend money with little value afterward.

    We use stool testing with the interest in learning how your digestive system is functioning. Stool tests are to be used to help you to learn more about your digestive system can be impacting your mood, pain, and health. A big misconception is to use stool testing as the primary or only source of information for your health. The science is still too early for this purpose.

    Here are known “functional” terminology that you will want to know about your digestive health.

    • Gut Dysbiosis
    • Insufficiency dysbiosis
    • Malabsorption
    • Fungal overgrowth

    There is a specific digestive “functional” disorder called gut dysbiosis that we are going to write about. Dysbiosis is an imbalance of your microbiome or the environment within that region. Gut dysbiosis is an imbalance of the microflora within your digestive system. The goal is to have more “good” and “less” bad microbes species.

    Gut dysbiosis tends to refer to more “bad” species over dominating the beneficial gut flora. Insufficiency dysbiosis is the opposite. You have less of the beneficial gut flora.

    Microbes exist within your digestive systems to help make sense of the food you eat. Microbes consist of numerous species of bacterias, fungi, and yeast. The amount of energy you get from your food is largely impacted by the types and diversity of these microbes. The specific functions of your gut microflora include making vitamins, fermenting fibers, digesting proteins and carbohydrates, and propagating anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory factors.

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  • Physical Therapy for Concussion: How Does It Work?

    Concussions are a very serious brain injury that should always be treated as a serious medical condition. There are over three million concussions reported in the US every year.

    A concussion must have appropriate treatment to avoid repeat injury. Physicians recommend treatment until complete recovery to avoid complications. Some are even using physical therapy for concussion treatment. 

    A concussion occurs when you receive a blow to the head. Many concussions result from sports-related injuries or accidents. The brain will bump or move inside the skull which causes mild injury to the brain. Concussions can range in severity but result in damages to brain cells. 

    Treatments for Concussions

    When you have a concussion, the most common treatment is bed rest. Sometimes you may have to be observed in the hospital overnight. Mild pain relievers for pain and plenty of fluids are also advised. 

    The problem is that these recommendations do not treat to complete recovery. Many children and high school athletes suffer from concussions. One to two weeks of treatment does not completely treat the condition. 

    There are recent studies that have shown positive findings for using physical therapy. Physical therapy (PT) for concussion treatment is becoming an important part of a full recovery. 

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