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Headache-Pain-Is-No-Joke
Headache Pain Is No Joke. Find Freedom Through Physical Therapy!

Have you been suffering from debilitating headaches? If so, know that you are not alone. It is no secret that headaches can cause limits to your daily life. In fact, the International Headache Society states that headaches are the third most common pain complaint of pain across the world.

Fortunately though, physical therapy can help you overcome those painful barriers.

If you are living with constant headaches and you’re looking for relief, call Dubuque Physical Therapy today to consult with one of our licensed physical therapists. We’ll help you find true and lasting relief from headache pain!

What is causing my headaches?

A “headache” is a term that refers to any form of pain that happens in the head. The trick is to figure out what kind of headache you’re having and then come up with a treatment strategy that works for you. Physical therapists are skilled at identifying various forms of headaches and developing pain-relieving treatments for stress-related headaches.

There are several different types of headaches that can be treated with physical therapy. These include, but are not limited to:

  • Exertion.
  • Migraine or sinus.
  • Stress (tension).
  • Hypertension.
  • Cluster.
  • Hormone.
  • Rebound.
  • Caffeine.
  • Post-traumatic.

Tension headaches are some of the most commonly treated headaches by a physical therapist. They occur when the neck and scalp muscles contract or become tense, and they can happen at any age.

Stress-related headaches generally start at the back of the head and progress to the top of the head and eyes, sometimes accompanied by facial pain along the jaw and cheeks. This type of discomfort has been compared to having hair pulled or wearing a very tight hat. These types of headaches can occur as a result of:

  • Neck or jaw problems.
  • Poor posture.
  • Arthritis.
  • Depression.
  • Anxiety.
  • Increased stress.
  • Fatigue.

Most headaches will resolve on their own without medical intervention; however, severe or recurrent headaches that interfere with one’s quality of life should most certainly be evaluated further.

Physical therapy techniques for pain relief

The good news is that if you’re struggling with headache pain, there is a solution to your problem. You can kiss those days and nights of pounding grief goodbye!

Your physical therapist may suggest any combination of specialized treatment services to treat your headaches. These may include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Muscular releases.
  • Muscle energy techniques.
  • Cervical traction.
  • Soft tissue mobilization.
  • McKenzie-based therapies.
  • Body mobilization.
  • Ice or heat compressions.
  • Stretching exercises.
  • Strengthening exercises.

With all treatment plans, you can expect to receive education that will supplement your in-office experience. During your first appointment, your therapist will assess your condition, ask you about your symptoms, and create a customized treatment plan specifically for you.

You can also expect the following during your assessment:

  • Examination of your posture while engaged in different activities.
  • Tests of your muscle strength and sensation.
  • Manual therapy to ascertain the mobility of joints and muscles in your neck.
  • Measurements regarding the range of motion of your shoulders, neck, and other relevant parts of the body.
  • Questions regarding previous injuries to your neck, head, jaw, and/or back.
  • Inquiries about the location of the pain, in addition to any other symptoms you are experiencing.

Your treatment plan will be aimed at giving you pain relief and increasing your daily function. Your physical therapist will help you achieve this through:

  • Strength improvement. You’ll learn exercises to help strengthen the muscles that control your neck and upper back, in order to improve posture and increase your ability to stand or sit comfortably for longer periods of time.
  • Posture improvement. Your posture throughout the day greatly impacts your likelihood for pain and stress-related headaches. Your physical therapist will teach you methods of improving your posture in order to function more comfortably in your daily life.
  • Neck function improvement. Using manual therapy, your physical therapist will stretch the muscles in the back of your neck to relieve pain and increase movement.

What are you waiting for? Relief is a call away!

The sooner you see a physical therapist, the less probable it is that your headaches will become more severe.

Are your headaches interfering with your everyday activities? If this is the case, please inform us as soon as possible. To get started on the first steps of your own tailored treatment plan, call our office today!

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3-Small-Changes-To-Make-To-Your-Diet
3 Small Changes To Make To Your Diet To Relieve Inflammation

If you live with constant pain and inflammation, you are not alone. There are many chronic conditions that can lead to pain and inflammation; however, much of what you’re feeling can be managed simply through diet.

Your body is fueled by what you eat, so when you eat a nutritious diet your body is able to recover much faster. If you’re looking for advice on how to improve your diet and relieve inflammation, look no further.

Contact Dubuque Physical Therapy today to speak with one of our physical therapists and learn how you can begin to relieve your pain and inflammation!

Why does inflammation happen?

If you have an infection, wound, tissue damage, or buildup of toxins in your body, the immune response is triggered to deal with it. Your immune system can naturally respond to injury, ailment, or other harm through inflammation. If inflammation didn’t occur, injuries wouldn’t be able to heal; however, if this process goes on for too long, chronic inflammation can occur — and that is not something you want to happen!

Chronic inflammation may lead to severe health conditions, such as diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, or even some forms of cancer. If you experience persistent chronic pain, it is wise to contact a physical therapist as soon as possible, as it may mean that the inflammation has become chronic.

Traditionally, chronic inflammation has been managed with a combination of rest and medicine. Lack of activity, on the other hand, can exacerbate inflammation by constricting joints and stiffening muscles. Furthermore, drugs have a host of adverse effects, some of which can be harmful and/or addictive. Fortunately, pain and inflammation can be addressed in a variety of ways, including through nutrition.

How can a good diet help decrease inflammation?

Pain and inflammation can be relieved through proper nutrition, stress management, and exercise!

 Inflammation is your body’s way of trying to heal, which can be accelerated through a nutritional diet that complements the removal of toxins. Nutritionists have had patients report great success in turning around their symptoms by adopting an anti-inflammatory diet.

These 3 dieting tips can help relieve your inflammation:

1. Eat less red meat

When following an anti-inflammatory diet, it’s advisable to stay away from red meat. If this proves impossible, tiny amounts of red meat are acceptable; nevertheless, it should be a very unusual treat in your diet. Because the proteins in red meat demand more work from your kidneys to digest, eating a lot of it will slow down the healing process. Fortunately, anti-inflammatory diets can include chicken and fish.

2. Avoid dairy and carbs

In order to strengthen your body’s immune response, you’ll want to avoid simple carbs and sugars. Unfortunately, that means no donuts, no pastries, and no white bread. Dairy products should also be extremely limited, so very little cheese or milk with anything. Whole grains, such as barley, oats, brown rice, and wheat are best.

3. Load up on veggies

When it comes to maintaining an anti-inflammatory diet, raw broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage are the greatest choices. If you like, you can prepare them, although fresh vegetables are generally best for reducing inflammation. You can eat up to nine portions every day, and you can break it up by substituting fruits for a couple of those servings if it seems too excessive. Otherwise, the age-old adage “eat your vegetables” applies.

How can a physical therapist help?

Your physical therapist can also provide you with additional tips for pain relief and reduced inflammation. In addition to your nutrition plan, you should also try:

  • Increasing your levels of physical activity. Exercise will keep the muscles warm, which can alleviate pain or stiffness, and stop the inflammation from becoming worse.
  • Lowering your stress levels. If you’re feeling mentally stressed, your body can become physically stressed – causing more inflammation and a longer recovery rate. Taking time to relax can actually allow you to heal quicker!
  • Managing your weight. If you have some unwanted weight, getting down to your ideal body weight will help with your pain and inflammation.

Call our clinic today for an appointment!

Are you looking to add a new nutrition plan into your lifestyle to help manage your pain and inflammation? If you stick to the tips listed above, you should notice a decrease in pain.

Call Dubuque Physical Therapy today to consult with a physical therapist and see how you can relieve your symptoms as quickly as possible!

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Experiencing-Discomfort-In-Your-Neck-and-Back
Experiencing Discomfort In Your Neck and Back? PT Could Alleviate Your Pain!

Back and neck pain can occur for a variety of causes. Back and neck pain can be mild to severe, and it may be accompanied by other symptoms. Fortunately, physical therapy can help you get rid of back and neck discomfort and get back to enjoying a pain-free life.

Muscle strains, which can arise as a result of a cervical herniated disc, cervical degenerative disc disease, or cervical osteoarthritis, are the most common causes of neck pain. Back pain can be caused by anything that causes the structure of the spine to alter, such as lumbar disc herniation, lumbar degenerative disc disease, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, or osteoarthritis.

You don’t need to continue living in constant pain and discomfort, especially when there are resources available to you to help you feel better. Relieve your back and neck pain today by contacting Dubuque Physical Therapy office to schedule a consultation!

How pain in the spine is connected to your neck

We don’t typically think about it, but we use our spines for many of our daily activities. Even simple things, such as turning to grab something out of the cupboard or looking over your shoulder, requires the interaction of the entire spinal joints, muscles, and nerves.

Your spine is connected through a series of muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints where movement in one region influences movements in another. As with any type of interconnected system, breakdowns can happen at any time. This is why dysfunction in one area can lead to pain in the other.

Pain in your back and/or spine can range from a mild, dull, annoying ache to persistent, severe, and disabling pain. Often the pain in your back or neck restricts mobility and interferes with normal functioning and quality of life.

When you have limited motion in your neck, your body compensates by twisting more than it usually would allow you to complete the task. Our spine requires the coordination of the entire spine; otherwise, movements can cause pain or limitations that impair your ability to complete the activity.

If you are experiencing neck pain, back pain, or a combination of both, our physical therapists would be more than happy to meet with you for a consultation to discuss how they can help!

How is the cause of neck and back pain diagnosed?

Back pain and neck pain can lead to a loss of productivity, and it is a common cause for disability. Because of this, it is important to seek the assistance of a medical professional immediately if you are suffering from back or neck pain.

If you’re having back or neck pain, you should see your primary care physician immediately. They will almost certainly do a physical examination and may request x-rays or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test.

Your doctor will be able to examine your soft tissues, ligaments, tendons, and blood vessels clearly with an MRI, which can reveal the source of your back or neck pain. Once this has been determined, your doctor will recommend a treatment plan, which will almost certainly include physical therapy!

How will physical therapy help my back or neck pain?

Physical therapy is an effective treatment for both back and neck pain. The goals and expected outcomes of these treatments include:

  1. Prevention of further issues. By learning proper body mechanics, you can avoid future injuries and prevent pain from recurring.
  2. Decreased pain and stiffness. By using passive treatments such as manual therapy, your physical therapist will help alleviate pain in the affected area and accelerate the healing process.
  3. Increased range of motion. Your physical therapist will implement flexibility exercises into your treatment plan, which will help increase the range of motion in your back and neck.
  4. Improved quality of life. Physical therapy can help you return to your normal routine much quicker, allowing for an overall improvement in quality of life.
  5. Improved strength. Your physical therapist will create a specific exercise plan for your particular needs, which will aid in the strengthening of muscles in the affected area.

Treatment plans are made up of both passive and active methods. Passive treatments work to relieve pain, inflammation, and stiffness, while active treatments work to improve strength, flexibility, and function.

Common passive treatments for back and neck pain include ice and heat therapies, manual therapy, electrical stimulation, and ultrasound. Active treatments include targeted stretches and exercises that your physical therapist will prescribe. Your therapist will be the one to decide which kinds of therapies are right for your condition and your therapy treatment will be created that way.

Call our clinic to schedule your one-on-one evaluation

You deserve to live a life that is pain-free. Dealing with neck or back pain (or both!) on a daily basis shouldn’t be something that you’re forced to do. If this is your current reality, it’s time to say hello to a new one with the help of physical therapy.

Contact us today to confirm your appointment and get started on the first steps toward pain relief.

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