Peripheral neuropathy, Symptoms, causes & treatments

Peripheral neuropathy is the disorder that results from injury to peripheral nerves. It may be caused by diseases like diabetes or as a part of treatment to some other disease.

Symptoms involved are:

1.       Weakness of Arms & Legs
2.       Absence of Position Sense
3.       Numbness Tingling & Pain
4.       Autonomic Nerve Damage

Causes of Peripheral Neuropathy
1.       Diabetes
2.       Cancer
3.       Severe malnutrition
4.       Chronic Renal Failure/ Uremia
5.       Hypothyroidism
6.       Alcohol/Toxins
7.       Trauma
8.       Drugs

Treatments for Peripheral Neuropathy

1.   Eliminate the cause of the disease.
2.  To relieve its symptoms.

Physical therapy is used in conjunction with all other treatment methods like surgery, injection, oral medications, etc. This helps to relieve the patient of symptoms and lead a better life. Visit Optimum Rehab for understanding your health condition and to treat it effectively. 

Shoulder pain, frozen shoulder Do's & Dont's, Rotator cuff injuries.

If you have a frozen shoulder the main symptom would be limited, painful range of motion (ROM) in your shoulder. A visit to physical therapist may help you regain normal functional use of your arm.  Your physical therapist can help you manage the pain and provide you with strategies that help you to start using your arm normally again.

Here is a list of some simple things you should do if you are suffering from frozen shoulder
·         Stop Wearing a Sling as it limits your ROM and increases your chances of pain.
·         Start Using Your Arm even though it hurts, as usually this pain stops after some time of resting. But it              worsens your symptoms to keep your arm unused.
·         Start Working on Range of Motion exercises
·         Work on Rotator Cuff Strengthening helps to strengthen your shoulder and move it through full range of          motion.
·         Give it heal to heal gradually instead of searching for miraculous remedies.

Visit Optimum Rehab NYC to get a better idea on Do's and Dont's of Physical Therapy for Rotator cuff injuries.

Foot drop, causes and therapy treatments

It is the inability to lift the front portion of the foot. This causes the toes to drag along the ground while walking. In order to avoid dragging their toes, people with foot drop are likely to lift their knees higher. They may also swing their leg in a wide arc. Foot drop can happen to either one foot or both at a time. It can happen at any age.

Usually, foot drop occurs due to the weakness or paralysis of the muscles that lift the foot. It can have many different causes. Treatments for foot drop vary according to the cause.

Foot drop is more of a symptom rather than a disease. It might be due to an underlying problem like nerve injury, brain or spinal disorders, muscle disorders, etc. Nerve injury can be caused due to several reasons like sports injury, diabetes, childbirth, sudden & large weight loss, stroke, etc. 

Treatment

Treatment for foot drop depends on its cause. Early treatment improves the chance of recovery.

Treatments may include:

•         Lightweight braces
•          Shoe inserts
•          Physical therapy
•          Surgery

Lightweight braces are the most common treatment. They're used to support the leg. Physical therapy is used to strengthen foot and leg muscles. It may improve a person's ability to walk. In some cases, electronic devices that stimulate the leg nerves during walking may be appropriate. Surgery may be recommended to try to repair or decompress a damaged nerve.

At Optimum Rehab, our physical therapy experts deal with this condition with extreme care and experience. Visit http://www.optimumrehabnyc.com/ to get to know more about our services & make an appointment.

Joint pains, Prevention & Physical Therapy Treatments

Over 60% of people in US experience joint pains. It may be a resultant symptom of many conditions like arthritis, sprains or accidents. For people with joint pain, stiffness and arthritis, physical therapy can be a crucial part of symptom management. In physical therapy you will learn different ways to exercise so that it will help you maintain your good range of motion and flexibility.

Gentle ranges of motion exercises are helpful for relieving mild joint stiffness and to improve your flexibility. Your physical therapist will show you the correct way to do the exercises and give you a daily exercise program to follow at home. 

To relieve and prevent knee pain and its causes, try these recommendations

1. Strengthen your weak butt & hip muscles through hip extension exercises

Our butt muscles are weak in nature. When the main butt muscle (gluteus maximus) gets weaker, it causes our pelvis to drop and the upper thigh bone (femur) to fall inwards. This imbalance creates a painful downward stress on the hip, knee and ankle every time you make a step.

2. Stretch the muscles that support your knees

As you strengthen naturally weak muscles like the glutes, take care in also stretching your supporting muscles like the inner thigh muscles.

3. Tone your core muscles through crunches

Strengthening the core helps to keep your back in a neutral spine position and places the lower extremities specifically the knees, in the best possible position for movement without joint compression.

4. Maintain a healthy weight

Fat decreases muscle strength, and excess body weight adds strain to knee joints. In fact, the higher your body weight, the weaker your knee muscle strength.

5. Mind your feet

High-heels increase the compressive force on your knee joints by 23%. Wearing heels also encourages tight calf muscles, another common cause of knee pain. A tight calf can pull the foot inward to a position called pronation, which essentially becomes the reason for collapse of the foot arch and causes the lower leg to roll inward, placing stress on the ankle and knee.

For more related information visit our website Optimum Rehab NYC and make an appointment with our team of experienced physical therapy professionals.

Headache causes, treatments & physical therapy

Pain of any type that occurs in any part of the head is called a headache. There are many different types of headaches:

• ·         Migraine and cluster
• ·         Tension-type
• ·         Secondary headaches from some kind of underlying condition like fever, contagious disease, sinus disorder, or in very rare cases, a tumor or more serious illness
• ·         Cranial neuralgias, facial pain, and other headaches

A problem in the neck, head, or jaw such as an injury or arthritis can lead to tension in the muscles at the back of the head and to increased pressure on the nerves to the face and head. Poor posture can cause these muscles to become overworked, which can trigger a headache. Most headaches are harmless and resolve on their own, although severe headaches that recur frequently can affect your ability to do your daily activities and can reduce your quality of life.

There is effective treatment for almost every type of headache. The challenge lies in determining the type of headache, its cause, and in developing an appropriate treatment plan that will reduce both its frequency and intensity. Physical therapists can help determine the type of headache you have and are experts in managing pain from tension-type headaches.

Physical Therapy for headache

Your physical therapist will conduct a thorough examination that includes a review of your health history. Your physical therapist will work with you to correct the problems that are causing your pain and will help you learn to prevent headaches through simple changes in your posture and lifestyle:

• ·         Improve neck mobility
• ·         Improve your strength
• ·         Improve your posture
• ·         Modify your workstation or home office

For people who experience recurrent tension headache, stress management techniques have been an effective way of helping to decrease headache frequency and severity. This can include regular exercise, deep breathing techniques, and relaxation training. Other non-medicinal approaches can include massage therapy, heat, ice, or acupuncture. Learning to identify stressful situations which trigger headache and taking steps to avoid these is also a useful strategy for many individuals.

Visit Optimum Rehab NYC to avail yourself treatment for headaches. 

Knee Osteoarthritis, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Physical Therapy

Knee OA is a type of progressive disease that causes degeneration & inflammation of the knee joint that gradually becomes worse over time. It affects the entire joint, which includes the bone, ligament, cartilage and muscle. Its progression gets influenced by one’s age, body mass index, genetics, and bone structure, strength and activity level. Knee OA can also develop as a secondary condition following a traumatic knee injury. Depending on the stage of the disease and whether there are associated injuries or conditions, knee OA can be treated with physical therapy. Severe cases may need surgery.

 Symptoms of knee OA may include:

• ·         Extreme pain after changing from a position to other or after an activity..
• ·         Stiffness of bent knee after prolonged sitting
• ·         Sensation of a popping, cracking, or grinding sound while moving the knee
• ·         Swelling following an activity
• ·         Knee joint extreme tenderness

 It’s always better to consult a physician in the case of prolonged knee pain.

Diagnosis

Knee OA could be diagnosed based on the symptoms and then a thorough clinical examination. Diagnostic imaging is also very effective in diagnosing knee OA. Through these examinations the strength, mobility and flexibility of the knee’s movement can be measured. X rays might also be used to assess variety of knee positions that bears weight.

Knee OA & Physical Therapy

Physical therapist will advise you on certain exercises that would address your pain and maximize knee function.  These activities are prescribed and monitored based on type, frequency, duration, and intensity, with adequate time allotted for rest and recovery.

·         Range of Motion is assessed by the physical therapist

·         Muscle Strengthening programs are carried out as a part of rehabilitation program

·         Strengthening the hip and core muscles also can help balance the amount of force on the knee joint, particularly during walking or running.

·         Manual Therapy decreases pain and increases knee functions

·         Modalities like heat and ice aids in pain management

·         Bracing: Compressive sleeves placed around the knee may help reduce pain and swelling. Bracing unloads the weight along the knee area while heavier activities.

Come to us at Optimum Physical Therapy center, NYC and experience the best of available treatments for injuries and rehabilitation programs. 

Back pain common causes, diagnosis and treatments

Common culprits that cause back pain

• ·         Several chronic conditions like Spinal stenosis, Spondylitis & Fibromyalgia.
• ·         Lifting heavy objects & bags. Instead switch to trolleys.
• ·         Improper postures while sitting and standing – no slouches
• ·         Nature of your job
• ·         Overdoing your exercise or excessive workouts
• ·         Herniated discs due to wear and tear of gel like cushions near spine
• ·         Being overweight
• ·         Inactive lifestyle

Diagnosis

X rays, CT scans and MRI maybe used to diagnose the actual cause of your back pain. It is very important that you explain the nature, location and severity of the pain. Treatment may involve:

• ·         Physical therapy
• ·         Yoga practice
• ·         Strengthening the back with conventional stretching exercises.
• ·         Bed rest is advised if the case isn’t muscle strain
• ·         Chiropractic care and acupuncture
• ·         Massage therapy
• ·         Home care- heating pads, warm baths
• ·         Medication
• ·         Surgery

To keep back pain at bay:

• ·         Maintain a healthy weight.
• ·         Exercise regularly.
• ·         Avoid lifting heavy objects
• ·         Avoid improper postures