Therapies
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Microcurrent
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Pain can be different for many people. For some it is acute, for others it might be
chronic or even worse, debilitating. Regardless of the causative factors, intensity or duration, pain disrupts our ability to enjoy life to its fullest.
Underlying all types of pain are definite changes that occur to our body tissue. Some of these changes are swelling, inflammation, and pain producing chemicals. |
Joan Hatrak with Tony Parrish San Francisco 49ers |
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Electrical balance is also disrupted causing the electrical current to be disrupted and change course. In this environment healing and tissue regeneration is impaired and the injured tissue remains swollen, hot and painful for a longer period of time.
WHAT IS MICROCURRENT
Microcurrent is a physical therapy modality that has been used for over 15 years. When applied to injured tissues, it supports the natural current flow in the tissue, decreases electrical resistance and allows the cells in the traumatized area to regain their capacitance (ability to accept nutrients).
WHY CAN’T I FEEL THE CURRENT
Microcurrent is thought to work on a more cellular level to aid in the healing process due to its close proximity to our own body’s current. It delivers electrical current in millionths of an ampere. For this reason, microcurrent is subsensory and cannot be felt while it is being delivered due to the fact that there is not enough current to stimulate the sensory nerves.
BENEFITS OF MICROCURRENT
Microcurrent has the ability to relieve pain, increase the rate of wound healing, stimulate the regeneration of injured tissue, stimulate lymphatic flow, relieve myofascial trigger points and increase protein synthesis and ATP production by 500%. ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) is the primary molecule from which our body produces energy, and it is found in every cell of the body. It is the “energy currency” of the cell that stores energy to be transferred and released based on the body’s needs.
FREQUENCY SPECIFIC MICROCURRENT
Specific frequencies seem to induce effects on specific cells and other tissues. In “Frequency Specific Microcurrent” these frequencies are used for varying tissues. For example, there is a specific frequency for muscles, a different frequency for nerves, another for ligaments etc. In addition to each tissue having a unique frequency, the same is true for different conditions such as inflammation, trauma, scar tissure etc. Once the Doctor determines what is underlying the patient’s condition. the therapist will then use the specific frequencies to address the problem.
- Muscle Stim - Electrical stimulation uses an electrical current to cause a single muscle or a group of muscles to contract. By placing electrodes on the skin in various locations the physical therapist can recruit the appropriate muscle fibers. Contracting the muscle via electrical stimulation helps strengthen the affected muscle. The physical therapist can change the current setting to allow for a forceful or gentle muscle contraction. Along with increasing muscle strength, the contraction of the muscle also promotes blood supply to the area that assists in healing.
An injured muscle usually experiences little — if any — movement. E-Stim therapy remedies this by using low-voltages to stimulate motor nerves to cause involuntary muscular contractions.
Like exercising, E-Stim helps to strengthen the injured area and has been found to effectively treat a variety of musculoskeletal and vascular conditions. Common candidates for E-Stim therapy are patients recovering from orthopedic surgery, muscle strains or tears, or athletes who’ve undergone cartilage or tendon repair.
- Ultrasound - Ultrasound is simply high frequency sounds waves above the range that we can hear. It is applied to the body from the 'head' of an ultrasound machine. A gel is used to help the waves travel into the body rather than be reflected off the skin.
What are the benefits of ultrasound?
- increased blood supply which promotes healing.
- produces a pain killing effect which can reduce muscle spasm, and promote normal funtion.
- softens fibrous tissues and scar tissue which are formed during healing. http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/general/ultrasound.htm
- Hydro Therapy- Water therapy. It is a water bed with seven jets massaging your back at 105 degrees. It helps relax muscle spasms and to relieve stress.
Electric Muscle Stimulation: Used to stimulate muscles in the problem areas by sending low volts of electricity into the muscles. The muscles then relax and constrict, almost like working them out, which sends blood and lymph (nutrients) deep into the tissue and pulls old blood and lymph out which rapidly heals that area. It also feels good!
