Physical therapy attempts to address the illnesses, or injuries that limit a person’s abilities to move and perform functional activities in their daily lives. PTs use an individual’s history and physical examination to arrive at a diagnosis and establish a management plan and, when necessary, incorporate the results of laboratory and imaging studies like X-rays, CT-scan, or MRI findings. Electrodiagnostic testing may also be used. PT management commonly includes prescription of or assistance with specific exercises, manual therapy and manipulation, mechanical devices such as traction, education, physical agents which includes heat, cold, electricity, sound waves, radiation, assistive devices, prostheses, orthoses and other interventions.
In addition, PTs work with individuals to prevent the loss of mobility before it occurs by developing fitness and wellness-oriented programs for healthier and more active lifestyles, providing services to individuals and populations to develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability throughout the lifespan. This includes providing therapeutic treatment in circumstances where movement and function are threatened by aging, injury, disease or environmental factors. Functional movement is central to what it means to be healthy.
Physical therapy is a professional career which has many specialties including musculoskeletal, sports, neurology, woundcare, EMG, cardiopulmonary, geriatrics, orthopedics, women’s health, and pediatrics. Neurological rehabilitation is in particular a rapidly emerging field. PTs practice in many settings, such as private-owned physical therapy clinics, outpatient clinics or offices, health and wellness clinics, rehabilitation hospitals facilities, skilled nursing facilities, extended care facilities, private homes, education and research centers, schools, hospices, industrial and this workplaces or other occupational environments, fitness centers and sports training facilities.
Physical therapists also practice in the non-patient care roles such as health policy, health insurance, health care administration and as health care executives. Physical therapists are involved in the medical-legal field serving as experts, performing peer review and independent medical examinations.
Acupuncture involves the insertion of extremely thin needles through your skin at strategic points on your body. A key component of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is most commonly used to treat pain.
Traditional Chinese medicine explains acupuncture as a technique for balancing the flow of energy or life force — known as qi or chi (CHEE) — believed to flow through pathways (meridians) in your body. By inserting needles into specific points along these meridians, acupuncture practitioners believe that your energy flow will re-balance.
In contrast, many Western practitioners view the acupuncture points as places to stimulate nerves, muscles and connective tissue. Some believe that this stimulation boosts your body’s natural painkillers and increases blood flow.
Acupuncture therapy can release blocked qi in the body and stimulate function, evoking the body’s natural healing response through various physiological systems. Modern research has demonstrated acupuncture’s effects on the nervous system, endocrine and immune systems, cardiovascular system, and digestive system. By stimulating the body’s various systems, acupuncture can help to resolve pain, and improve sleep, digestive function, and sense of well-being.
Hundreds of clinical studies on the benefits of acupuncture show that it successfully treats conditions ranging from musculoskeletal problems (back pain, neck pain, and others) to nausea, migraine headache, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and infertility.
Apart from other problems, previous research has shown that acupuncture can improve fertility levels in women. Fewer studies on male infertility have been conducted, although evidence suggests that acupuncture can have an effect on sperm production and quality, without causing any changes in behavior or sexual desire. A recent trial published in Fertility and Sterility has shown just how effective acupuncture can be in the treatment of this condition, leading to significant increases in the number of normal sperm and equally significant reductions in structural defects.
Researchers have confirmed ACUPUNCTURE benefit in the following areas:
Lactation consultancy is a professional breastfeeding advisory, with specialists trained to teach mothers how to feed their baby. They help women experiencing breastfeeding problems, such as latching difficulties, painful nursing, and low milk production. A lactation consultant also helps babies who aren’t gaining enough weight.
Lactation consultants may work at a hospital, clinic, or doctor’s office. Some have a private practice. Lactation consultants often teach classes on breastfeeding to pregnant women.
Lactation consultants help women who want to return to work or school meet their breastfeeding goals. They’re familiar with breastfeeding equipment, like breast pumps, and give breastfeeding moms tips on how to safely store expressed breast milk.
From a quarter to two thirds of breast-feeding women face significant difficulties within the baby’s first week. Top complaints include sore nipples, infant sucking problems, excessive infant weight loss (more than 10 percent of birth weight), and delayed onset of the mother’s milk supply.
Yoga as exercise is a modern phenomenon which has been influenced by the ancient Indian practice of hatha yoga. It involves holding stretches as a kind of low-impact physical exercise, and is often used for therapeutic purposes. Yoga in this sense often occurs in a class and may involve meditation, imagery, breath work and music
Both the meditative and the exercise components of hatha yoga have been researched for both specific and non-specific fitness and health benefits. Hatha yoga has been studied as an intervention for many conditions, including back pain, stress, and depression.
The therapeutic benefits of yoga explains that because regulation of physical movement is a fundamental priority of the nervous system, focusing on and developing an awareness of physical movement can lead to improved synchrony between mind and body. This is beneficial, especially for those suffering from psychological conditions such as depression, because an improved sense of connectedness between mind and body give rise to enhanced control and understanding of their “inner sensations” and state of being.
Yoga Therapy or as we call it Yoga As Medicine is the selective use of various yoga tools — such as poses, breathing techniques, relaxation exercises and meditation, as well as dietary and lifestyle advice to help people with virtually any health condition, physical or psychological. Because people’s health and fitness vary, poses are often modified or props are used to make the practices safe and effective Yoga therapy can be used by itself or as an adjunct to any conventional or alternative medical treatment.
Yoga is considered a mind-body intervention that is used to reduce the health effects of generalized stress.
Yoga is believed to calm the nervous system and balance the body, mind, and spirit. It is thought by its practitioners to prevent specific diseases and maladies by keeping the energy meridians open and life energy (Prana) flowing.
Yoga has many other health benefits as well, including improving fertility and helping your body to prepare for pregnancy and get pregnant.
Yoga helps to nurture, support and strengthen the endocrine and the reproductive system. Your endocrine system is essential for proper hormonal balance, so yoga helps to promote the healthy endocrine function. It uses a specific series of stretches that have a positive effect on reproductive health. Every posture has a supporting and nurturing effect on the reproductive system or the endocrine system – the hormonal headquarters.
While yoga can help with fertility issues all by itself, it is best used in conjunction with other fertility treatment programs. These treatments will not only help with fertility, but your overall health as well. By using all of these treatment programs, you will have a new found energy that will improve every aspect of your life.