Therapies
Dry Needling
Dry needling is a process where a dry needle (no injectable solution) is inserted into trigger points to promote healing a pain relief. The need is smaller compared to injectable needles, so much so the subject may not even feel it being injected.
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These trigger points are located all over the body. A needle may be inserted right where the patient is feeling pain, this is called a symptomatic point. Or the patient might be injected at a point no where near the painful area because it is linked to the painful site, this is called a homestatic point.
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Contrary to popular belief, dry needling is unlike accupuncture as the points are based in Western medicine. Although many of the homestatic points are very similar, dry needling is a therapy. It doesn't claim to be a cure like accupuncture.
Paraffin Wax
A paraffin treatment uses warm oil-based wax to provide pain relief to hands, feet and sore joints and muscles. This treatment has skin-softening benefits as well. You can do a warm paraffin treatment at home with a small appliance and special paraffin designed for this purpose, or you can have it done at a spa or salon.
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Benefits
A paraffin treatment soothes chronic joint pain and relaxes stiff muscles, and improves blood flow to the treated area, as noted by Therabath, a manufacturer of paraffin treatment products. It increases range of motion for people with arthritis, bursitis and other chronic conditions that cause pain and stiffness. Paraffin treatments also smooth and soften dry, chapped, rough and scaly skin. It can be helpful for chronic skin disorders such as eczema and psoriasis.
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How It Works
Paraffin treatment is a form of deep heat therapy. Liquified paraffin wax is very efficient at absorbing and retaining heat. When you dip your hand or foot, for example, into the paraffin bath, heat transfers from the wax into the affected area as the wax solidifies. The heat increases circulation and relieves pain and stiffness. To aid in skin softening, paraffin increases blood supply to the skin, while also opening pores and trapping moisture from underlying layers of skin, as noted by the Medical Supplies & Equipment Company.
Hydrocortisone
Hydrocortisone is a corticosteroid (steroid medicine) that is used to treat inflammation due to a number of diseases and conditions. The medicine inhydrocortisone is similar to cortisol, a natural hormone produced by our adrenal glands to relieve pain.
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​Cortisone shots are injections that may help relieve pain and inflammation in a specific area of your body. Cortisone shots are most commonly given into joints — such as your ankle, elbow, hip, knee, shoulder, spine and wrist. Even the small joints in your hands and feet may benefit from cortisone shots.
Taping
Kinesiology tape is a flexible elastic tape that moves with your body. By supporting your body part kinesiology tape is able to provide you with pain relief and muscular support. Benefits of taping include:
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Muscle Support
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Swelling Reduction
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Correction
Electro Stim
In most settings, there is a machine that provides an electrical current. Wires from the machine are connected to adhesive patches that are placed on the skin over a predetermined area. Electrical current is then sent from the machine to the patches and delivered into the muscle tissue below, causing a sensory or motor response.
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Electrical stimulation can be used for pain relief. The stimulation from the machine is belived to block pain receptors as well as cause the brain to release endorphins and enkephalin, the body's natural pain killers.
Electrical stimulation is used for re-training muscles that are having trouble contracting. Commonly used for people who's had an orthopedic surgery. Patients may have trouble trying to move a muscle or joint. When the electrical impulse is sent into into the muscle tissue with e-stim, the muscle can contract without the help of the patient. Doing this while having the subject actively try to contract the muscle can sometimes get the brain to re-learn how to contract the muscle on its own. One example of this is an ACL Tear.