Erica Thompson asked:


What in the world is physiatry? Simply put, it is a specialized therapy that involves physical medicine and rehabilitation of the musculoskeletal system.  This is why fibromyalgia syndrome, chronic myofascial pain, and other chronic pain sufferers can benefit from this therapy.  The focus of physiatry is on restoring function to patients.

Physiatrists are medical doctors who diagnose and treat acute and chronic pain and musculoskeletal disorders.  They work to restore function lost due to injury, illness or a disabling condition and  provide non-surgical treatments and prevention.  Rehabilitation physicians are nerve, muscle, and bone specialists who treat injuries or illnesses that affect how you move. They have completed training in the medical specialty physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R).

Fibromyalgia Syndrome is characterized by tight, tender muscles, usually sore points in the neck, shoulders, chest, back, knees and hips. Insomnia, depression, migraine, irritable bowel syndrome, restless legs syndrome, interstitial cystitis, mitral valve prolapse, cognitive dysfunction and more, are often associated with this condition. Fibromyalgia is chronic.  Myofascial pain, though somewhat different, often accompanies FM.  Myofascial trigger points are taut bands or knots in the fascia that surrounds the muscle and every organ of the body.  Chronic myofascial pain is a debilitating disease (once also identified as a syndrome).

Physiatrists may prescribe drugs or devices, such as a brace. They also use a variety of therapies such as heat and cold, biofeedback, electrotherapies, trigger point injections, massage,  traction, and therapeutic exercise. Physiatrists do not perform surgery.

The Physical Medicine, Physiatrist, or Fibromyalgia Rehabilitation specialist’s goal is to arm the patient with techniques to improve their quality of life, even if the condition is chronic.  Each patient needs distinctive care and each patient needs to identify their own specific rehabilitation treatment goals.

Physiatrists use a combination treatment methods that are individualized for every patient.  A treatment plan will most likely include several of the following: education on fibromyalgia and/or chronic myofascial pain; medication; nutritional supplements; a pain management program (i.e., moist heat, bioelectric therapy, ultrasound, and more); exercise (only after pain is decreased) which consists of postural stretches, light aerobic conditioning, and toning exercises; manual therapy which includes therapeutic massage, myofascial release, soft tissue mobilization, and adjustments; relaxation (deep breathing exercises, guided imagery, biofeedback, Yoga, Tai Chi);  home program – once what works best is discovered, the patient will need to follow through with a home program on a regular basis.

Always talk to your doctor before starting a new therapy or treatment regimen!  Together, you can decide what will work best for you.  Ask your primary caregiver about physiatry and how it might benefit you!  It’s time to start feeling better and living again!

 



Lillian

Andrew Mitchell asked:


An Osteopath’s Guide to Feeling Good Throughout Pregnancy

by Andrew Mitchell

As any mother will admit, pregnancy places tremendous strain on the body. On average, women gain around 30 pounds during pregnancy, resulting in a big postural change. It can be incredibly laborious to carry all that extra weight around, not to mention extremely exhausting for the body. Some of our leading osteopaths have offered some tips and exercises that you can do, even before going into labour, in order to assuage the physical burdens of pregnancy.

Work-out sessions: It is great to have a regular work-out routine when you are pregnant, but it is important that you adjust your routine accordingly depending on how much your body can take during pregnancy. We recommend doing three or four work-out sessions a week of approximately 30-minutes each during your first and second trimesters. When it comes to your third trimester, shorten your routine by 10 minutes so as to accommodate your heavier belly.

Types of Exercises: While cardio exercises can be beneficial, we recommend exercises that keep your heart rate controlled. It is good to break out sweat, but do not allow your heart rate to exceed 145 bpm. Exercises such as squats and lunges (without weights) are highly recommended, as well as swimming and brisk-walking. Swimming is particularly rewarding during your final trimester, as the water supports your body and relieves muscle tension. Cycling and gentle aerobics are also highly recommended. Carry out many short stretches before and after each work-out to stimulate the flood flow and improve the flexibility of your joints and muscles.

Movements/Exercises to Avoid: It is best to abstain from partaking in high-impact and contact sports, such as squash or football. When warming up, do not hold a stretch for longer than 5-6 seconds. If you hold a stretch too long when pregnant and vulnerable, your body release a hormone known as ‘relax’ which (while necessary for going into labour), when released prematurely, can damage the areas around the joints. Additionally, avoid overexerting yourself – this means that you should refrain from lifting heavy objects. 

Dietary tips: A balanced diet is, of course key to helping you, and your baby, feel at your best. Just because you are eating for two does not mean you have to eat twice as much as you normally do – a pregnant woman needs about 2500 calories every day.  In order to get the right amounts of energy and nutrition, it is advisable to eat something from each food group: fruits and vegetables, dairy products, whole grains, and protein (fish, meat, etc.).

Visit an Osteopath: In order to keep a close watch on the changes your body is going through, start seeing an osteopathic doctor early on in the first trimester. This way, if you are doing your exercises incorrectly, or if certain muscles are under too much strain, we can step in sooner than later.

It is never easy being pregnant, what with weight gain, back aches, raging hormones, and sheer exhaustion. But hopefully, with the help of an osteopath and the techniques above, your passage from pregnant woman to loving mother will not only be bearable, but enjoyable.



Glen

Joe Smith asked:


Many of us want to lose weight, but how many of us know how to do it quickly and effectively? Many people buy into “snake oil” remedies and pills in order to lose weight without diet or exercise, however, these products don’t work. What’s missing is the elbow grease factor, which means that people need to work for their weight loss with the use of diet and exercise. In this article I’ll describe some weight loss tips that’ll get you losing weight fast. You’ll just need to apply yourself.

First of all, don’t skip out on breakfast. This is by far the most important meal of the day, and has a profound effect on your metabolism for the rest of the day. If you want to lose weight, you want a faster metabolism. Skipping breakfast as many people do will slow down your metabolism and cause you problems with your weight.

Start simple. Stop eating so many starchy foods and start eating more vegetables with your meals. Vegetables contain vitamins and minerals that are essential to your health as you begin (and continue) your weight loss regimen. The key to easy weight loss is good health. Eating vegetables with a protein (such as a steak) is an excellent way to lose weight.

Eating various types of fruits and vegetables each day is important. Try for at least five different types each day, and even if you fall short at least make the effort. Along with that, a healthy diet should consist of eating something out of one of each of the different food groups per day. This does include fats, however, try to keep fat content much lower than your fruit and vegetable intake.

Instead of eating fewer large meals per day, eat frequent small, healthy meals throughout the day. This, along with making sure you eat breakfast, will speed up your metabolism and allow you to lose weight faster.

Along with your exercise routine, the consumption of proteins is very important. Protein intake will help rebuild muscles and tissues that might have been damaged or strained during your workout. The key here, of course, is balance. You don’t want to eat nothing but proteins, as you’d be cutting out essential vitamins useful for weight loss.

Even if you make small adjustments to your diet, your real key to weight loss is going to be regular exercise. Get out and run, ride a bike, or do aerobics to get your heart rate up. This will help burn calories and bring your weight to a level you’d like to see.

Good luck in achieving your weight loss goals!



Ronnie

Mejo John asked:


If you prefer going for swimming competitions and other aquatic fitness activities like lap swimming and other water aerobics then a good swimsuit would augment your efficiency in water. This would keep you comfortable during the process of activity, and would also stand up better to the falling effects of chlorinated water other than most of the fashion swimsuits does. There are few things you need to consider before buying a men swimsuit:

Know your size

To know your swimsuit size, you would require measuring yourself using a measure tape.

-    You need to take your measurements when you are only in underwear

-    Just stand in front of mirror and take it

-    When you measure ensure that the tape measure is absolutely straight and not twisted.

-    To get an accurate measurement, the tape measure should be snug, but not pinching or tight

-    Note if in case you are the between sizes, then go for the smaller size in a racing and other competition suit and the bigger size in an aquatic fitness suit.

-    Most of the men’s swimsuits are sized rated on waist measurement only. Men must select the size, which corresponds with their perfect waist measurements.

Know the reason for usage

Go for the apt suit; first decide the activity for which you would be using the suit often.

Competitive/Racing Purpose

-    Whether you go for training or competition, you need high-performance swim suit, which maximize your speeding in water and improve glide over times by decreasing drag and improve water flow.  

-    Most of the people purchase separate swimsuit for competition and training purpose. However it could be the ultimate point is buy some that is tight fit for you.

Sizing

-    If you are go for training then buy a normal size but understand that the fit would be snugger than that of a usual fashion swimsuit.

-    When it comes to competition, go with a mens swimsuit that is at least one size smaller than what you got for your training suit.

Styling

-    Most of the men’s training and competition swim suit have fairly cut leg openings, draw cords in the interior of waistband, and other side seams of nearly 3-inches. 

-    For men desiring full coverage or excess coverage, training suits with lower leg openings and side seams up to 7-inches are accessible, but note that they are not the obligatory for training or competition.

Aquatic Fitness

-    On the other hand, for lap swimming and other water aerobics, you would require a suit, which offers comfort and freedom of time, plus required coverage and support.

-    Men would find training suits planned for the competitive/training swimmer to be most apt for aquatic swimming for fitness

-    Here you should consider snug fit but not tight. A good fitting suit would remain in place during vigorous movement, but not pinch, bind or ride up in the seat.



Carolyn

Pete Wyatt asked:


All back pain sufferers learn over time the methods that work best to help with pain and healing. At one time we all thought that bed rest and some anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen were our only choices, but over time we’ve learned there are a great number of choices when treating the discomfort of back pain.

Heat versus Cold. Some people swear by the use of ice packs and cold massage. These packs can be store bought or you can use a package of corn or peas from your freezer. Wrap the cold pack in a cloth and then gently massage the painful area for five to seven minutes. Once the area begins to feel numb that is the time to stop. Others prefer heat. A hot water bottle or heating pad applied to the lower back for fifteen to twenty minutes can chase away the back pain in a matter of days.

There are exercise options. The best choices come down to Tai Chi or yoga. Viniyoga is an excellent gentler approach to yoga that is for back pain sufferers. It builds core strength and stability while allowing the spine to stretch. This helps take pressure off the vertebrate and can be very useful for those suffering from back injuries. The stretching aspect of yoga lessens the tension on the muscles, increases blood flow and promotes healing. Tai Chi is similar in that it too promotes healing and prevention of back pain by the use of gentle movement and non-impact exercises. It teaches you how to improve your posture and balance. Tai Chi also helps to build muscle strength and balance.

Perhaps the best answer is a combination of one of the above exercises programs and nutritional supplements. Supplements are used to rebuild bone and cartilage, reduce pain and inflammation, as well as relax muscles. They are divided into two groups. The first ones build strength and the second relieves pain. When deciding to use nutritional supplements it is best to first discuss it with your doctor. Make certain that your back problem is not caused by something more serious that requires medical intervention. Your doctor can help you determine the correct dosages of the supplements.

Some useful strength builders are Glucosamine sulfate, calcium, magnesium and vitamins C and D. All of these will help to build bone and cartilage. Niacinamide, a form of vitamin B, assists with the healing of cartilage. White willow bark, boswellia, bromelain and turmeric are also anti-inflammatories. Devils claw diminishes muscle pain, is an anti-inflammatory and will enhance the affects of regular pain medications. S-Adenosylmethionine strengthens the muscles.

Another useful method of back pain relief is water therapy. This allows someone with a back injury or severe back pain to exercise in a way that makes the physical effort much less. Although you will do very similar exercises to what you’d do out of the water, the buoyancy supports your weight, making it easier to do the workout. As well, warm water therapies are a good method of reducing pain and relaxing the muscles.

With so many options open to the average person when dealing with back pain choosing the right one can be somewhat daunting. An exercise program is definitely recommended and a gentle program offers benefits without being too demanding. Stay away from aerobics or isometrics as they are both too high impact for back pain relief and can do more harm than good. Cold or heat therapies are also a matter of personal preference. Nutritional supplements can be very beneficial as they strengthen and rebuild those damaged areas. They lessen pain and inflammation while improving the pain in your aching back.

Using a combination of all of these is likely the best answer. But maybe a little preventative medicine wouldn’t hurt either. Work on good posture. Hold yourself straight; keep your shoulders back and your head up. Don’t lead too sedentary a lifestyle or you’ll regret it. If sitting at your desk all day, make sure that after twenty minutes of sitting you take twenty seconds to flex those muscles. This will help prevent muscle pain. Walk. A good preventative program may make these other choices unnecessary.



Marie

Carol Oon asked:


If you are trying to lose belly fat fast, then this is the right article for you.  The most important thing when wanting to lose belly fat fast is to always remember the two most important factors to keep in mind – exercise and anti-stress strategies.

Exercise is a very important factor if you want to lose that belly fat quickly.  What you should always keep in mind when exercising to lose belly fat is to include whole body exercises in your workout routine, not just those that target the belly.  These exercises can include 30 minute aerobic sessions which can really get your heart rate up so you can burn more fat.  When doing aerobic exercises, try doing them three to five times a week.  Aside from aerobics, also try yoga or Pilates to build more muscles and increase your metabolism. When your metabolic rate rises, it will be much easier to burn those fats.  

Another habit you will want to get used to is holding your stomach muscles in or contracting them whenever you can.  This helps strengthen your abdominals and will result in a flatter stomach.  Take time during the day so you can do some stretching exercises.  During work, take small breaks so you can do back bending exercises which will help stretch your stomach muscles so that they do not become shortened.  When sitting, sit up straight and continue to contract or pull your stomach muscles in.  This also helps in strengthening your abdominal muscles to help develop a flatter stomach.

Aside from exercise, anti-stress strategies are also a very important factor to help lose belly fat fast.  Our body produces a hormone called cortisol which is responsible for regulating the body’s metabolism and blood pressure.  If you have hit high stress levels in your life, your cortisol levels also go very high which will in turn keep your appetite stimulated and your glucose levels high.  The excess glucose produced will eventually be turned into fat.  This is why you will want to lower your cortisol levels by avoiding stress in your life so that you will not gain any more belly fat.

To neutralize your stress levels, try doing relaxation techniques.  This is best done by getting enough sleep.  Getting enough sleep will give you enough energy for the day so that you will not feel exhausted or tired during the rest of your work hours.  Take breaks to de-stress.  The advisable number of times to take a de-stressing break is once every 3 hours.  During this break, you can take a 5 minute walk, or a short nap, or even do some yoga exercises.  Yoga is a very helpful exercise to de-stress.  Try also Pilates, Tai Chi, and Qigong which you can do for about three times a week.  Other calming and relaxing techniques you can use is meditation and listening to calming guidance CDs.  This can be done for about 10 to 15 minutes once or twice a day, once in the morning to set the tone for the rest of your day, and once in the afternoon or evening to calm and relax you after a tiring day at work.



Heather