SOHMA Integrative Medicine

We offer the best of Eastern & Western medicine without using drugs or surgery

Physical Therapy for Back Pain

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What is physical therapy?

In short it’s a uniquely specialized program to help the patient recover from pain and regain mobility due to injury trauma or as a post surgery aid.

About 16 million American adults suffer from chronic back pain every year. Which can result in limitations on common everyday activities. The most common sufferers of back pain report it to be caused because of simply sitting behind a desk for hours on end.

How can physical therapy help your back pain?

Join us as we explain why and how physical therapy can be used to relieve back pain and help prevent it as well.

What Causes Back Pain?

Back pain can be caused by a number of reasons ranging from a harmless sprain that can resolve itself within a couple weeks to a fractured vertebrae that may need immediate attention. You can develop back pain after suffering from damage caused to the muscles, tendons, and discs in your back. Some of these include the aforementioned sprains and fractures as well as:

Back pain can also be caused by inflammation, which can be caused by injury, trauma, or arthritis. Osteoporosis which can leave vertebrae vulnerable to fractures. And fibromyalgia which can cause muscle pain and fatigue. 

Kidney pain caused by stones or infection are often confused with lower back pain, if you feel like treatment for your back isn’t helping the pain. Speak with your primary care provider to clear up any confusions.

What Does Physical Therapy Entail?

During your initial visit, there will be a thorough evaluation of both your symptoms and medical history. We will analyze your posture and determine your range of motion. Afterwards a physical therapist will create a program to target the cause of your pain. The intention for physical therapy will be to reduce pain, while increasing strength. 

This may involve exercises to increase strength of your abdominal, quadriceps and gluteal muscles to reduce the stress on your lower back. Exercise such as stationary bike, treadmill, or medical Tai Chi can help improve endurance. Stretching may also be used to regain and improve mobility. Don’t be surprised if you are assigned “homework” as you may be required to do more stretches at your home to improve the strength of your back muscles more quickly. 

Physical therapy may not be able to help everybody, some patients may still require surgery after a physical therapy program. Though this is still valuable as the stronger you are going into surgery the stronger you will be going out of it. This can reduce the amount of recovery time post surgery and is often done after surgeries to help recover even sooner.

Preventing Back Pain in the Future

Just because you’ve relieved your back pain after physical therapy doesn’t mean it won’t come back. Many times if the patient does not change their habits, the back pain can return. For this reason our physical therapists as SOHMA Integrative Medicine will teach you proper posture when sitting, standing and exercising to reduce the chances of injury.

Physical therapy is not only used to get better, but to also educate yourself in how to take care of your body. We may provide exercises and or a stretching routine for you to follow at home after the original program has ended. By incorporating these into your own exercise routine you’ll be able to reduce the chances of stuffing with back pain.

Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine

Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can reach out to us and ask about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health. 

Located in Long Beach, CA, we help individuals from the surrounding cities.

We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health.

Top 5 Benefits of Physical Therapy

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Physical Therapy has Benefits Beyond Initial Care for an Injury

Every year nearly 166 million American adults will incur some form of musculoskeletal injury that could benefit from physical therapy for recovery. These cases can include:

  • Sports Injuries
  • Work Injuries
  • Slipping and falling
  • vehicular accidents

Many times people think physical therapy involves inflicting more pain on an injury. This is not true. Although physical therapy can cause soreness in some, the goal is to bring back mobility and strength to you slowly. 

Today we’ll explore 5 benefits of physical therapy and why they’re important.

Benefit #1 Recover from Injury

As previously stated, nearly half of all Americans will develop some injury that may benefit from physical therapy. Some of the most common injuries are related to work or sports. Though sometimes an injury may require surgery, some do not. Physical therapy can help in reducing or preventing additional damage done to the injury. Our physical therapists at SOHMA Integrated Medicine of Long Beach, CA, can design an individualized program to help you rebuild strength and regain mobility to the injured area to prevent further injury. Not only does physical therapy help you in recovering from injuries, but it’s also an incredibly useful tool when recovering from surgery. 

Benefit #2 Post Surgery Recovery

If an injury requires surgery, physical therapy can shorten post-surgery recovery. Following surgery, your primary care provider may recommend physical therapy depending on the type of surgery performed. This treatment may not be pleasant and lasts for a few weeks or months. However, it has been proven that patients improve their quality of life after surgery.

Benefit #3 Avoid Surgery

In many cases, people feel like the pain will go away on its own, or it’s not so bad that they can’t deal with it. Even minor injuries can cause chronic pain when ignored, so surgery may be required to fix the problem. Physical therapy can reduce pain caused by an injury, heal the injury and ultimately avoid surgery. There are many costs involved with getting surgery aside from the surgery itself. Often you’ll need to do post-surgery physical therapy and lose time and money while unable to work or enjoy life. 

Even if surgery is required for some injuries, pre-surgery physical therapy can strengthen the injured area. Going in stronger also reduces the time needed to recover post-surgery.

Benefit #4 Manage Pain

Many people suffer from chronic pain and are unsure how to manage or eliminate it. Typically physical therapy techniques that target the joints and soft tissue can restore muscle and joint function to reduce pain. Unlike working pain with pharmaceuticals that can have many adverse side effects or be addictive, physical therapy uses treatments that include:

  • Ultrasound
  • Electrical Stimulation
  • Weight Training
  • Stretching

These techniques restore muscle and joint functions and reduce the chance for the pain to return.

For older adults who suffer from arthritis or osteoporosis or had a joint replaced, a physical therapist can use individualized techniques to help manage pain and regain strength and mobility in their joints.

Benefit #5 Improve Balance and Mobility

As we age, it’s not uncommon to lose mobility and balance. Especially for older adults, poor balance is often more dangerous. A physical therapist can help improve your balance. They will develop a treatment plan to improve the stability, strength, and mobility of patients with balance problems.

Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine

Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can reach out to us and ask about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health. 

Located in Long Beach, CA, we help individuals from the surrounding cities.

We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health.

5 Benefits Tai Chi has on your Heart’s Health

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Heart health is important for everyone but especially for the elderly. Learn how Tai Chi helps with your heart’s health.

Though often called “mediation in motion”, Tai Chi has shown to be beneficial to our hearts health. We only get one heart and it’s our job to keep it healthy and strong.

How does this slow moving, deep breathing traditional Chinese martial do it though? 

Join me as we discover 5 benefits Tai Chi can have on your heart’s health.

Benefit of Tai Chi #1: Reduces Stress

It’s not uncommon to feel stressed from time to time, afterall it is part of our flight-or-fight response to difficult situations. Stress has been described as a feeling of emotional or physical tension. In small quantities stress can even be helpful, like when trying to avoid danger or approaching a due date. Though having high levels of stress or being stressed for long periods of time can have negative effects on  your heart health. It’s known that some of the common reactions to stress include upset stomach, heavy breathing, elevated heart rate and increased blood pressure. High blood pressure and heart rate put additional unwanted workload on the heart which can lead to cardiovascular events such as heart attacks, arrhythmia, or stroke.

Tai Chi is often referred to as “meditation in motion”, meditation can aid in producing a state of calm mind and deep relaxation. When practicing Tai Chi, you can focus on the slow calming movements and deep breathing. Allowing your mind to be at rest and tune out the thoughts that are causing you stress.

Benefit of Tai Chi #2: Cardio

When you exercise the goal is to strengthen the muscle by making it contract. The heart is no different. Cardio is the exercise used when trying to keep your heart healthy. Also known as aerobic exercise, cardio uses repetitive contractions of large muscle groups to get the heart beating faster. By doing regular cardio exercises, you’ll strengthen your heart’s blood vessels, improve oxygen flow throughout your body, lower your blood pressure and lower your cholesterol. 

The most common forms of cardio often include walking or going to the gym and using a treadmill for 30 minutes or so. Tai Chi can contribute some cardio exercise especially for those who find it difficult to do more intense workouts like jogging or running.

Benefit of Tai Chi #3: Improved Quality of Life

When your quality of life improves, your heart health improves with it. Much of the improvements of quality of life include stress reduction and exercising. However, improving your balance, flexibility and mobility allows you to be more self reliant. A healthy heart is the cornerstone of our health, by accepting a healthier lifestyle your heart, overall health and mood will increase. An improvement in mood can then help you eat, and sleep better. All of which help reduce risk of heart disease.

Benefit of Tai Chi #4: Recovering Heart Patients

Being a low impact, slow moving exercise many people who are recovering from cardiovascular events benefit from Tai Chi. In the past, many patients with heart conditions were deemed too frail or weak to exercise. 

Now, we understand that practicing Tai Chi can help recovering patients not only improve their quality of life, but their fortitude and confidence to do other forms of exercises. Ideally, no one wants to deal with heart conditions, and although Tai Chi is great for recovering patients, it can also be an aid to help prevent those conditions.

Benefit of Tai Chi #5: Socializing

This may seem counterintuitive after the last couple of years we’ve had, but according to reports people with richer social connections have been shown to live longer and recover more quickly from heart attacks. It’s suggested that those with strong social bonds and relationships also have a significantly reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

Why not join one of our free classes?

Make friends, pursue a healthier lifestyle and improve your heart’s health. We have Tai Chi classes for beginners on Sundays from 9:30am to 10:30 am at Heartwell Park, Long Beach CA. Right by the lake. Or if you love Tai Chi and want to become an instructor you can feel free to register for our Tai Chi Instructor Certification Course.

Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine

Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can reach out to us and ask us about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health. 

Located in Long Beach, CA we help individuals from the surrounding cities.

We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health.

How Long does Ozone Therapy Last

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Most people understand that ozone is a gas in our atmosphere that protects us from the Sun’s dangerous ultraviolet rays, which  can cause sunburns and skin cancer. Ozone also has many properties that can be used therapeutically as well. Ozone therapy can be used along with other IV therapies such as the Myer’s Cocktail or as a standalone treatment. Ozone therapy is used to treat many symptoms caused by: 

  • Arthritis
  • Joint pain
  • Respiratory problems
  • Allergies
  • Skin conditions
  • Chronic fatigue

Join me as we explore the benefits, what it can treat and as well as the duration of ozone therapy.

What is Ozone Therapy

Ozone therapy is the process in which ozone is administered intravenously for its therapeutic properties. Ozone on its own has incredible anti-inflammatory properties, and it can also act as a disinfectant. Ozone therapy can improve blood circulation which is important when trying to maintain a healthy body.

Poor blood circulation can cause swelling and inflammation which can lead to symptoms like pain, skin discoloration, spider veins and eczema among others.

Benefits of Ozone Therapy

Due to ozone’s anti-inflammatory properties, it can be used to reduce swelling caused by injury, disease or infection. By reducing inflammation, there is less pressure on the injured tissues and joints which provides some pain relief. 

It is also helpful with people suffering from arthritis, since inflammation can cause loss of mobility and stiffness in the joints as well. For patients suffering from osteoarthritis, ozone therapy can be used to manage pain and return range of motion. Though there is no known way to reverse the damage caused by osteoarthritis, ozone therapy can provide older adults with valuable time before the need for more invasive procedures such as surgery.

Ozone is well known to help fight off pathogens that can infect the body. Pathogens are typically microorganisms that can cause infection and disease, these include viruses, fungi, and bacteria. Ozone’s disinfectant properties can kill bacteria and help prevent viral replication, which may allow you to recover from viral infections sooner. These infections become more common during the holidays as more people travel and visit loved ones.

Ozone oxidizes pathogens, this can clean your arteries from infections and improve blood circulation giving a weak immune system a boost. Ozone can produce antioxidants which are necessary to keep balance with free radicals. An unbalance of free radicals can cause oxidative stress which can cause one to feel lethargic, fatigued or sensitive to noises. Periodic ozone therapy may be able to improve overall metabolism by balancing antioxidants and free radicals in your body.

How Long Before you See Results with Ozone Therapy

Every patient is different, age, physical health and body composition can play a big role in how each individual responds to ozone therapy. For the majority of patients they’ll see improvements after about 3 weeks. After the treatment program is completed, if you notice major improvements, speak with your primary care provider to continue on a regular treatment to maintain the benefits acquired through ozone therapy.

How Long do the Effects of Ozone Therapy Last

Like most medicine which you may be required to take for days, months or years, you can’t expect the problem to be solved after one therapy session. After a treatment program is completed, the results may be permanent. Repetition is recommended for continued benefits from ozone therapy so even after completing your program you may want to continue with regular treatments.

Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine

Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can reach out to us and ask us about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health. 

Located in Long Beach, CA we help individuals from the surrounding cities.

We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health.

Is Laser Therapy Beneficial for Back Pain

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Laser Therapy is Beneficial for Back Pain

The thought of using lasers to help reduce back pain seems like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. This isn’t fiction though, and many people have found pain relief through laser therapy. Every year an average of 65 million Americans suffer from back pain. Though back pain can sometimes be managed with proper rest, stretching and exercise, there are 16 million adults who’s chronic back pain causes limitations on basic everyday activities. 

Luckily there are a few ways to manage back pain without resorting to invasive surgeries or pain pills that only hide the symptoms of pain and never get to the root cause of it. Chiropractic care, medical massages, spinal decompression therapy and acupuncture have shown to help many patients suffering from back pain get a handle on their condition. 

Today we’re going to go over what causes back pain and how laser therapy can be beneficial for patients who have to endure back pain.

What Causes Back Pain?

As previously stated, there are millions of Americans affected by back pain making it a relatively common condition. This means there are many causes of both acute and chronic back pain, including:

  • Herniated/Bulging Disc
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Muscle Strains/Sprain
  • Injury
  • Poor Posture
  • Lifestyle Choices
  • Aging

Many people ignore back pain assuming it was caused by sleeping awkwardly and don’t do anything about it. Oftentimes it’s not really a cause for concern, but why take the risk? If left ignored, even a minor pain can develop into debilitating chronic back pain.

What is Laser Therapy?

As futuristic sounding as it is, lasers are being used to help patients manage their back pain. This new therapy is now offered at SOHMA Integrative Medicine of Long Beach. We use Erchonia’s FX 635 laser which has resulted in a 72% success rate in their clinical trial. In May of 2018 the FDA cleared this medical device for use in helping patience reduce pain and accelerate the natural healing abilities of the body.

When treated with laser therapy, the skin is exposed to light particles. Which are absorbed by the cell’s mitochondria triggering the production of a natural occurring chemical called adenosine triphosphate. Adenosine triphosphate is in charge of fueling the body’s cellular processes. By increasing production of adenosine triphosphate the body’s blood circulation may improve and speed up our natural healing abilities. The cells exposed to the lasers remain unharmed throughout the therapy, and return to their normal processes afterwards.

While a new form of alternative pain relief, laser therapy is considered a viable treatment option for people who are looking to manage their back pain while avoiding drugs and surgeries. 

Why Choose Laser Therapy?

The majority of health experts would agree that non-invasive treatments are often preferable to surgery whenever available. Other common forms of pain management includes over-the- counter NSAIDs like aspirin or ibuprofen which only reduce pain temporarily, and come with their own side effects. While prescribed painkillers can significantly reduce pain, many of them have a high addiction risk.

Laser therapy can provide effective pain relief at an affordable cost, without the risks involved with surgeries and pharmaceuticals. Typical side effects include soreness or swelling which lasts for only a few hours, and in rare cases some patients report some bruising which fades away after a few days. Compared to surgeries which can take months to recover from laser therapy effectively has no down time.

Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine

Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can reach out to us and ask us about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health. 

Located in Long Beach, CA we help individuals from the surrounding cities.

We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health.

5 Ways Decompression Therapy can Help Your Spine

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Every year millions of Americans suffer with back pain, this can be caused by injury, trauma, aging or lifestyle choices. With proper rest, stretching and recovery you can manage back pain without any treatment, though many people often ignore the pain symptoms assuming they’ll go away on their own. 

The spine is an integral part of your body, which not only holds up your body weight, it houses the nerves that send signals to your muscles which control nearly all your motor functions. Your spine is put under pressure the moment you wake up, and when not adequately taken care of can lead to chronic pain, nerve damage, disc herniation and more. Spinal decompression therapy has been shown to help people in pain recover.

Today we are going to go over 5 different ways decompression therapy can help maintain your spine healthy.

Pain Reduction

Most people looking to have decompression therapy are looking for ways to reduce pain in their back. Your lower back carries the bulk of your weight and compression can be made worse when sitting for long periods of time.

Inflammation is commonly the reason for pain in your back and spine. By decreasing inflammation it will also decrease the symptoms caused by herniated discs and a misaligned spine.

Herniated Discs

Herniated discs, also known as bulging discs happen when the soft tissue used to cushion and connect the vertebrae is injured, typically this is caused by constant strain, trauma or injury to the spine. Herniated discs are incredibly difficult to treat due to the body getting used to the misalignment even if it causes pain. It’s not uncommon to see discs move back to their improper position after a return visit.

Decompression therapy aids in correcting herniated discs. When the spine is being decompressed by the spinal traction, a small amount of negative pressure allows the discs to naturally return to their original position.

Prevent Surgery

Many spine problems are often solved with expensive surgery, this involves invasive procedures and high recovery times. Decompression therapy can help treat many issues that would otherwise require surgery such as:

  • Herniated Disc
  • Degenerative Disc Disease
  • Posterior Facet Syndrome
  • Sciatica

There are many risks involved with spinal surgery as well as with any surgery including that it may not result in any improvement of back pain. Other common risks related with spinal surgery include:

  • Infection
  • Bleeding
  • Blood Clots
  • Nerve and/or Tissue Damage

Low recovery times

After decompression therapy there is essentially no down time needed for recovery. A decompression therapy session may last anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes and when you are done you should feel some relief from your back pain, and be able to continue enjoying your day. Decompression therapy rarely has negative side effects associated with it.

Occasionally, patients report a feeling of soreness or a dull ache for a few days as the body is adjusting to the decompression. This feeling is related often to the soreness you would feel after a hard workout at the gym. In rare occasions, decompression therapy can cause muscles to spasm or the patient will sometimes feel pain go through their arms and legs. 

Affordable alternative

Surgeries are risky for many of the reasons stated above, however many spinal surgeries can also cost in the tens of thousands of dollars. Which can also leave you unable to work while in recovery.

Decompression therapy has been shown to be a viable alternative to surgery. Decompression therapy has been effective in over 75% of the patients receiving it as treatment and many of them report long term pain relief and at the time of completing the program result in effective back pain management.

Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine

Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can reach out to us and ask us about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health. 

Located in Long Beach, CA we help individuals from the surrounding cities.

We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health.