SOHMA Integrative Medicine

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 Physical Therapy for Lower Back Pain

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Lower back pain therapy is a common issue but having the correct physical therapy can help with these issues.

Lower back pain affects many Americans every year. It is estimated that up to 84% of adults have suffered from lower back pain at some point in their lives. Several reasons can cause lower back pain. They feel the pain only results from sleeping wrong and that it’ll go away. It can lead to chronic lower back pain.

Physical therapy can help with a wide range of conditions. The primary goals of physical therapy are to strengthen your lower back and reduce pain. After physical therapy, you should have enough function to tolerate daily activities independently.

Join me as we go over how physical therapy can be used to manage lower back pain.

What Causes Back Pain

There are many causes of back pain. Some reasons you may not think would cause back pain. Posture throughout the day can impact your back. This includes slouching at the desk in the office and driving without good lumbar support. Many people live a sedentary lifestyle, and even trips to the gym can still occur. Often, the lower back muscles don’t get strengthened.

Office work, drivers, and baby care are industries where lower back pain is most common. Sitting in the same position for long periods of time can cause damage to your spine. Usually, this is because of poor posture, which can negatively affect your spine’s health. Injuries caused by accidents and trauma can also lead to lower back pain.

It’s important to keep these symptoms in mind. More severe conditions such as osteoarthritis and degenerative disk disease can also cause chronic lower back pain and, if left ignored, can take longer to heal. 

It’s common for people to develop lower back pain as they age. Osteoarthritis and degenerative disk disease can cause many types of lower back pain. Osteoarthritis is one of the most common forms of arthritis among older adults. Degenerative disk disease occurs when the spinal disks wear and tear, often as we age, but it can occur at any age depending on body composition and fitness. Other sources of back pain can include physical trauma from automobile accidents or sports injuries.

How Does Physical Therapy Help?

Every patient has a unique physical therapy program tailored to their needs. Some patients may find rapid improvement after just a few sessions, in which case the patient may be taught exercises to do at home to help the recovery process. In cases where the patient doesn’t see improvement, it may be required to adjust the program; however, if there is still little to no improvement or if the patient’s condition worsens, surgery may be needed. Physical therapy can be used in preparation for surgery to ensure the body is ready for the procedure. At the same time, physical therapy is helpful post-surgery to increase recovery times.

What do I do After Physical Therapy?

Once your personalized program is completed, and your lower back pain is managed, you’ll be ready to go back to enjoying your life. Physical therapy can be helpful as maintenance to make sure the lower back pain doesn’t return. Many exercises you learn while doing physical therapy can be done at home or the gym. There are many benefits to physical therapy after completing your program. Scheduling a physical therapy session as preventative maintenance can help ensure your back pain is well managed.

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.

What Does the Laser Do at the Chiropractor?

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Laser Therapy and Chiropractic are complimentary treatments.

It’s well understood that chiropractic care can alleviate pain and aid in the natural healing process. Laser therapy is a new way to help relieve chronic and acute pain. What happens when these two therapies are combined?

Join me as we explore how combining these two therapies can result in a more focused recovery.

How Does Laser Therapy Aid in Healing?

Many people are skeptical when introduced to laser therapy. After all, how can shining a light on my skin help manage pain?

Cold laser therapy, also known as low-level laser therapy, effectively treats chronic and acute pains and is incredibly useful in conjunction with chiropractic care. Erchonia’s FX 635 laser has a 72% success rate in clinical trials. The device was approved by the FDA in 2018 to be used in managing pain and has proven to be a safer, more effective treatment option than surgery or pharmaceuticals.

With around 80% of adults suffering from lower back pain at some point in their life, many seek help managing their pain. Unfortunately, about 60% of them will be prescribed opioids to reduce pain symptoms. The opioids mask the pain and typically don’t lead to the body’s healing. Opioids can be dangerous and addictive if taken for extended periods.

At SOHMA Integrated Medicine in Long Beach, CA, we offer cold laser therapy, which among other benefits, can help with pain management. Laser therapy uses specific wavelengths that can stimulate the body’s natural healing process. When the skin is exposed to light particles, it triggers the cell to produce a natural chemical called adenosine triphosphate, which is needed to fuel the body’s cellular processes. The increased production of adenosine triphosphate may improve the body’s blood circulation in the affected area, promoting our natural healing abilities. The cells exposed to the lasers return to their normal processes after the therapy and remain unharmed.

Why do Laser Therapy and Chiropractic Care Work Well Together?

Chiropractic care often emphasizes the physical manipulation of the spine and joints to relieve pain. However, it’s also used to increase the range of motion, improve posture and minimize migraine and neck-related headaches. There are many other benefits of seeing a chiropractor though many patients seek chiropractic care to avoid risky pharmaceutical or expensive surgeries. 

Laser therapy’s benefits include reducing swelling, decreasing stiffness and pain, and returning to the normal function of joints. Laser therapy is also used to accelerate cellular reproduction leading to faster healing. Increase vasodilation to increase blood flow to the affected area and promote healing. Laser therapy can achieve these results safely.

When combining chiropractic and cold laser therapy, results are improved. Beneficial outcomes include pain relief and accelerated healing. Every person is different, and results vary depending on the severity of the injury or condition and the patient’s physical fitness, composition, and age. 

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.

How Long Does a Myers Cocktail IV Last?

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Myers Cocktails are a great intravenous treatment whose effects can be surprisingly long.

Have you ever felt sluggish or tired? Many people think they’re having a particularly off day or perhaps hadn’t slept well. And although this can be the case, oftentimes it can be due to an imbalance of nutrients in your body.

This is where the Myer’s Cocktail IV therapy can help. The same kind of IV you would see in hospital settings is used to administer a fluid formula with critical nutrients the body needs to function well.

You may be wondering “where can I find a Myer’s cocktail near me?” luckily SOHMA Integrative Medicine has two locations, in Long Beach CA and you are always welcome.

Join me as we discover the long term benefits of Myers Cocktail IV therapy, and how long Myer’s Cocktail IV lasts.

What is Myer’s Cocktail?

As previously stated, Myer’s cocktail contains a blend of critical nutrients your body needs to work properly. Nutrients like vitamins C, 12 and  B-Complex vitamins help in boosting your immune system, impact your energy levels, improve brain function and metabolism.

Minerals such as magnesium, and calcium aid in bone formation, reduce fatigue, muscle spasms and migraines. Glutathione is an antioxidant that naturally occurs in the body, it also helps boost your immune system. Zinc, though not naturally created by our bodies, is a necessary mineral. Zinc deficiency can lead to hair loss, weak immune system, poor mood and cause wounds to heal slower.

Why through an IV drip? Why not a multivitamin?

Although oral supplements such as tablets can be taken by just swallowing, the body needs to first process and break down the tablet through the digestive system. Unfortunately many of the nutrients can be lost during this process. While some may think just taking more supplements can fill this gap, it can leave your stomach irritated and cause unnecessary pain.

This can leave your body with a much smaller dose than intended. Because the Myer’s Cocktail is delivered directly to the bloodstream, the body can have complete bioavailability without compromising the intended dose, giving you the greatest benefit.

Long Term Benefits of Myer’s Cocktail

Some of the short term benefits of Myer’s cocktail can be amazing. This includes help fighting pesky hangovers, hydrating after grueling workouts, and even alleviating stress. With regular use, however, Myer’s cocktail IV therapy can show long term benefits.

These benefits include reducing the severity and frequency of migraine, boost your immune system, reduce acute muscle spasms and acute asthma attacks among others.

This begs the question of how often should people do a Myer’s cocktail IV therapy. For those who are looking to keep their mind and body in a state of healthy balance, once a month is should be sufficient, however some may opt for more frequent visits if they are trying to resolve an issue or have an active lifestyle.

How Long Does Myers Cocktail Last

Like many therapies and modalities, this all depends on the individual patient. The fluids themselves should leave your body after a few hours. Though the nutrients delivered through the IV drip can be in your body for days or months. Depending on lifestyle, body composition and age the benefits of a Myer’s cocktail IV therapy can last about three days to a week. While others may notice the benefits for a month or until they’re body is out of balance again.

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.

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.