March 2018

March 27, 2018Health & Wellness

TENS stands for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation and it is a small machine
with electrodes that send stimulating pulses along nerve strands and across the skin’s surface.
These impulses help to reduce pain by encouraging the body to produce more endorphins, which
act as a natural painkiller. Electrodes are placed at specific sites on a user’s body depending on
the physical location of their pain. The current travels through electrodes and into the skin
stimulating specific nerve pathways to produce a tingling or massaging sensation that reduces the
perception of pain.

The gate-control theory suggests that there’s a neural mechanism in spinal cord that acts
as a kind of gate, shutting down or opening up the flow of signals from the periphery to the
brain. Whether the gate is open, closed or partially closed depends on what sort of signal it
receives from the brain to change the perception of pain in the user’s body. These frequencies
interfere with the transmission of pain messages at the so spinal cord level, and help block their
transmission to the brain. Another theory is called The Endorphin Release, which suggests that
electrical impulses stimulate the production of endorphins and enkaphalins in the body. These
natural morphine-like substances block pain messages from reaching the brain, in a similar
fashion to conventional drug therapy, but without the danger of dependence of other side effects.

TENS are used by hundreds of thousands of people all over the world for the relief of
physical pain. This is why hundreds of doctors, nurses, and patient technicians often recommend
that their patients use TENS for minor and major pain relief. Some common uses for TENS
treatment are: acute and chronic pain, post-op incisions and post-surgical pain, labor, and

delivery, migraine and tension headaches, acute pain from sports and other injuries, arthritis,
chronic pain from tendentious and bursitis, cancer pain, and wound healing.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns please contact us today at Comprehensive
Health Orlando.

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March 23, 2018Health & Wellness

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common condition that causes pain, numbness, and
weakness in the hands and wrist. It occurs when there is increased pressure on a nerve called the
median nerve. This nerve provides sensation to the thumb, index and middle fingers, and to half
of the ring finger. The small finger, pinky, is typically not affected. The median nerve also
provides strength to some of the muscles at the base of the thumb. The carpal tunnel is a narrow
canal in the wrist. The bottom and sides of the tunnel are formed by a semi-circle of bones called
carpal bones. A strong tissue, called a ligament, forms the top of the tunnel. The median nerve
and tendons pass through this narrow space. Tendons allow the fingers and thumb to bend and
straighten. Conditions that further narrow the carpal tunnel or cause the tendons that pass
through this tunnel to swell cause carpal tunnel syndrome by compressing the median nerve.

Symptoms usually begin slowly and can occur at any time. Early symptoms include
numbness at night, tingling, and/or pain in the fingers. In fact, because some people sleep with
their wrists curled, nighttime symptoms are common and can awake people from sleep. These
nighttime symptoms are often the first reported symptoms. Shaking the hands helps relieve
symptoms in the early stage of the condition. Common daytime symptoms are tingling and
decreased feeling in the fingertips. Patients also report difficulty handling small objects, grasping
a steering wheel to drive, holding a book to read, writing, and using a computer keyboard. As
carpal tunnel syndrome worsens, symptoms become more constant. Weakness in the hand,
inability to perform tasks that require delicate motions, and dropping objects begin to occur. In
the most severe condition, the muscles at the base of the thumb visibly shrink in size.

Carpal tunnel syndrome tends to come on slowly and get worse with time. But if you treat it
early on, you can slow it down or stop it in its tracks. Early treatment can also make for a shorter
recovery time. Typically, you start with basic remedies, like wrist braces. An occupational or
physical therapist can help in a couple of ways. They may give you exercises to stretch and
strengthen your hand and wrist muscles. They can also show you how to change your routine
motions in a way that eases stress on your hands and wrists. That can be especially helpful when it
comes to tasks related to work or your favorite hobbies.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns please contact us here at Comprehensive Health
Orlando!

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March 20, 2018Health & Wellness

Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints. It can affect one joint or multiple joints. There
are more than 100 different types of arthritis, with different causes and treatment methods. Two
of the most common types are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. The symptoms of arthritis
usually develop over time, but they may also appear suddenly. Arthritis is most commonly seen
in adults over the age of 65, but it can also develop in children, teens, and younger adults.
Arthritis is more common in women than men and in people who are overweight.

Joint pain, stiffness, and swelling are the most common symptoms of arthritis. Your range of
motion may also decrease, and you may experience redness of the skin around the joint. Many
people with arthritis notice their symptoms are worse in the morning hours. You may feel tired
or experience a loss of appetite due to the inflammation the immune system’s activity causes.
You may also become anemic, have a slight fever and severe arthritis can cause joint deformity
if left untreated. Cartilage is a firm but flexible connective tissue in your joints. It protects the
joints by absorbing the pressure and shock created when you move and put stress on them. A
reduction in the normal amount of this cartilage tissue cause some forms of arthritis. An infection
or injury to the joints can exacerbate this natural breakdown of cartilage tissue.

The main goal of treatment is to reduce the amount of pain you’re experiencing and prevent
additional damage to the joints. You’ll learn what works best for you in terms of controlling the
pain. Some people find heating pads and ice packs to be soothing. Others use mobility assistance
devices, like canes or walkers, to help take pressure off sore joints. Improving your joint function
is also important. Physical therapy involving exercises that help strengthen the muscles around
the affected joint is a core component of arthritis treatment.

If you have any comments, questions or concerns please contact us here at Comprehensive
Health Orlando.

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March 16, 2018Health & Wellness

Your feet must last a lifetime, and most Americans log an amazing 75,000 miles on their
feet by the time they reach age 50. Regular foot care can make sure your feet are up to the task.
With proper detection, intervention, and care, most foot and ankle problems can be lessened or
prevented. A change in your feet, whether on the skin, nails, or even how they feel, can be the
first sign of a potentially serious problem that, if caught early, could save your life. Our feet are
the first parts to be affected by nerve issues because they’re the farthest from our hearts and
spine. Even more reason to never ignore your feet. They’re easily compromised when our bodies
feel threatened, since we send blood to the internal organs and the brain before the extremities.

When it comes to running and fitness, very few people stop and think about the two most
important words: your feet. They contain 52 bones, 66 joints, 40 muscles, and hundreds of
sensory receptors, tendons, and ligaments, collectively forming two of the body’s most
beautifully efficient mechanisms. It’s about time that we got to know them! Feet are excellent at
collecting information. Thousands of neurological receptors in the feet send valuable information
to the brain to tell your body where it is in space and what the terrain is like. Actively stimulating
these receptors improves balance, increases circulation, and enhances overall foot health.

Exercises that improve flexibility help keep your feet limber and may reduce your risk for
injury. Don’t worry if your feet have grown stiff with age; studies show that no matter how old
you are, you can still improve your flexibility. The easiest way to build flexibility is through
slow and gentle daily stretches, focusing on one group of muscles at a time.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please contact us here at Comprehensive
Health Orlando.

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March 13, 2018Health & Wellness

Stress is a natural physical and mental reaction to life experiences. Everyone expresses
stress from time to time. Anything from everyday responsibilities like work and family to serious
life events such as a new diagnosis, war, or the death of a loved one can trigger stress. For
immediate, short-term situations, stress can be beneficial to your health. It can help you cope
with potentially serious situations. Your body responds to stress by releasing hormones that
increase your heart and breathing rates and ready your muscles to respond. Yet if your stress
response doesn’t stop firing, and these stress levels stay elevated far longer than is necessary for
survival, it can take a toll on your health. Chronic stress can cause a variety of symptoms and
affect your overall well-being. Symptoms of stress include irritability, anxiety, depression,
headaches, and insomnia.
Your muscles tense up to protect themselves from injury when you’re stressed. They tend
to release again once you relax, but if you’re constantly under stress, your muscles may not get
the chance to relax. Tight muscles cause headaches, back and shoulder pain, and body aches.
Over time, this can set off an unhealthy cycle as you stop exercising and turn to pain medication
for relief.
Reducing your stress levels can not only make you feel better right now, but may also
protect your health long-term. Identify what’s causing stress. Monitor your state of mind
throughout the day. If you feel stressed, write down the cause, your thoughts and your mood.
Once you know what’s bothering you, develop a plan for addressing it. That might mean setting

more reasonable expectations for yourself and others or asking for help with household
responsibilities, job assignments or other tasks. List all your commitments, assess your priorities
and then eliminate any tasks that are not absolutely essential. If you continue to feel
overwhelmed, consult with a licensed mental health professional who can help you learn how to
manage stress effectively. He or she can help you identify situations or behaviors that contribute
to your chronic stress and then develop an action plan for changing them.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please contact us today!

Comprehensive Health Orlando

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March 2, 2018Health & Wellness

Muscle spasms are involuntary spontaneous contractions of a muscle. Although they seem to occur out of the blue, the movement that triggers the incident is generally followed by a series of small strains to the structures of the spine that develops slowly. When injured, inflammation sets in. This sensitizes the nerves, causing the muscles to contract and spasm.
Muscles can become too tight due to lack of exercise, too much exercise, structural imbalances, dehydration and electrolyte loss, or any combination of the few. One movement outside of the norm can trigger an injury to a spinal joint, ligament, or disc resulting in spasm and back pain. Once the back spasm episode has passed, and you’ve allowed enough time for the inflammation to subside, start focusing on what you can do to prevent it from happening again.
Incorporate stretching exercises into your daily routine. Muscle fibers benefit from gentle stretching. If you don’t engage in regular physical activity, now is the time to start. Exercise confers benefits too numerous to mention and too important to ignore. Always an important part of any exercise regimen, strength training not only builds muscle, it can reduce muscular imbalances. Muscles work in opposition to each other, so be sure to balance out your back strengthening routine with abdominal work.
Make avoiding another episode of muscle spasm a priority. It’s never too late to start increasing your strength and flexibility. Choose activities that you enjoy and commit to doing them on a regular basis.
If you have any questions, comments or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact us here at Comprehensive Health Orlando.

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