Rehabilitation in Pittsburgh

Are you looking for help with rehabilitation in Pittsburgh? The team at Morreale Chiropractic is here to help.

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CONDITIONS THAT REHABILITATION HELPS IN PITTSBURGH PA

Rehabilitation helps restore function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities of patients suffering from injuries or disease. Physiotherapy or "medically directed rehabilitation" helps restore, maintain, and promote overall fitness and health. Our Pittsburgh patients include accident victims and individuals with disabling conditions such as spinal pain, osteoarthritis, disc herniation, stenosis, sprains, strains and whiplash just to name a few.

Treatment often includes exercise and stretching, especially for patients who have been who lack flexibility, strength or endurance. Rehabilitation helps encourage patients to use their muscles to increase their flexibility and range of motion. More advanced exercises focus on improving strength, balance, coordination and endurance. The goal is to improve how an individual functions at work and at home.

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FAQ'S ABOUT REHABILITATION

Do I need to see the doctor before I can receive rehabilitation?

• Yes. All rehabilitation patients are evaluated by one of the chiropractors prior to their therapy being prescribed.

What is the difference between chiropractor and a physical therapist?

• Both chiropractors and physical therapists perform a comprehensive analysis of range of motion, including identifying the joints involved, tissue limitations, muscular imbalances and structural pathologies. A chiropractor will treat the spine and extremities and are able to order special tests like X-rays, MRI’s, CT’s. The biggest difference in Pennsylvania is that chiropractors are licensed to perform manipulation, where physical therapists are not.

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HOW FUNCTIONAL REHABILITATION WORKS

Our bodies were designed to be in motion, but past injuries and our day-to-day habits can alter the bodies movement patterns and cause improper function and then subsequently, pain. These changes in the muscle movements can put a strain on surrounding tissues and joints over time, causing a decrease in the patients range of motion and thus discomfort and pain. Faulty movement patterns are often the result of muscle weakness, poor posture, improper lifting and poor ergonomics at work (and home!). Functional rehabilitation is a treatment that employs low tech, functionally based exercises to help retrain those affected muscles and joints. Unlike traditional physical therapy, functional rehabilitation focuses on the area of dysfunction, not necessarily the area of pain. 

At Morreale Chiropractic, we utilize functional rehabilitation to create a custom treatment and exercise program for the individual patient. To do this, our doctors and certified athletic trainers will break down improper motions, introduce new patterns of movement and provide the patient with further low-tech strengthening techniques. Better mechanics will lead to better movement and better movement will lead to less pain and prevent future injury and discomfort. 

Our goal at Morreale Chiropractic is to get you back to your daily routine and provide you with the tools to live pain free.

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BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT

It is a good idea to arrive at your chiropractic appointment properly dressed. It is best that you wear comfortable clothing that doesn't restrict your movement. It is also a good idea to bring your insurance card, a form of identification and if needed, your co-pay.

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TYPES OF THERAPY WE OFFER

Electrical Muscle Stimulation

Electrical Muscle Stimulation is an exceptional way to help the body in the healing process. This is accomplished by sending a very small electrical current into the affected soft tissue injury or muscle spasm. The therapy utilizes this current in an effort to loosen the muscle and release trigger points that may have the muscle tight or spasmed. It does this by helping the body to release natural relievers of pain often referred to as endorphins.

This is a great therapy if there is tightness in the muscles that support the spine and the extremities. It works well in relaxing the muscle and allowing it to return to its normal state rather quickly. Short therapy sessions are excellent at facilitating healing from acute and chronic pain.

Interferential Therapy

Inferential Therapy is an excellent method of helping the body deal with pain, tightness and inflammation. This therapy is used for patients with sprain/strains, whiplash, disc problems, sciatica, rotator cuff tears and issues related to soft tissues. This therapy accomplishes this with a very low simulated frequency that is put on the soft tissue. The feeling of this therapy is very light and most patients feel very comfortable during the treatment.

Laser Therapy

Laser therapy is a non-invasive technique used to alleviate pain, reduce inflammation and accelerate recovery from a wide range of acute and chronic clinical conditions. Class 4 laser therapy can be safely used as an adjunct or replacement for some pharmaceutical drugs. This pain relief treatment is FDA cleared and enables patients to have an alternative to drugs and surgery. Here are some of the benefits of a Class IV laser:

• Reduce inflammation, decrease pain, improve range of motion
• Accelerate tissue regeneration
• Decrease scar tissue and fibrosis
• Accelerate wound healing
• Minimize recovery time
• Non-invasive

Laser therapy treatments last between 10 and 15 minutes depending on the condition being treated. Class 4 laser therapy treatments must be administered directly to skin, as laser light cannot penetrate through layers of clothing. Typically, you will feel a soothing warmth as the therapy is administered. Most patients see results after 4-6 short treatments.

Spinal Decompression (Also Known as Spinal Traction) 

Nonsurgical spinal decompression is a type of motorized traction that helps relieve neck and lower back pain caused but osteoarthritis, stenosis and herniated discs. Spinal decompression works by gently stretching the spine at certain angles. That changes the force and position of the spine and the discs. This change takes pressure off the spinal discs, which are gel-like cushions between the bones in your spine, by creating negative pressure in the disc. As a result, bulging or herniated discs begin to retract, taking pressure off nerves and other structures in your spine. This in turn, helps promote movement of water, oxygen, and nutrient-rich fluids into the discs so they can heal.

Our chiropractors have used nonsurgical spinal decompression to treat:

• Neck or lower back pain, sciatica and numbness or tingling down the arms
• Bulging or herniated discs or degenerative disc disease
• Worn spinal joints (called posterior facet syndrome)
• Injured or diseased spinal nerve roots

If you are interested in chiropractic and rehabilitation in Pittsburgh, call Morreale Chiropractic today!