Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is often the cornerstone of recovery when it comes to neurologic conditions. At Neurology Office, we actively refer patients to physical therapists with years of experience. They are extremely skilled in working with the neurologists and professionals in identifying, evaluating, and treating patients with neurologic conditions.
Physical therapy is helpful for a variety of reasons, including improving range of motion and function, reducing pain and inflammation in the joints, tendons, and ligaments. Reducing physical discomfort, improving flexibility, and improving gait and balance. Stabilization of affected areas as well as strengthening is quite helpful and providing patient education and home exercise training is also extremely helpful.
The treatment usually consists of initial evaluation, where the patient’s clinical history, diagnostic assessment and treatment plan are reviewed. Following this, the therapy treatment sessions are anywhere from 30-75 minutes, depending on the type of therapy that is being provided. The therapist will work closely with the physician, to ensure that the appropriate treatment plan is being pursued, and the therapeutic results are being gained.
Occupational Therapy
Our certified occupational therapist has over two decades of experience working with patients. She is uniquely skilled, and treats problems involving the neck, shoulder, arms and hands.
Her treatment is often quite effective for those suffering from the lasting effects of a stroke, carpal tunnel, nerve root involvement, cervical problems, and shoulder girdle problems.
Very much like physical therapy, although localized to a very specific part of the body, the initial evaluation is to assess the problem, review the diagnostic program, and outline the appropriate treatment plan. Follow-up visits will include anywhere from 30-75 minutes of patient care, as well as manual care, modalities, range of motion exercises.
All of this is with the goal to increase function, reduce pain, increase flexibility and to avoid reinjury. Also, increasing manual dexterity and fine finger function, as well as grip strength and use of the hand and arm is also quite important. Patient education and home exercise programs are also individually tailored and provided.
There are a variety of physical therapy interventions, some of which include the following:
- Cervical and lumbar traction: This provides spinal distraction and can be quite effective for nerve root conditions, disc protrusion and herniation problems.
- Manual therapy: This includes a variety of techniques, including stretch, mobilization of the joints, myofascial release, as well as trigger release.
- Passive modalities: This includes heat, ultrasound, muscle stimulation, massage, myofascial release. Paraffin therapy is often quite effective as well.
- Postural retraining: This helps with patients with dizziness, disequilibrium, and imbalance.
- Vestibular rehabilitation: This is quite helpful for conditions of the inner ear, as well as the brainstem, including Ménière’s and vertigo.
- Strengthening program, including personal one-on-one attention with strength training, weight training, conditioning, and rehabilitation.
- Evaluation and education regarding home exercise programs, particularly with the appropriate limits and appropriate timeframes are provided.
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Medications
In this day and age of high tech healthcare, while the history, physical exam, and additional diagnostic testing are essential, treatment options include manual care, therapeutic care, but often also have to rely on modern medications.
Neurology Office is able to provide expert advice in the use of the least amount of medication to perform the appropriate service, that being to alleviate the patient’s symptom complex and/or pain, improve function, and restore health.
Whether this is medications to alleviate seizures, or to reduce the frequency and severity of migraine, or whether it is medications to provide control of painful conditions such as nerve root entrapments, disc herniations, or alleviate painful muscles related to such disorders as fibromyalgia, lupus, or other connective tissue disorders. Medications in the form of antiinflammatories, muscle relaxers, pain medications, and even at times sedative medications to assist with the sleep initiation and maintenance will be offered. This will be provided for the shortest duration of time that it takes to alleviate the symptom complex.
Additional Specialty Care
Dr. Kandel works closely with a number of prominent specialists in the community, including pain management specialists, orthopedic physicians, as well as chiropractic physicians and massage therapists. If he cannot perform these services in his own office, he will absolutely make sure that you will have quick and easy access to the appropriate speciality treatment that you will need.