UNDERSTANDING STRESS AND YOUR BODY Life s demands create stress and although some stress may be good, too much can cause health problems. Most people equate stress with high blood pressure, a heart attack or a stroke. But did you know headaches, dizziness, neck and shoulder pain can be stress-related too? Financial pressures, long work weeks, and medical problems contribute to anxieties and everyday stress. Chronic headaches, usually accompanied by extreme fatigue are almost always a sign of stress. People have literally lived on Tylenol and Ibuprofen for years because they constantly had a nagging headache, induced by the high amount of stress in their life. Some research suggests that people with tension headaches are especially prone to see everyday events as stressful. A greater concern is that those who have headaches frequently are at higher risk of depression and anxiety. Headaches can range from minor nagging pains, to full-blown migraines that knock you off your feet for a day or two. Any headache, whether tremendous pain or not, should be a warning sign to you, if you are under a lot of stress. Prolonged stress can become chronic, resulting in muscle tension sometimes felt as stiff achy pains in the neck or shoulders. The source of stress-related pain lies in the brain, so when you feel under pressure it triggers the release of cortisol, adrenaline and other hormones that prepare the body for action by, for example, increasing heart rate, blood pressure and respiration. www.magnoliatherapyla.com
Understanding Stress and Your Body (continued) Less noticeably, these hormones also make muscles tense up, which can cause aches and irritate nerves. One may feel pain in the shoulders, neck, upper back, and even sometimes radiating out to the upper arms. Most people who are under a great deal of stress complain about having neck and shoulder pain. The most intense pain usually lies directly in the back and upper sides of the neck. The pain then radiates into the shoulder area. This is why most people who are stressed treat themselves to frequent neck and shoulder massages. While massages help to relieve some symptoms, physical therapy goes far beyond to evaluate and treat the root cause of your pain. Muscular tightness may have led to poor joint function and weakness in other areas. At Magnolia Physical Therapy, our noninvasive treatments can reduce pain with the added benefits of posture correction and preventive body mechanics. Our therapists have expert training in gentle therapeutic exercises to help reduce the physical changes from prolonged stress. Regularly shedding your daily tensions through movement, physical therapy and physical activity can help you remain calm and clear in everything that you do. Why Choose Magnolia? Expert therapists Focused on achieving fast results We take the time to listen to you We spend time educating you on your problem and how to solve it Friendly, courteous staff On time appointments Doctor recommended Who do you know tha
Patient Results Headaches are gone! Success Story - A.G. I used to get headaches everyday... some were so bad I could barely function. After coming to Magnolia my headaches are gone and my neck (which I never even knew was the main cause of my headaches) feels so much better! My neck is feeling better! Success Story - J.L. When I first came to Magnolia after a car accident, my neck was very stiff, sore and I was experiencing headaches. The treatment and care I received at Magnolia has been wonderful. Everyone is so knowledgeable and especially kind, and my neck is feeling much better! at needs our help? CARE to SHARE If you know someone suffering with aches and pains Care to Share and give them this newsletter or send them directly to Magnolia Physical Therapy. They will thank you and so will we! Magnolia Can Help You: Decrease your pain Increase your strength Increase your activity level Increase your flexibility Improve your health Get back to living
Wellness Services If you or someone you know is suffering from pain or tension in your neck and shoulders and are experiencing frequent headaches, give us a call to see which of our wellness services is right for you! Magnolia Physical Therapy offers Massage Therapy, Gentle/ Restorative Yoga and Wellness Tune-ups. Here s how we can help you: Relieve neck and shoulder pain Increase function and mobility Lower stress Soothe anxiety and depression Lift mood and outlook Reduce occurrence of headaches Reduce the strength of headaches Promote healthy sleep Give us a call for more information...we ll have you on your way to pain free living and an increased quality of life! www.magnoliatherapyla.com CALL TODAY! Ask the EXPERTS Talk to our experts about how PT can relieve your pain! FREE Pain Relief Consultation Back and neck pain Arthritis Shoulder and arm pain Hip / knee / ankle pain Walking / balance difficulties CALL TODAY! Harahan: (504) 733-0254 New Orleans: (504) 943-8026 Uptown: (504) 309-5460
Exercise Essentials Try these simple exercises to help relieve neck pain... Always consult your physical therapist or physician before starting exercises you are unsure of doing. LEVATOR SCAPULAE STRETCH Grasp your arm on the affected side and tilt your head downward and to the side until a stretch is felt. CHIN TUCK - SUPINE While lying on your back, tuck your chin towards your chest and press the back of your head into the table. Maintain contact of head with the surface you are lying on the entire time. DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING While lying down on your back, place one hand on your breast bone and one hand on your abdomen near your navel. Slowly take a deep breath in and focus on trying to get your hand on your navel to rise while the hand on your breast bone remains still. SCAPULAR RETRACTION Hold your hands behind your back and slowly raise them off your back in a backward direction. Exercises copyright of HEP2GO www.hep2go.com Free Home Rehab Exercise Program SHARE Please share these exercises with friends and family members to help them stay healthy and free from pain. SAVE Save these in a place where you can easily use them as needed. Watch for more exercises in our next issue. Call or come in if you feel you are not moving like you used to. We will get you the results you deserve!
www.magnoliatherapyla.com facebook.com/magnoliatherapy Twitter.com/Magnolia_PT 5606 Jefferson Hwy, Harahan, LA 70123 P: (504) 733-0254 2372 St. Claude Ave, Ste 264, New Orleans, LA 70117 P: (504) 943-8026 3434 Prytania, Suite 310, New Orleans, LA 70115 P: (504) 309-5460 From Our Family To Yours We started a practice with a vision in mind, to help people recover quickly from pain and limited function. Magnolia Physical Therapy has grown to 3 different locations servicing thousands of patients each year. The reason for our explosive growth? A commitment to treating our patients and referring physicians like family, staying on top of cutting edge physical therapy treatments, and obtaining the best outcomes possible. Thank you for being part of our family and know that we are always here to help you reach your health goals. www.magnoliatherapyla.com