HealthBeat This month’s feature topics are
Diabetes & Physical Therapy
HealthBeat
HealthBeat is an excellent
opportunity for you to reach a health-conscious audience of readers. Next Month’s Topics: Fitness & Nutrition
To advertise your business, contact your advertising representative.
November: Diabetes & Physical Therapy
Advantages to physical therapy to relieve pain
Chronic pain affects people all around the world, greatly impacting sufferers’ quality of life. According to the American Academy of Pain Medicine, recent reports have indicated more than 1.5 billion people worldwide experience chronic pain. Common complaints include lower back pain, headache, neck pain, or neurogenic pain,
which is pain resulting from damage to peripheral nerves. Pain can impact people in many ways, as some people can tolerate discomfort better than others. Chronic pain may result in missed time at work, depression, anger, and an inability to live a full life. According to a recent Institute of Medicine Report:
Relieving Pain in America: A Blueprint for Transforming Prevention, Care, Education, and Research, pain is a significant public health problem that costs society at least $560 to $635 billion annually. To cope with pain, many people rely on over-the-counter and prescription medications. This reliance on drugs has helped to fuel pain medication addictions that can lead to other drug abuse. The National Institute on Drug Abuse says research now suggests that abuse of opioid pain medications may actually open the door to heroin use. Some individuals report switching to heroin because it is cheaper and easier to obtain than prescription opioids. A safer and sometimes more effective method of pain relief than opioids, physical therapy can help a person get back on track and feel much better in the process. The American Physical Therapy Association says while surgery and prescription drugs can be the best course of treatment for certain diagnoses, there is increasing evidence that conservative treatments like physical therapy can be equally effective and cheaper treatment plans for many conditions. Physical therapy can be as effective as surgery for meniscal tears and knee osteoarthritis, rotator cuff tears and spinal stenosis, among other conditions. When a patient is prescribed physical
Spearfish: 642.2761 • Sturgis/Rapid City: 641.8636
therapy, a therapist will develop a treatment plan that addresses the specific needs of the patient. This is essentially a collaboration between patient and physical therapist. Therapists are experts in improving mobility and motion and have studied extensively to that end. Because weakness or stiffness may be contributing to pain, therapists try to address the source of the pain and relieve the pain itself. Physical therapy may include exercises that stretch the body and improve flexibility. Strengthening exercises will help work on core muscles as well as other parts of the body to prevent injury down the road. Therapy may target specific areas of pain. Because of their expertise, therapists may be able to assess posture, gait and other attributes that may be contributing to injury and make suggestions to reduce recurrence. In addition to the therapies mentioned, a combination of massage and other work may be included in a physical therapy plan. This may include TENS and ultrasound. According to WebMD, Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, or TENS, uses a device to send a low-voltage electric current to the skin over the area where you have pain. Ultrasound sends sound waves to the places you have pain. Both of these options may help to block pain messages to the brain and offer relief.
Our team of skilled Doctors of Physical Therapy encourage you to try Physical Therapy first to solve your pain & movement challenges.
Cathy Sulentic Morcom, PT, DPT
Jens Matson, DPT, OCS, CMPT
Maria Matson, PT, DPT
Katie Schuelke, PT, DPT
Orthopaedic clinical specialist (OCS), Certified manual PT, Certified industrial medicine, and Certified alignment based yoga practitioners.
Celebrating 25 Years SERVING THE BLACK HILLS
520 N. Canyon St., Spearfish • 605-642-7996 www.bhphysicaltherapy.com
HealthBeat November: Diabetes & Physical Therapy
How diabetes patients can prepare for COVID-19 Life during the COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging. Millions of people have lost their jobs, while millions more have been forced to accept reduced salaries. Coupled with those financial challenges, the public health crisis presented by COVID-19 has made 2020 a year many people would love to forget. The COVID-19 virus has proven more challenging or stressful for some than others. At the dawn of the outbreak, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that people with certain underlying medical conditions are at increased risk of serious illness from COVID-19. That includes people with type 2 diabetes. The American Diabetes Association® (ADA) urges people with diabetes to make a plan to confront COVID-19 before they feel any symptoms or are diagnosed with the virus. Such a plan can focus on gathering the supplies necessary should you be diagnosed with the virus
or if restrictions on leaving your home are tightened as the weather cools down and people spend more time indoors, a situation that many researchers feel will lead to an uptick in COVID-19 cases. In addition, plans should include conversations with your health care team so you’re in better position to overcome the virus should you be diagnosed.
Gathering supplies
• Make a list of important contacts. Create a list of phone numbers of your doctors and healthcare team, including your pharmacy and your insurance provider. Keep the list on your refrigerator door or in another easily accessible place. • Make a list of medications and doses, including vitamins and supplements. • Stock your pantry with simple carbs like regular soda, honey, jam, Jell-O, hard candies, or popsicles to help keep your blood sugar up or if you are too ill to eat. • Get extra refills of your prescriptions.
If a state of emergency is declared, extra refills on your prescriptions can ensure you do not have to leave the house when it might not be safe to do so. • Look into having medications delivered. If you can’t get to the pharmacy, inquire about having your medications delivered so you can limit your exposure to the virus. • Restock your insulin. Always have enough insulin available for the week ahead in case you get sick or cannot refill your existing supply. • Recognize financial help is available. If you are struggling to pay for insulin, the ADA has resources to help. Learn more about these resources at InsulinHelp.org • Keep extra hygiene supplies on hand. Stock up on rubbing alcohol and soap to wash your hands in the event it becomes unsafe for you to go out. • Anticipate glucose fluctuations. Make sure to stock up on glucagon and ketone strips so you can handle lows and highs.
• Stock the pantry. Keep enough groceries on hand so that you will be prepared to stay at home for a period of time. It’s also wise to stock up on household cleaning supplies so you can keep your home clean even when you can’t get out and about. Diabetes patients are at increased risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19. As a result, patients must plan ahead in the event they become ill or if social distancing restrictions are tightened.