Dizziness and Falls
Falls and dizziness are closely linked because dizziness often impairs balance, coordination, and spatial awareness, making it difficult for individuals to maintain stability. Dizziness can result from conditions like vertigo or vestibular disorders, which directly affect the inner ear and the brain's ability to process spatial information, further heightening the risk of falls.
After a stroke, traumatic brain injury, or neurological diseases, some people may not recognize an impaired sense of balance, disorientation, unexplained dizziness, or light-headedness due to vestibular agnosia, as it affects the brain's ability to process vestibular information.
The Role of a Vestibular Therapist Includes:
Assessment and Diagnosis:
- Conducting tests to assess balance, dizziness, and vestibular function.
- Diagnosing conditions like vertigo, dizziness, or unsteadiness, often caused by issues with the inner ear, brain, or nerves.
Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT):
- Designing customized exercises to help patients improve balance, reduce dizziness, and retrain the brain to process vestibular information correctly.
- Common exercises may involve eye movements, head positioning, and balance training.
- The goal is to improve the brain's ability to compensate for vestibular dysfunction.
Management of Specific Conditions:
- Treating disorders like benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), Meniere's disease, labyrinthitis, and vestibular neuritis.
- Helping patients manage symptoms and improve function through exercises and lifestyle changes.
Education and Prevention:
- Teaching patients how to manage dizziness in daily activities.
- Providing guidance on home safety to prevent falls and improve quality of life.
- Offering advice on posture, body mechanics, and strategies to reduce dizziness during specific activities.
Joint Pain and Arthritis
Joint Pain refers to discomfort, soreness, or aches in any of the joints in the body.
Arthritis is a term used to describe a group of diseases that cause inflammation in the joints, leading to pain, stiffness, swelling, and sometimes loss of function. The most common types of arthritis are:
- Osteoarthritis (OA): A degenerative joint disease where the protective cartilage in joints breaks down over time, leading to pain and stiffness.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): An autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks the joints, causing inflammation, pain, and potential joint damage.
- Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA): An inflammatory arthritis associated with the skin condition psoriasis, affecting joints and causing pain and swelling.
Soft Tissue Injuries
A soft tissue injury refers to any damage to the tissues in the body that are not bones, including muscles, ligaments, tendons, and skin. These injuries can range from mild to severe and may involve stretching, tearing, or bruising of the soft tissues.
Common Types of Soft Tissue Injuries Include:
- Sprains: Injuries to ligaments (the tissues that connect bones to other bones).
- Strains: Injuries to muscles or tendons (the tissues that connect muscles to bones).
- Contusions: Bruises caused by impact, leading to damage to blood vessels.
- Tendinitis: Inflammation of a tendon due to overuse.
- Bursitis: Inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs that cushion joints.
Back Pain
Back pain typically affects the lower back (lumbar region) but can also involve the middle or upper back.
Causes of Back Pain Include:
- Muscle or Ligament Strain: Overuse, lifting heavy objects, or sudden awkward movements can strain the muscles or ligaments in the back.
- Herniated or Slipped Discs: Discs in the spine can bulge or rupture, pressing on nerves and causing pain, numbness, or weakness.
- Osteoarthritis: Degeneration of the joints in the spine can cause pain and stiffness.
- Sciatica: Compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve can cause sharp, shooting pain along the back and legs.
- Scoliosis: Abnormal curvature of the spine can lead to pain and discomfort.
- Poor Posture: Sitting or standing in improper positions for long periods can stress the back and lead to pain.
Neck Pain
Neck pain (or cervical pain) involves discomfort in the upper spine.
Common Causes of Neck Pain Include:
- Muscle Strain: Poor posture, sleeping in an awkward position, or holding the neck in one position for a long time can strain the muscles.
- Cervical Herniated Discs: A herniated disc in the neck can compress nerves, causing pain, numbness, or weakness in the neck, shoulders, or arms.
- Whiplash: A sudden jerking motion of the head, often from car accidents, can cause muscle and ligament strain in the neck.
- Arthritis: Degeneration of the cervical spine joints can lead to neck stiffness and pain.
- Poor Posture: Habitual poor posture (like looking down at a phone or computer) can strain the neck over time.
The primary objectives of musculoskeletal (MSK) physiotherapy treatment are to relieve pain, restore movement, improve strength, and prevent future injuries. By using a combination of techniques such as manual therapy, exercises, and education, physiotherapists aim to optimize musculoskeletal health and improve patients' quality of life. Treatment plans are individualized to meet specific patient needs, helping them recover from injury or manage chronic musculoskeletal conditions effectively.
Post-Operative Physiotherapy
Post-operative physiotherapy is a crucial part of the recovery process following surgeries such as joint replacement surgeries, orthopedic procedures, and other major surgeries. The goal is to help patients regain strength, mobility, and function in the affected area, prevent complications, and ensure optimal recovery.
Key Objectives of Post-Operative Physiotherapy:
- Pain Management: Reduce pain and discomfort through various techniques, such as gentle exercises, heat or cold therapy, and manual therapy (massage or joint mobilization).
- Restoring Mobility and Flexibility: Help the patient regain normal range of motion and flexibility in the operated joint or body part.
- Improving Strength: Rebuild muscle strength around the affected area to improve function and prevent weakness or muscle atrophy.
- Preventing Complications: Prevent issues like blood clots, muscle stiffness, or joint contractures (permanent shortening of muscles or tendons).
- Promoting Functional Independence: Help the patient return to daily activities, such as walking, climbing stairs, or performing work tasks, safely and efficiently.
Domiciliary Care:
We currently offer Domiciliary care, whereby we support individuals in their own home. This means you wont have to worry about travelling to us. If you live in the Greater Manchester area, we will come to you and provide this service within comfortable and familiar surroundings to you.
Virtual Appointments:
We can also offer virtual appointments using teams. Please let us know if this option would be more suitable for you.