What is Physical Therapy?

Did you recently have an injury or some illness? Did your doctor suggest you for physical therapy? If so, then you have to get done by best hands. Therapies aim to ease pain and help your body function. Getting physical therapy is not restrictive of age, and anyone can get it to improve one or more body functions. In a broader scope, physical therapy helps in:

·         Relieving pain

·         Prevent disability or surgery

·         Recover after baby delivery

·         Get a splint or brace

·         Mould in an artificial limb

·         Control the functions of bowel or bladder

·         Improve mobility

·         Prevent or recover from injuries caused by playing any sport

·         Manage chronic illness like arthritis, diabetes and heart diseases

·         Shape body's balancing capabilities

·         Rehab after an accident, injury, stroke or surgery

What Does a Physical Therapist (PT) Do?

PTs help people attain a quality life which has been lost due to physical, psychological, social or emotional reasons. When you meet the PT for the first time, he/she will first examine your problem areas and assess your needs. You'll have to tell about your pain, its symptoms, mobility, sleeping habits and your medical history. Your PT will evaluate you on the following tests:

·         How well you can move, bend, grasp or reach.

·         Your heartbeat while doing any activity.

·         Your posture or balance.

·         How well you can walk on the ground and stairs.

Then, he/she will create a treatment plan for you which will include goals like body functioning, exercises and other activities to make you feel better. This treatment plan may include:

·         Massage, heat or cold therapy, warm water therapy to ease pain and movements and ultrasound diagnostic test to diagnose the improvement.

·         Practice with cane or walker to improve your mobility and reform your balancing power.

·         Exercises and stretches.

·         If you have problems in limb, then rehab to help you cope up with an artificial limb.

Over time your therapist will monitor your progress and adjust your treatments as required. Some of the activities falling under your treatment plan can be carried out at home as well, and you need not rush to a therapist for every activity.

Physical Therapy in San Antonio

You can reach out to the best physical therapists of town at Gonzaba Medical Group. They offer services like physical therapy, physical medicine, and rehabilitation. They provide safe and effective treatments.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) - Capturing What's Inside You!

The internal design of a human body is complicated, and hence, an X-Ray examination cannot reveal everything. To understand the minute insights better, doctors instruct MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). An MRI machine is a tube-shaped device which creates detailed images of tissues and organs of a human body under the influence of magnetic field and radio waves. When a patient lies inside an MRI machine, his body's hydrogen atoms are realigned by the magnetic field. Then, the radio waves in parallel produce faint signals to develop cross-sectional MRI images. The images can be created either in two dimensions or three dimensions as per requirement. 

Why is MRI done?

MRI is a noninvasive method of capturing high-resolution images of internal organs, tissues and skeletal system to diagnose the problems happening inside the body. 

MRI of Spinal Cord and Brain

Often patients undergo this examination for brain or spinal cord to diagnose:

• Spinal cord injuries
• Tumors
• Multiple sclerosis
• Aneurysms of cerebral vessels
• Disorders of the eye and inner ear
• Brain injury from trauma 

Apart from these variants, a particular type of MRI known as function MRI (fMRI) is done to measure the metabolic changes occurring inside the brain. It examines the brain's anatomy and determines how the parts of the brain are functioning. fMRI is also used to determine the damage caused due to head injury or diseases like Alzheimer's disease. 

MRI of Internal Organs

Medical science has earned numerous advantages since the launch of MRI technology. It can be used to identify abnormalities prevailing in body parts like:

• Ovaries
• Liver and bile ducts
• Spleen
• Prostate
• Kidneys
• Uterus
• Pancreas 

MRI of Heart and Blood Vessels

• For heart and blood vessels this technique can assess:
• The thickness and the movement of heart's walls.
• The structural problems of the aorta.
• The functions and size of the chambers of the heart.
• The blockage and inflammation in blood vessels.
• The seriousness of damage caused by heart disease or heart attack. 

MRI of Bones and Joints

• Here, this magnetic technology helps to evaluate:
• Disk abnormalities in the spine
• Bone infections
• Tumors of the bones and soft tissues
• Joint defects caused by traumatic or repetitive injuries 

Radiology Service Centers in San Antonio

If you want to undergo MRI or any other radiology procedure, then reach out to the experts of Gonzaba Medical Group. They are one of the leading providers of Diagnostic Imaging Services in San Antonio.

Acid Reflux Disease- Causes, Symptoms, and Cure

What is Acid Reflux Disease?

The human body is composed of several valves, and one such valve exists at the entrance of our stomach. It is known as lower esophageal sphincter (LES) which closes as soon as food passes through it. When it doesn't close at all or closes but opens up too often, then the acid produced in our stomach finds a way to travel upwards to the esophagus. This action causes burning chest pain (commonly called as heartburn) which in medical terms is known as acid reflux. If it happens more than two times in a week, then this abnormality is termed as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

What Causes Acid Reflux Disease?

The following list mentions the common risk factors for reflux disease:

• Eating large meals.
• Being obese or overweight.
• After a heavy meal lying on back or bending at the waist.
• Eating spicy or fatty foods or sometimes eating tomatoes, chocolate, garlic, onion or citrus foods also causes acid reflux action.
• Smoking.
• Being pregnant.
• Eating snacks before bedtime.
• Taking aspirin, blood pressure medications, ibuprofen, or muscle relaxers
• Drinking beverages like tea, coffee, carbonated drinks or alcohol. 

What Are the Indications of Acid Reflux Disease?

• Heartburn- A burning pain or discomfort starting from stomach towards abdomen or chest till throat.
• Regurgitation- A sour or bitter acid taste backing up in mouth or throat.
• Bloody or black stools
• Bloody vomiting
• Burping
• Dysphagia- A feeling of narrowing esophagus as if food is stuck in the throat.
• Bloating
• Nausea
• Wheezing, hoarseness, chronic sore throat, or a dry cough.
• Sometimes weight loss 

Can Acid Reflux Disease Be Cured with Lifestyle Changes?

One of the best ways to avoid acid reflux is to elude the foods which trigger this action. Follow the below guidelines:

• Avoid eating large meals and instead eat small meals frequently throughout the day.
• Quit smoking.
• Avoid eating anything at least two to three hours before sleep.
• If you are obese or overweight, then adopt a healthy lifestyle to reduce weight.
• Try taking daytime naps in a chair.
• Avoid wearing tight apparels.
• Try keeping your head four to six inches high while sleeping. 

Acid Reflux Treatment in San Antonio

If the lifestyle as mentioned above changes don't help, then immediately connect with the experienced doctors at Digestive & Liver Disease Center of San Antonio PLLC. They use advanced diagnostic methods for treating conditions like heartburn, acid reflux, liver diseases, colon cancer and many more. For more information book an appointment now.

Plastic Surgery- Ask Yourself Three Questions

Are you planning to undergo plastic surgery? If so, then the first step beings at your end, which is figuring out if you are a right candidate for this surgery. From the physical standpoint, it is imperative to observe what you eat, drink and whether or not you exercise. If you already have a medical problem, then consult with an experienced plastic surgeon to ensure if this can be a barrier to your aesthetic procedure. Experts suggest that each patient is unique and whether if it is liposuction, breast augmentation or a tummy tuck, their bodies adapt it differently and emerge differently in comparison to one another. 

Ask yourself the following questions:

Why Do I Want to Undergo Plastic Surgery?

The primary reason why people undergo plastic surgery is that they want to improve the aesthetics of their body. You should honestly answer yourself, why you want to modify the particular part of your body. Are you doing it because you have congenital disabilities or you want to do it as part of reconstructive surgery? You may also want to do it to slow down the results of aging. 

Am I Suffering from Any Medical Problems?

Expert surgeons suggest that a person is a poor candidate for plastic surgery if he/she is suffering from the following health problems:

• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Elevated Cholesterol
• Emotional Instability
• Heart Disease
• Hypertension
• Bleeding Disorder
• Lung Disease
• Autoimmune Disease
• Allergies 

And the list has many other medical conditions. If you are suffering from any of these conditions, then your plastic surgery may have a higher rate of complications which may include bleeding, abnormal wound healing, difficulties with anesthesia, infection, etc. If you are smoking and alcohol consuming candidate, then you must follow your surgeon's advice because these components affect the results of plastic surgery. 

What is My Lifestyle?

You are a right candidate if you possess a healthy lifestyle. It means you:

• Are not overweight.
• Exercise regularly.
• Don't smoke.
• Emotionally stable.
• Have family and friends in support.
• Can limit alcohol and caffeine intake.
• Accept the disadvantages of plastic surgery, viz. discomfort, inconvenience, medical risk, and cost. 

Plastic Surgeon in San Antonio

Dr.Koneru is an experienced and professional plastic/cosmetic surgeon of San Antonio. He is a doctor recommended by other doctors. If you want to seek consultation for plastic surgery in San Antonio, then what could be better than a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon? He is trained in all procedures, including breast reconstruction, facelift, breast augmentation, blepharoplasty, laser treatments, body contouring, and more.

Does Arthritis Require an Urgent Care?

Are you suffering from severe joint pain problem? If so, then stay attentive and consult a specialist immediately because joint issues are an indication of arthritis. This problem of joints is said to cause permanent damage to joint bones if treatment is delayed.  

When to See a Doctor? 

If you face the following potential signs of joint problems, then see an arthritis specialist immediately: 

• Joint tenderness or stiffness 
• Pain in joints 
• Swelling of joints 
• Stiffness while motioning of joints 
• Redness or warmth in joints 
• Difficulty in moving a joint or while doing everyday activities 
• Joint symptoms that cause concern 
• Joint problems that last longer than two days 
• Several cases of joint issues in a single month

 

When is Arthritis Urgent Care Required? 

Arthritis isn't a diagnosis, and many people confuse it this way. It is a medical disorder which covers a hundred diseases and related conditions. If you are diagnosed with arthritis, then knowing the type of arthritis is the first step to getting the right treatment. 

Some types of arthritis like septic require treatment on a prompt basis. The reason is these conditions create permanent damage and getting an immediate treatment can bring the situation under control. Medications prevent damage to the functions of joints and other related problems. 

Experts suggest that infrequent or mild joint problems should be addressed on an urgent basis to keep damages out of the way. Additionally, it is advisable to discuss your bones with the specialist in your regular health check-ups.  

 

How to Ease Arthritis Pain? 

• Exercising- A body which stays inactive and sedentary while suffering from arthritis worsens the situation and invites other health issues too. Pool exercises, yoga or prescribed exercises keeps an arthritis patient physically fit. 
• Start Your Day with Warm Water and Stretching- Our body is tight when we wake up in the morning, therefore to loosen it up, take a shower with warm water to relax your muscles and then do some stretching. 
• Maintain your Weight- Researchers believe that excess fat tissues create a chemical that causes inflammation. To cure arthritis, you need to avoid inflammation strictly because it usually happens in joints due to the accumulation of weighty muscles. 
• Eat a Balanced and Low Cholesterol Diet- Some foods cause inflammation and extreme pain in joints. Avoid eating foods with high sodium content (salt), sugar, corn oil, fried or oily foods and processed foods. 

 

Arthritis Treatment in San Antonio 

Gonzaba Urgent Care Center is an arthritis treatment center also to other urgent care problems. They work seven days a week and treat conditions of people greater than two years of age. For more details book an appointment now.

FAQs on Pellevé Treatment

How is Pellevé Distinguished from Other Skin Tightening Treatments? 

Medical studies prove that Pellevé is a safe and effective skin tightening treatment. It is a non-invasive procedure and has minimal side effects and discomfort. Because this treatment does not involve any surgery, hence, anesthesia or skin cooling is not required, unlike other procedures. People usually return to work after the completion of this treatment. It involves the transfer of heat at the job area to stimulate collagen production and contract the underlying skin. The increase in collagen helps in setting skin free from wrinkles. 

How Does Pellevé Work? 

The treatment uses radio frequency energy to penetrate deep into the skin. This activity generates heat at the location where skin and fat layer join. It stimulates collagen deep into the skin causing it to contract and stimulate the growth of collagen. This new generation of collagen results in tighter and younger looking skin. Several instances have proved that nine out of 10 patients noticed significant benefits just after one Pellevé sitting. Studies reveal that the 90% patients of this treatment observe its effects even after six months of the last session. 

How Long Does the Pellevé Procedure Take? 

For a full facial treatment, this procedure requires around 45 minutes to an hour. Because there's no anesthesia effect, this treatment fits comfortably in your schedule. 

What Do I Need to Do Before Pellevé? 

It is advisable to stay hydrated before the application of this treatment. Your doctor may advise you to stop tropical products or medications which you may be intaking. 

Is Pellevé Procedure Painful? 

Not! It is a virtually painless method of skin contraction. Many patients comment that while they were under treatment, they felt it like a warm massage. 

What Precautions Do I Need to Take After Pellevé? 

Your doctor will direct you to wear an SPF 30 broad-spectrum sunscreen to prevent future photo damage. It will also help you in maintaining the results of the treatment. 

Can Pellevé Treatment Be Combined with Any Other Cosmetic Method? 

Many physicians combine Pellevé with wrinkle relaxing agents and dermal fillers. Based on your skin type, your doctor can decide the perfect set of combination, if required to achieve your cosmetic goals. 

Skin Tightening Treatment in San Antonio 

The experienced doctors of Agave Laser and Aesthetic Clinic can do a right Pellevé treatment for you at minimal cost. They offer one of the best medical aesthetic services in town by using latest technology methods. To know more, book an appointment now!