Treatments and Procedures

The goal of physical therapy is to help you recover faster and better, with less pain and greater mobility. What to expect during PT will vary from patient to patient, depending on a patient's condition and medical needs. PT approaches include:

• Manual therapy
• Exercise
• Electrical Stimulation
• Laser Therapy
• Massage
• Stretching
• Ultrasound
• Hot and Cold Therapy
• Traction

Occupational therapy, on the other hand, involves helping patients adapt their work, school, or home environments in order to accomplish needed tasks independently. It may involve improving a patient's motor skills, balance, and coordination, along with tips on how to make small, helpful environmental adjustments. For example, using clothing with velcro closures instead of buttons or laces can make dressing easier. Improving access to kitchen or other household tools can make cooking and cleaning safer and easier. Return-to-work schedules and training can help minimize pain and fatigue while allowing a successful re-entry to the workplace.

There are a number of safe and effective medications that can help patients during their recovery, depending on their condition and needs. These pharmaceutical options include over-the-counter as well as prescription drugs.

When pain is affecting your ability to carry out your daily activities, it may be time for injection therapy. Dr.  Tarrash offers his patients the fast-acting relief of injectable medications, delivered right where a patient needs the pain relief. Among the most common types of injection therapy are corticosteroid shots, which reduces inflammation to alleviate your pain and discomfort. Other mediations may also be used, depending on a patient's needs, and may work slightly differently. For example, nerve blocks interrupt nerve signals to the brain so that pain is stopped before it is begun.

Injection therapy is most often used for patients suffering from joint pain, back or neck pain, or conditions like arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, and gout.

Braces help stabilize a joint in order to reduce pain, improve function, and reduce risk of further injury.  A brace is worn to immobilize a body part or when doing certain activities in order to control the movement of it. Many orthopedic conditions can be managed or treated with the help of a brace. Dr. Tarrash can evaluate your condition and recommend a brace if it will improve your symptoms or condition.

Dr. Tarrash uses electrodiagnostic testing as an assessment tool to determine how muscles and nerves may play a role in causing your pain symptoms. An electromyogram (EMG) evaluates muscles’ response to stimuli. This is used for neck, back, or hand pain.

Another electrodiagnostic tool is a nerve conduction test. This test evaluates nerves and how they communicate to determine if any nerve damage has occurred.

Both tests are noninvasive methods of determining the origin of your pain and can help craft an individualized treatment plan to target the underlying cause of symptoms.

Aqua therapy is essentially physical therapy in a pool. Aqua therapy is an intervention used to assist in physical therapy for patients who cannot participate in high-impact exercises because they could further damage compromised joints. Aqua therapy is also helpful for those who can’t engage in normal physical therapies due to physical limitations. During aqua therapy, a physical therapist will work with you in a pool or other aquatic environment. The goals of aqua therapy are to:

• Improve flexibility
• Improve balance and coordination
• Build muscle strength and endurance
• Enhance aerobic capacity
• Assist with gait and locomotion
• Reduce stress and promote relaxation