Therapy Programs: Procedures
Hot Packs/Cold Packs
Hot packs provide superficial heat that helps to decrease stiffness, pain, increase blood flow to specific areas of the body and promotes muscular relaxation. Cold packs are applied to help decrease local temperature and may be applied in acute trauma and subacute injuries to help alleviate pain and inflammation, as well as decrease edema.

Ultrasound
This is the application of inaudible acoustic vibrations that can penetrate into the soft tissues up to 3-5 cm . The physiological effects of ultrasound include but are not limited to: increasing blood flow, helps soft tissue healing, remodeling of scar tissue joint contractures, helps chronic inflammation, burn healing, pain reduction, provides deep heating, and promotes decreases in swelling.

Electrical Stimulation
Electricity is used for pain relief, decreases in swelling and for muscular re-education. There are various 'types' of electrical stimulation that can be applied such as T.E.N.S. (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation), russian stimulation for muscular re-education, and hivolt stimulation to assist areas in the body where nerve innervation has been compromised.

Traction (Cervical / Pelvic)
A distraction of force applied to the spine in a manner that would separate or attempt to separate vertebral bodies and lengthen spinal structures.

Lontophoresis
This is the use of a small direct electrical current to administer an anti-inflammatory preparation such as dexamethasone sodium phosphate to the affected area without puncturing the skin. This is used to decrease inflammation, pain, reduce edema, treat wounds and infections, and decrease swelling in scar tissue and adhesions. This remains a popular choice for patients who are apprehensive about receiving injections

Phonophoresis
This is very similar to iontophoresis except instead of an electrical current, ultrasound is used to deliver medications applied on the skin and to the targeted tissues. This also is used to treat pain and inflammation in underlying surfaces of the body.

Neuromuscular Re-Education
This is used to increase muscle activity to facilitate a stronger contraction, or reeducate a muscle through holding a specific function, or decrease muscle activity to facilitate relaxation, or decrease spasticity. This is achieved with EMG (electromyography) biofeedback.

Neuroprobe
This is a technique that uses electrical impulses to treat certain 'trigger points'. These points are often muscular in origin and respond well to a certain level of stimulation to promote relaxation.

T.E.N.S. (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation)
The use of electrical stimulation in order to decrease muscular pain. This works on the 'pain gate theory', basically stating that the nerve can be stimulated at a certain level to promote relaxation and eventually 'block' the pain coming from the sore areas. These units can be rented or purchased depending on the length of time needed.

E.M.S. (Electrical Muscle Stimulation)
This is the use of electricity to promote muscular contraction. This is often used to re-educate muscles after injury or surgery. These units can be rented or purchased depending on the length of time needed.