Surgical Alternative Top 10 treated conditions
As our clientele grows, we have noticed that more and more of our newer clients know less about the different conditions we can help with. Originally, we had two separate blogs showcasing the top ten conditions treated at Surgical Alternative. This made it difficult for some of our clients to find the information. We have decided to combine the two stories for a more cohesive place to find out more information about our top treated aliments.
Over the past few years, I have seen many different injuries treated in Surgical Alternative’s Institute of Alternative Therapy, but many of them have been returning ailments. We have taken a few minutes to create our top ten treated injuries from Surgical Alternative. If you have any further questions, please CONTACT US TODAY for your evaluation and treatment.
Without further adieu, we present our top ten treated injuries by surgical alternative for with alternative therapy, deep tissue massage, energetic therapy, and other methods.
10.) Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a disease that affects the central nervous system causing extreme pain and discomfort and many areas of the body independently and simultaneously. Symptoms may include but are not limited to debilitating fatigue, insomnia, and joint stiffness. Other symptoms include numbness/tingling and trouble swallowing. For more information on fibromyalgia, please continue here, or CONTACT Surgical Alternative today for your evaluation.
9.) Rotator Cuff Injuries
The rotator cuff in your shoulder is made up of tendons, ligaments and muscle that work in unison to create the range of motion for your arm and upper back. By injuring any of the pieces of the rotator cuff, you are not only causing inflammation and irritation, but you may also be doing further damage by not attending to your injury. For more information of rotator cuff injuries and what surgical alternative can do to help, please continue here, or CONTACT US TODAY for your evaluation.
8.) Plantar Fasciitis
This is the most common cause of heel pain. It is caused when your plantar fascia ligament becomes irritated, weakens, swells or strains. Since it is the tissue that supports your arch, some people call it “fallen arches”. Plantar Fasciitis causes moderate to severe foot pain and should be attended to as soon as possible. If you would like to learn more about your condition, please continue here or CONTACT US today for your evaluation.
7.) Hiatal Hernias / Hiatus Hernia
A hernia is simply described as part of your internal body moving somewhere it does not belong. Your Hiatus is an opening in your diaphragm and acts as a muscular wall between your chest cavity and your abdomen. When your abdomen and stomach bulge up through the opening in your hiatus, this is called a hiatal hernia, or hiatus hernia. There are two types of hiatal hernias : paraesophageal and sliding. Though extremely uncomfortable, surgical alternative can treat these hernias and make your life more comfortable and manageable. If you have a hiatal hernia and would like to learn more, please click here, or CONTACT us today for your evaluation and treatment.
6.) Tight Muscles / Stiffened Joints
We all get older and we all get LESS mobile each day. Even with an active lifestyle and proper stretching, we cannot always be that “21 year old” that we all remember was invincible. We have many clients that have been unable to do some of the things that they love due to aging muscles and joints. Many include hunters, golfers, fisherman/fisherwomen, and other active oriented people. With our treatment most of them are able to return to what they love. Whether its casting a rod, climbing into a tree stand, or any other activity, we can help you return to the things in life that you have worked so hard to enjoy. If you would like to learn more about joint stiffness or muscle tightness, please click here, or CONTACT us for your evaluation.
5.) TMJ Dysfunction
Known as Temporamandibular Joint Dysfunction, this painful ailment usually has symptoms such as tenderness, or pain in the joint that connects your jaw to your skull. This is the joint that allows you to chew, talk and yawn amongst other things. TMJ disorders can be caused by many different things such as grinding your teeth, an accident involving your jaw, or even arthritis. If you have any pain in your jaw area and would like to find out more, you can CLICK HERE, or you can CONTACT US today for your evaluation!
4.) Sciatica Pain
Your sciatica nerve is a large nerve extending down your lower back, and down to the backs of your legs. When damage or wear occurs, discomfort and chronic pain are common symptoms to the damage of this nerve. Some symptoms of sciatica damage may include burning or tingling down your leg, weakness or numbness, constant pain, or even shooting pains that incapacitate you and not allow you to get up from a sitting position. While usually only affecting one side of the body, sciatica some patients show symptoms on both sides of their bodies. If you have sciatica pain and would like to relieve yourself from the discomfort, please CONTACT US today for your evaluation, or you can READ MORE ABOUT sciatica pain here.
3.) Bulging/Herniated Disks
Also called a ruptured or slipped disk, this refers to when the soft tissue between your vertebrae called disks encounters a problem. When you have a herniated disk, it can irritate nearby nerve passages resulting in pain, numbness, and even weakness in an arm or a leg. Some people do not experience symptoms of a herniated disk, making it a very hard injury to diagnose. If you are experiencing back pain and believe you may have a herniated disk, please CONTACT US today for your evaluation or READ MORE HERE about your condition.
2.) Migraine Headaches
Though the exact cause of migraine headaches cannot be established, no one can deny the severity of these “showstoppers”. Migraines tend to be quickly onset with severe pain and debilitating symptoms including numbness, tingling, temporary blindness, and other sensory warnings. In some cases, medication is prescribed with hopes of treatment, but in many of those situations the medication does little or no good at all. If you suffer from migraine headaches, please CONTACT US today for an evaluation, or you can READ MORE ABOUT these headaches here.
The number one condition that we treat at surgical alternative institute is an elusive yet simple condition causing a spectrum of further symptoms that affect your entire body. Some people get this condition by being in high speed accidents, while others can get this condition by just sleeping. Some patients live with chronic pain and others come and go.
THE NUMBER ONE TREATED CONDITION OF SURGICAL ALTERNATIVE IS………
1.) Neck Pain
Neck pain can be caused by a host of issues ranging from trauma (car accidents, etc.) to just poor posture. There are some degenerative diseases that will cause the neck pain, but it can also be just a simple muscle strain. In some cases, the pain can work its way down to the shoulders and even the middle and lower back over time. With proper treatment, most neck pain can be resolved in little time with little or no effort by the patient. If you suffer from neck pain and would like relief, please CONTACT US today for your evaluation orREAD MORE HERE about your condition.
Plantar Fasciitis tips and tricks by Surgical Alternative
Plantar Fascitis Tips and Tricks for treatment
We have been encountering more people each day that are complaining of the accompanying symptoms of plantar fasciitis. This is an injury that occurs when the plantar fascia tendon becomes inflamed or damaged due to wear and tear. Since this tendon acts as a shock absorber for each and every step that you take, there is a great deal of pain involved when suffering from plantar fasciitis. Our first suggestion would always be to CONTACT US for more information regarding your injury and how to treat it, but in the mean time, we figured we would give you some things you can do at home to help on a temporary basis. Please See Below:
Ice The Area of the Plantar Fascia tendon
By applying ice for 20 to 30 minute increments to the Plantar Fascia tendon, you can alleviate many of the painful symptoms while relaxing or sitting. This may help reduce the swelling and pain after hard workouts or active walking or standing.
Support the Plantar Fascia tendon (Plantar Fasciitis)
By supporting the arch of the foot where the Plantar Fascia tendon is located may relieve some pain. You can either get additional supports for your shoes, or you can even use athletic tape around your ankle and under the foot to support your arch as well. By adding additional support, it takes some of the stress off of the damaged tendon. NOTE: This is acceptable with proper exercise and stress on the foot. By using additional support over time, you will weaken the tendon.
Exercise and Stretch the Area (Plantar Fascia Tendon)
By working daily to stretch and exercise the Plantar Fascia tendon in regulated and safe increments you can increase the strength of the tendon while also allowing it to not become as painful. Most of the stretching exercises focus on the calf muscles, since most of the stress that causes Plantar Fascitis comes from the lower leg. Foot and Ankle stretching can also help to alleviate the foot pain of Plantar Fasciitis. You can achieve this by grabbing a soft material such as a sheet or towel between your toes.
Surgical Alternative to Plantar Fasciitis Treatments
By using our proven methods of alternative therapy, Surgical Alternative can give you relief from the foot pain caused by Plantar Fasciitis. With our deep tissue massage, reflexology and other methods you will be able to function without the pain and discomfort of Plantar Fasciitis.
Why Use Surgical Alternative – Testimonials and Reviews (Part 1)
In the past months, we have not only grown as an institution, but also have touched many of the lives here in the tampa florida area by our methods of set bodywork, deep tissue massage, and other services. Once a patient is affected by our services, they in many cases become advocates for those services. In the next few weeks, we will be releasing testimonials from many of our existing clients so that new or upcoming patients can gain a grasp on what to expect when visiting our offices.
The first Testimonial is Adam Hayes in New Tampa, Florida. Adam writes:
Surgical Altnernative – Top 10 treated conditions (Part 1)
Over the past few years, I have seen many different injuries treated in Surgical Alternative’s Institute of Alternative Therapy, but many of them have been returning ailments. We have taken a few minutes to create our top ten treated injuries from Surgical Alternative. If you have any further questions, please CONTACT US TODAY for your evaluation and treatment.
Without further adieu, we present our top ten treated injuries by surgical alternative for with alternative therapy, deep tissue massage, energetic therapy, and other methods.
10.) Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a disease that affects the central nervous system causing extreme pain and discomfort and many areas of the body independently and simultaneously. Symptoms may include but are not limited to debilitating fatigue, insomnia, and joint stiffness. Other symptoms include numbness/tingling and trouble swallowing. For more information on fibromyalgia, please continue here, or CONTACT Surgical Alternative today for your evaluation.
9.) Rotator Cuff Injuries
The rotator cuff in your shoulder is made up of tendons, ligaments and muscle that work in unison to create the range of motion for your arm and upper back. By injuring any of the pieces of the rotator cuff, you are not only causing inflammation and irritation, but you may also be doing further damage by not attending to your injury. For more information of rotator cuff injuries and what surgical alternative can do to help, please continue here, or CONTACT US TODAY for your evaluation.
8.) Plantar Fasciitis
This is the most common cause of heel pain. It is caused when your plantar fascia ligament becomes irritated, weakens, swells or strains. Since it is the tissue that supports your arch, some people call it “fallen arches”. Plantar Fasciitis causes moderate to severe foot pain and should be attended to as soon as possible. If you would like to learn more about your condition, please continue here or CONTACT US today for your evaluation.
7.) Hiatal Hernias / Hiatus Hernia
A hernia is simply described as part of your internal body moving somewhere it does not belong. Your Hiatus is an opening in your diaphragm and acts as a muscular wall between your chest cavity and your abdomen. When your abdomen and stomach bulge up through the opening in your hiatus, this is called a hiatal hernia, or hiatus hernia. There are two types of hiatal hernias : paraesophageal and sliding. Though extremely uncomfortable, surgical alternative can treat these hernias and make your life more comfortable and manageable. If you have a hiatal hernia and would like to learn more, please click here, or CONTACT us today for your evaluation and treatment.
6.) Tight Muscles / Stiffened Joints
We all get older and we all get LESS mobile each day. Even with an active lifestyle and proper stretching, we cannot always be that “21 year old” that we all remember was invincible. We have many clients that have been unable to do some of the things that they love due to aging muscles and joints. Many include hunters, golfers, fisherman/fisherwomen, and other active oriented people. With our treatment most of them are able to return to what they love. Whether its casting a rod, climbing into a tree stand, or any other activity, we can help you return to the things in life that you have worked so hard to enjoy. If you would like to learn more about joint stiffness or muscle tightness, please click here, or CONTACT us for your evaluation.
Surgical Alternative specializes in alternative therapy for many conditions and ailments. If you would like to learn more about our services, or symptoms that we treat, please CONTACT US, or VISIT OUR WEBSITE to begin feeling better soon.
Whiplash – Symptoms and Facts
Heading into the summer holiday season, many of us will be traveling busy roads and highways, creating opportunity for more accidents. One of the most common injuries from auto accidents is whiplash. Though also possible in sporting and contact activities, the majority of these injuries are caused by automobile accidents.
Whiplash is caused by damage to the soft tissues in your neck like tendons, muscle and ligaments because of movement beyond your neck’s normal range of motion. When these tissues are strained, they become inflamed which not only causes moderate to severe pain but also a limitation to your necks range of motion. Doctor’s may also use terms such as cervical sprain, hyperextension injury, or cervical strain.
Symptoms of Whiplash include but are not limited to:
- Upper back/Thoracic Pain
- Head feeling too heavy to hold up.
- Swelling in the neck area.
- Tenderness around the neck region.
- Difficulty moving your neck.
- Headache
- Neck pain
- Shooting pains into your shoulders or back.
- Muscle spasms (In the neck area)
If ANY of these symptoms become unbearable, SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY! If you are involved in an accident, remember that even if you have some of these symptoms, there may be a risk that there could be orthopedic damage meaning that you have skeletal or bone damage, and need to see a surgeon immediately.
If you have been diagnosed with whiplash, Surgical Alternative can aide you in a speedy recovery while working with you to regain your range of motion through our SET bodywork sessions, as well as deep tissue massage and other methods adopted by our organization. If you have any questions regarding your whiplash, please CONTACT US today to discuss your options!
Shin Splints Treatment
The past couple of weeks I’ve seen an increase in people seeking treatment for their shins splints. This time of year is when the weather is great for spring sports. It’s also a time when the weekend warriors doing marathons, half marathons, and 5k’s are in full force.
Shin splints are one of those things that I ideally try to take care of in the off season when the athlete is rested and the irritation to the area is not so painful. I rarely get to see athletes at that phase. More of the norm is to see the person as they are being hindered from completing their workouts or see them at the point when every step hurts, even when just walking. Treating shin splints and becoming pain free is a multi step approach along with time to heal. It involves everything from stretching, icing, and bandaging, all the way to wearing proper shoes, evaluating the surface you are exercising on, and rest. Many of the people we see are actively in their season and have urgency in needing to resolve the matter. They do not have the luxury of waiting the 4 to 6 month period it can take to heal from doing the above mentioned treatment approach. Let me also mention that some of the people we have helped with shin splints have not been athletes at all. Some have been those whom put long hours on their feet on hard surfaces. We usually get a person who can only give us a 1- 2 day window of not working out in their sport.
Our approach to healing is a more direct one. As part of our sessions, through body reading we visually assess how the body may be collapsing or compensating and contributing to the emphasis of stress to the shins. Sometimes what we find is that the hips are out of balance or the arch has collapsed. If this has been going on for a while we find that they are also suffering of other sports injuries or pain underneath the feet like plantar fasciitis. We work to release the tightened muscles that are restricting the pelvis and hips from being balanced. This helps the body come out of its collapse and helps the body go more into balance and allows for better body mechanics. The calves and front of the lower leg musculature is a significant contributor in shin splints when tight. This is can be due to a lack of stretching, hydration, but more often repetitive use. We also release scar tissue that can be felt along the front shin area and address all the muscles of the lower leg and foot. It is through our direct approach that our clients are able to recover in HALF the time of what other therapies currently offer!!!!! If you are suffering with shin splints, plantar fasciitis, or other sports injuries and don’t have the time to wait to get better, give our approach a try.
Improper Running- How much pain can it cause?
In one of our previous blogs, we discussed collapse arches and how shoes can play a major part in causing the injury. Another big culprit is running. I’m not trying to say that running is bad; it has been a big part of my life and many others as well. Injuries from running can vary and can be caused by many different reasons. They can range anywhere from not having the proper footwear to improper stretching to not knowing how to run properly. When we run the force and impact exerted on the body is great. Improper running can cause the body to be out of balance leading to tight and pulled muscles or in some cases permanent damage. We have all seen people running down the street that look as if their body was in some type of convulsion, arms and legs flailing everywhere. As a therapist that has been working with athletes, muscles and structural balancing for over 15 years, I know the importance of proper techniques and how the body reacts when things are imbalanced. As our body ages, the trauma and injuries we incurred throughout the years tends to come back with a vengeance. I guess that’s why a lot of our clients are in the 35+ age group. In our bodywork sessions, we use cranial structural rebalancing which involved releasing the restrictions through pressure point in the cranium allowing the body to return to normal. We then use several advanced techniques including deep tissue massage to loosen the muscles around the restriction allowing the skeletal structure to remain in balance. Think of it like this, if you have two teams playing tug-o-war that are constantly pulling on each other, it is almost impossible to keep the rope in the same place. Well, that is also what your muscles are doing to your skeletal structural. No matter how many times you realign your skeletal structural if your muscles around the restrictions are pulling everything back out of alignments then the pain will continue. Running can be a fun and enjoyable way to exercise, just make sure you do it properly. In our upcoming blogs we will be discussing the treatments and successes we have had with professional and amateur athletes such as golf and tennis players.
At Surgical Alternative, we have been dealing with clients in severe pain for over 15 years now, that are suffering from herniated discs, bulging discs, hiatal hernias, peripheral nerve damage, nerve entrapments, pinched sciatic nerve issues, collapsed arches and many more symptoms that people think they either have to have surgery for or are told they just have to deal with the pain. Surgical Alternative is now located in Lutz near New Tampa. We proudly service Tampa, St. Petersburg, Land O Lakes, New Port Richey, Wesley Chapel, Trinity and all surrounding areas. Please call today, or schedule your appointment online!
Sciatica (sciatic nerve)- An incapacitating pain
Everyone who has had a sciatica or pinched sciatic nerve knows the pain that can be caused. It sometimes start with an ache in your lower back that gradually seem to increase down your leg and farther it goes the more severe the pain becomes. What causes them? Sciatica issues can be caused overtime or from something more immediate. For instance, some of our clients conditions are caused from older trauma, i.e. sports injuries or accidents that we never really treated or fully recovered from. Others can be caused from not being properly supported while sleeping or improper repetitive movements. Regardless how it may have occurred not doing anything to find a cure for your sciatica is not an option.Cures for pinched sciatic nerves can vary. Most people when they are in pain, seek medical advice without looking for other options often resulting in taking some type of prescription drug to provide temporary relief. Many issues that cause pain including sciatica issue are caused by the muscles. As muscles receive trauma they tighten causing them to pull your skeletal structure out of balance. Through our advanced bodywork and cranial session, we look to release those impediments and restore that body back to a rebalanced and homeostasis state. In our years of practice we have had great results rehabilitating the conditions that cause pinched sciatic nerves.
We feel very fortunate and excited to do what we love to do, help others. We have been dealing with clients in severe pain for over 14 years now, that are suffering from herniated discs, bulging discs, hiatal hernias, peripheral nerve damage, nerve entrapments, pinched sciatic nerve issues, degenerative disk disease and many more symptoms that people think they either have to have surgery for or are told they just have to deal with the pain. We use a combination of deep tissues massages and cranial structural techniques to balance and align the body. The reason we started blogging was so that we could reach and help some of those people that suffer from these and many other painful conditions. Surgical Alternative is now located in Lutz near New Tampa. We proudly service Tampa, St. Petersburg, Land O Lakes, New Port Richey, Wesley Chapel, Trinity and all surrounding areas. Please call today, or schedule your appointment online!
Texting Thumb- More common than you think!
Almost everyone is using cellular phones and laptops on a continuous basis. Even though these devices help us to create efficiency and speed in our communications, they also come with their own hazards.
About a month ago, I started to notice a lingering pain in my thumb. I didn’t remember hurting it while working so I started to pay attention to how I was using it. After a couple of days it clicked. I was starting to develop “Texting Thumb” – a painful condition from overuse in repetitive movements while using technological devises like phones and computers.
Ten years ago, there was almost an epidemic of carpel tunnel pain. Every pain relief clinic specialized in treatments for carpel tunnel. This was because of the increasing use of computers at work with many people using a computer for most or all of their work day. Now, this fad has died off a bit and more specific conditions like thumb pain from texting or the use of a laptop mouse pain are starting to emerge.
The good part is, we know exactly how to treat it. Instead of massaging the area of pain and doing general work on the arm, I know that to fully release the contracted tissue causing the pain, I need to also release the shoulder and arm systematically. Our myofasical release work with SET Bodywork, allows the tissues to let go of the habitual patterns they have formed through use. There is a ripple effect down the arm as these tissues release and sometimes when we get down work specifically in the area of pain, the thumb for example, the releases prior have already initiated the release of the painful area before we even touch it.
Whether you suffer from neck pain, shoulder pain, frozen shoulder syndrome, tennis elbow, or other repetitive movement injuries, know that relief is possible. Being painfree means being more productive, because who cares about doing a good job when you are just waiting to go home. Bodywork may be the key to success. Or at least, what keeps us on good terms with our machines.
As an advanced deep tissue massage therapist in Tampa, I believe in helping people who live with chronic pain to learn how to also help themselves. Though our SET Bodywork ( a combination of advanced deep tissue massage and cranial structural techniques)is highly effective for many conditions such as herniated discs, bulging dics, scoliosis, plantar fascitis, heal spurs, myofascial relief and more, the therapist and the client are a team.
Surgical Alternative is now located in Lutz,FL near New Tampa. We proudly service Tampa, St. Petersburg, Land O Lakes, New Port Richey, Wesley Chapel, Trinity and all surrounding areas. Please call today, or schedule your appointment online!
Good to Go- Constipation Relief!
One thing about this job is that I get pretty intimate with my clients. I strive to create a space where they feel comfortable to share anything that may help me to maximize the benefits of our sessions. Sometimes that means talking about something we all hopefully share in common: bowel movements.
A client I have been seeing for a few years recently revealed that beyond the other areas of pain we have been working on, he has never been really, “regular.” So in his session before last I made sure to address the abdomen. Even though I have worked in this area before, it had been a while and now that we had this new objective I paid particular attention to releasing restrictions in this area.
I found out when I saw him again last week that the results of that session were monumental. He felt like he got to let go of a lot of old stuff; and indeed, he did.
A recent study on PubMed reveals that massage can be very beneficial to constipation, and suggests that massage helps the client to learn to relax both physically and emotionally contributing to increased regularity. Our advanced deep tissue massage and cranial structural techniques allow the body to rebalance and relax allowing some of those more uncomfortable restrictions to let go.Our stomach area is one of the most vulnerable parts of our body, housing vital organs upon which our survival depends.
Sometimes our body wants to protect itself, but ends up cutting off the normal physiological function of our bodies. Even being under constant stress can do this to us. When we are stressed out our bodies are responding as if we are preparing to fight or flight. In the instances when we need this, some systems like digestion are shut down to reserve energy for defending or fleeing. Unfortunately, we have the capability to be stressed about things even when they are not happening and can create a constant depletion of energy for digestion. Imagine someone you know that you might call a “tight-ass” – do they seem stressed to you?
Stress is not the only cause of constipation, but can be a major contributor. Relaxation is all about learning to “let go” – sometimes even the simplest human functions are great metaphors for life.
We feel very fortunate and excited to do what we love to do, help others. We have been dealing with clients in severe pain for over 14 years now, that are suffering from herniated discs, bulging discs, hiatal hernias, peripheral nerve damage, nerve entrapments, pinched sciatic nerve issues, degenerative disk disease and many more symptoms that people think they either have to have surgery for or are told they just have to deal with the pain. We use a combination of deep tissues massages and cranial structural techniques to balance and align the body. The reason we started blogging was so that we could reach and help some of those people that suffer from these and many other painful conditions. Surgical Alternative is now located in Lutz near New Tampa. We proudly service Tampa, St. Petersburg, Land O Lakes, New Port Richey, Wesley Chapel, Trinity and all surrounding areas. Please call today, or schedule your appointment online!
Pie Shoulder : Injury resulting from the repetitive motion of pie making.
Yeah, it happens.
I recently started to work on the owner of a local coffee shop that has delectable baked goods. Among several major complaints was a shoulder pain she had for almost a year. She knew it started last year around Thanksgiving when she was filling a bunch of orders for pies. The repetitive motion of the dough making process left her with a shoulder that hurt every time she picked up something heavy. This is no good for a busy shop owner who is always on the go.
That old saying of, “The squeaky wheel gets the grease,” can apply to bodywork too. When a client comes to me with more than one issue I will often ask, “Who’s screaming loudest?” to determine which area of the body we need to address that day. For this client, it was the shoulder. She had started to feel less productive with this nagging pain and it was starting to effect her more than physically.
In her first session, I applied our Cranial/Structural work and then released the muscles of the shoulder as well as the neck. Since it was the first time I had worked on her I could only get in minimally deep around the shoulder, working through the first few layers, and provided more general releases in the chest, upper back and neck areas. I figured next time we could get more specific.
But we didn’t need to. When I saw this client the following week, she reported feeling great in her shoulder. So we started to work on her toe/ankle issue by balancing her pelvis. After two sessions, and without ever touching her feet, she has had a major reduction in her foot discomfort also. She’s convinced I have magic hands, but I know it is just what happens with SET Bodywork.
The next time she gets pie shoulder, or any other repetitive motion injury, she knows that she doesn’t have to wait a year to feel better. Sometimes it only takes one session to start feeling great.
We feel very fortunate and excited to do what we love to do, help others. We have been dealing with clients in severe pain for over 14 years now, that are suffering from herniated discs, bulging discs, hiatal hernias, degenerative disk disease, nerve entrapments, pinched sciatic nerve issues and many more symptoms that people think they either have to have surgery for or are told they just have to deal with the pain. We use a combination of deep tissues massages and cranial structural techniques to balance and align the body. The reason we started blogging was so that we could reach and help some of those people that suffer from these and many other painful conditions. Surgical Alternative is now located in Lutz near New Tampa. We proudly service Tampa, St. Petersburg, Land O Lakes, New Port Richey, Wesley Chapel, Trinity and all surrounding areas. Please call today, or schedule your appointment online!
Decompress for the holidays
Can you feel your shoulders slowly drawing up soon to be in the region where earrings should be? Are you finding your jaw and neck muscles are getting more uncomfortable plus you’ve started grinding your teeth? Is your emotional stress increasing? Are you making mental lists when you should be sleeping? It’s that time of year again…the holidays!
Maximize your enjoyment of this holiday season and de-stress with body or cranial work. Bodywork releases tense muscles by using a plethora of techniques including deep tissue massage. It could be just the right thing to help you feel focused and refreshed. It can also take care of that nagging pain that just has not gone away. Cranial work is not only extremely relaxing; it will leave you feeling more grounded, and helps boost the immune system. Who couldn’t benefit from that heading into cold and flu season? This is your chance to make time for your physical and emotional health. A more complete list of conditions we effectively treat can be found HERE!
Take care of yourself this year and Schedule online or call to make your appointment. Now through December 31st , Surgical Alternative will be offering $15 off your first appointment and $25 off our package of 5 sessions! This will bring the package price to $ 450. That’s a savings of $100! Use all 5 for yourself or give away an appointment or two to someone in need!
December Specials
*$15 off first session
*Package of 5 = $450 /A savings of $100! (90min sessions)
Nerve Entrapment-What causes them?
Nerve entrapment is commonly referred to as a pinched nerve. A pinched nerve is caused when a nerve is somehow damaged or injured by compression or direct pressure not allowing the nerve to properly conduct a signal. There are many causes for a pinched nerve depending on where the nerve resides in the body. For instance, a pinched nerve in the neck or lower back can be caused by a herniated disc, bulging discs, arthritis, or sometimes heel or bone spurs. A pinched nerve in the lower back or gluteus can lead to a pinched sciatic nerve, which can cause sciatica. Nerve entrapment or pinched nerve can be caused by an injury, bruise, or other painful conditions.
The symptoms of a pinched nerve depend on what nerve is affected. Each nerve is responsible for sending information to or from specific parts of the body.
The most common symptoms of a pinched nerve are:
- pain, numbness,tingling (pins and needles), or weakness of the muscles along the path of the nerve.
- A pinched nerve in the neck can cause neck pain or stiffness, along with symptoms down the arm.
- A pinched nerve in the lower back causes back pain and stiffness with symptoms down the leg.
- A pinched nerve in the wrist from carpal tunnel syndrome typically affects the thumb, index, and middle fingers. It can also cause a weakness in the patient’s grip strength, and atrophy of the muscle of the palm near the thumb.
We feel very fortunate and excited to do what we love to do, help others. We have been dealing with clients in severe pain for over 14 years now, that are suffering from herniated discs, bulging discs, hiatal hernias, peripheral nerve damage, degenerative disk disease, nerve entrapments, pinched sciatic nerve issues and many more symptoms that people think they either have to have surgery for or are told they just have to deal with the pain. The reason we started blogging was so that we could reach and help some of those people that suffer from these and many other painful conditions. For more information or read other testimonials or blogs Check US OUT!
A Caring Attitude
I see clients suffer from all kinds of pain and my passion keeps me working and training on alternative techniques that I can integrate to help my clients. One of my clients had been suffering for a while and this is their story.
I incurred lumbar and cervical injuries as a result of an automobile accident in March of 2008. I underwent physical therapy (PT) for 5 months soon after. While I received some help with the PT, it did not resolve my pain issues, flexibility and range of motion for my lumbar and cervical injuries. I began (SET) therapy on July 17, 2008. Though I am not pain free, I feel that we are making more progress then when I was merely taking physical therapy. These individuals have helped me in my arduous journey towards recovery. These people are not only quite proficient in what they do, but also have a caring attitude regarding assessing the proper protocol for each patient based upon their presentation at each session. This is not a paid solicitation or offer of a “work-out”, but merely a recommendation from one friend to another with the hopes that you will afford these people time to come, meet and demonstrate the care that they can provide for other patients. Wishing you continued success! (Mr. Jones, Tampa, FL)
I feel very fortunate and excited to do what I love to do, help others return to a normal pain free life. I have been dealing with clients in severe pain in Tampa Bay, for almost 14 years now, that are suffering from herniated discs, bulging discs, degenerative disk disease, hiatal hernias, peripheral nerve damage, nerve entrapments, pinched sciatic nerve issues, rotator cuff injury and many more symptoms that people think they either have to have surgery for or are told they just have to deal with the pain. If you know someone who is living in pain we can help Contact US!
Sciatic Pain- How to get relief! Part 1
When I was in massage school, we were taught that sciatica (shooting nerve pain that travels down the back of the leg) was most often caused by a tight hip rotator muscle called the piraformis ( a muscle in the gluteal region of the lower limb). The piraformis connects our tailbone (or sacrum) to the top of our femur (or leg bone) and when contracted or when the muscle constricts, pulls the leg and knee to the side away from the body, opening the hip. Since this muscle crosses over the sciatic nerve, if it is overly contracted then it can pinch the nerve and cause pain. If someone came in complaining of sciatic pain, I would release their piraformis during the session using several techniques including deep tissue massage and body rebalancing.
In these sessions, the piraformis release “hurts good” at the time of the session but the clients often don’t receive lasting benefits from this release. A tight piraformis does not live on its own; it often a symptom of an imbalanced structure. Though we can get the piraformis to release and let go, if this is not done within a session where all the muscles of the hips contributing to a pattern are also released so the body can find a new way to balance more efficiently. Then the body will often return back to the starting pattern and sciatic pain returns. Addressing pain as a symptom of structural issues is our objective at Surgical Alternative. We utilize SET Bodywork release the muscles and rebalance the body.
This became very clear to me once I started to study structural approaches to pain rehabilitation. The piraformis, I discovered, is certainly not the only culprit to sciatic pain. Determining how to most effectively address this issue depends on adequate evaluation of the body’s structure. This is way we first visually assess the structure by observing the client standing so their weight-bearing structure emerges. Almost every client I have seen reporting a painful condition presents an imbalance in the pelvis with one side rotating forward and one rotating backward.
Although massage has been around for hundreds of years we are still discovering the power the body and mind having in the healing process. I have seen and lived this process with many of my clients, that is why I feel very fortunate and excited to do what I love to do, help others that are suffering from herniated discs, bulging discs, hiatal hernias, peripheral nerve damage, degenerative disk disease, nerve entrapments, pinched sciatic nerve issues and many more symptoms that people think they either have to have surgery for or are told they just have to deal with the pain. At www.surgicalalternative.com we can help! Check back for Part II
Surgical Alternative Opens A New Location
It is with great pride and pleasure that I am pleased to announce,” Surgical Alternative has a new office!!!.” We are still conveniently located on N. US HWY 41 in Lutz,FL. We now have 2 more therapists whose schedules you can also view online at our site. No more waiting your turn while a loved one is seen; you can now be seen simultaneously. With 3 therapists specializing in various types of therapy including SET BODY(integration of deep tissue massage and cranial structural therapy), Emotional Release, Mother Massage and much more. We have the staff to support your therapeutic needs and you’ll be on your way to feeling more like yourself in no time.
Our new therapist include a wealth of experience:
Pamela Mann’s ability to empathize and her calm energy allow her clients to receive the maximum results possible during each session. She is passionate about educating her clients and empowering them to take control of their own health and well-being. Pamela has a mindful, nurturing touch and a relaxed professional presence that allows her to work well with a variety of clients. “My passion is to provide a service that improves the quality of life for my clients. If they come to me in pain, the end-goal is to find a way to alleviate that pain and make them a happier and healthier person.”
Nyssa Hanger has been a licensed massage therapist since 2005 and has been specializing in Structural Energetic Therapy® since 2006. In 2009, she founded Upward Spiral Body Therapy and Education (www.upwarspiraltherapy.com), offering therapeutic bodywork and educational workshops designed to help others embody their potential. She has seen both in herself and her clients the holistic benefits of this rehabilitative therapy and desires to share this gift with many more
In my dream to bring you a well rounded approach to healing, Jacqueline Armand, a clinical social worker will also be joining our officelate fall. We look forward to having her join our team.
We look forward to giving you the care and attention that you have come to know, but adding that compassionate touch to make your experience here exceptional!
NEW HOURS OF OPERATION:
M-Thursday 8-6:30 Friday 8-4 Saturday 10-4
New services being offered such as Cranial decompression, Mother Massage® and lymph drainage. More information on our new services and more can be found at our site! Come meet the newest additions to our staff.
Office Address:
17886 N. US HWY 41
Lutz, FL 33549
Why live with back pain? Alternative therapy benefits
Weekend warriors and people living an active lifestyle that has recently been disrupted by pain as well as those of you that have jobs / hobbies that have you doing repetitive actions for extended periods of time fall in this category too. Why are you putting up with these pains? Now it’s affecting activities you love and it doesn’t seem to be getting any better. Does this sound like you? Adding regular bodywork as part of your health and fitness/ training regimen is preventative for injuries. Which by the way helps you stay on your game? SET bodywork is so much more than a deep tissue massage; this therapy incorporates cranial work, body logic, and deep tissue massage to focus on the source of where your symptoms are coming from. Let me help you get back to feeling like yourself and resume normal life activities.
Having been in this industry for 13 years, I have always believed the benefits of massage especially the more specialized work like I do, have been undervalued. So it was great to see an article on NPR discussing the benefits and the great results. They compared the effectiveness of treatments for lower back pain using three different groups, full body relaxation massage, deep tissue massage and medication and physical therapy. The study found good improvement with those who used either relaxation or deep tissue massage therapy over conventional types of treatment. You can check out the full article at http://www.npr.org/2011/07/04/137609072/got-low-back-pain-massage-therapy-may-rub-it-out?sc=emaf.
Although massage has been around for hundreds of years we are still discovering the power the body and mind having in the healing process. I have seen and lived this process with many of my clients, that is why I feel very fortunate and excited to do what I love to do, help others that are suffering from herniated discs, bulging discs, hiatal hernias, peripheral nerve damage, nerve entrapments, degenerative disk disease, pinched sciatic nerve issues and many more symptoms that people think they either have to have surgery for or are told they just have to deal with the pain. At www.surgicalalternative.com we can help!
Scoliosis! A painful but treatable condition
I see clients suffer from all kinds of pain and my passion keeps me working and training on alternative techniques that I can integrate to help my clients. One of my clients had been suffering for a while and this is their story.
“I was diagnosed almost 3 years ago with Scoliosis. This gave me some relief knowing what was causing all my pain. My knees hurt, my neck would sometimes lock and my lower back was in constant pain. I had to roll out of bed as I could not sit straight up in the mornings. According to the orthopedic doctor, the outlook was not bright. They wanted to put me on pain medication, a body brace and possible surgery. None of this was me. I have always lived a healthy lifestyle and I had no intentions of changing, but what could I do? I started to do some research on the internet on alternatives to help with my Scoliosis, with no real success. One day, by chance, I was speaking to a co-worker concerning my plight and she said, “My daughter is now practicing massage. Let me ask her if she knows anything that could help you”. Her daughter recommended I call Peggy Boyd at Surgical Alternative. That was one of the best phones call I ever made. Peggy changed my life for the best. I have been going to Peggy Boyd for two and a half years now and thanks to her, I am back to doing all that I used to do, and more importantly, without Pain! If you have Scoliosis, this is where you need to be! No drugs, no body brace, no surgery. Peggy gave me my active life back and I am forever in her debt. “
I feel very fortunate and excited to do what I love to do, help others return to a normal pain free life. I have been dealing with clients in severe pain in Tampa Bay, for almost 14 years now, that are suffering from herniated discs, bulging discs, hiatal hernias, degenerative disk disease, peripheral nerve damage, nerve entrapments, pinched sciatic nerve issues and many more symptoms that people think they either have to have surgery for or are told they just have to deal with the pain. If you know someone who is living in pain we can help at www.surgicalalternative.com
Why People Come to Surgical Alternative
People come see me for many different reasons. A lot of times, I’m the last option because they’ve done all the traditional western medicine they know to do. When their condition first started they stretched, they iced and took it easy for a little while, but still things persisted. They saw their doctor, were evaluated, had x-rays, MRIs, or cat scans and were told nothing was evident. They were just given a prescription for pain meds and anti-inflammatory and sent on their way. Some were even offered steroid injections that temporarily fixed the situation but did not offer long term relief. Many were not satisfied with their fix and felt that they should not feel this way at their age or were told it was all in their head because their films came back clean but yet they were still in pain. Most people come here because they were told by a friend, family member, neighbor or stranger that they knew of someone that could help. I often call our office the “place of last resort”. People have often given up hope by the time they make it here. When they come for their appointment armed with their reports, films, and evaluations, they are so relieved to hear that their strange aches and pains that have been limiting their lives does not sound strange to me. As a matter of fact they are the same symptoms that are common place and seen routinely at this office. There is a combination of hesitancy, disbelief, and relief that I see them experience. After all, many of them have gone through exhausting efforts and treatment to try and feel better. It really hurts me to hear what they have been living/existing with and how they are suffering just to make it day to day. After explaining what I do and how it can help, I begin to see a glimmer hope and relief washes over them. It’s not uncommon for tears of relief to be shed or for them to have an emotional release because of what they have been living with and going though. I explain how the body can manifest pain, the underlying conditions for this pain and why I think I can help. I do what I do because of the compassion I have for what these people are suffering or existing with. Our work is able to help so many get out of pain and return to a normal life. I’m not talking about managing but truly rehabilitating their pain. Over the course of your life, the body goes through many traumas while playing sports, working, car accidents, or other daily activities. I think everyone can remember all the things we did to our bodies as children and growing up. As we get older some of these traumas manifest themselves through the body and can cause severe pain. A good example is my husband, who played football, basketball and soccer the majority of his life and as he got older his back and ankle muscles would cause intense pain. Thankfully I knew how to fix himJ I am one of the lucky ones, I love what I do and I enjoy restoring hope. I have been dealing with clients in severe pain for almost 14 years now, that are suffering from herniated discs, bulging discs, hiatal hernias, peripheral nerve damage, nerve entrapments, pinched sciatic nerve issues and many more symptoms that people think they either have to have surgery for or are told they just have to deal with the pain. The reason I started blogging was so that I could reach and help some of those people that suffer from these and many other painful conditions. At www.surgicalalternative.com we can help!
Conclusion of Alaska Family and hiatal hernia surgical alternative
The family arrived safely and stayed for 3 weeks. The wife’s case was more severe than the husband. The tightness of her muscles from her hiatal hernia was causing here severe abdominal pain and a stomach disorder including acid reflux. I saw each of them every 3 days and we managed to make great headway with the husband. The wife saw good progress but additional sessions were needed to completely release the restrictions. I would have liked to have seen them more often but due to the nature of my work and the depth in which the deep tissue massage techniques I use penetrate the tissues, there is often some minor bruising and soreness that needs a couple days to recover. In a relatively short period of time, they saw marked improvement in their posture, a decrease in tension on their neck and shoulder areas and significant improvement in breathing while also experiencing a decrease in food sensitivities and reflux! At the end of their 3 weeks they were extremely pleased with the progress they had all made and felt that with a few more sessions the wife would also be freed of her symptoms. On their last day here they extended me an invitation to come to Alaska and finish their therapy!!!!!! It was more cost effective to have me come to them then to maintain a family of 5 at a hotel here. I could not believe my ears I nearly passed out from excitement!!! Alaska was a place that my husband and I had planned on going to as soon as we could but I could not believe I would now be on my way, woo hoo! That March I flew out to Homer, Alaska and stayed with their current therapist, whom was also starting the specialized SET training, I had completed years back and saw the family for 4 more sessions each. By the end of my stay the mom was now no longer experiencing any symptoms! I was extremely grateful that they had been in a position to have me come out and complete their therapy sessions leaving them pain free. The day before I left they made a celebration dinner for me as a sign of their gratitude. What an honor, especially since they grew 90% of their food organically and lived on an amazing property! See for yourself! Once again the moral of the story is please don’t just live in pain. Call me; I’d love to answer any questions you may have.
Please follow us at Twitter @surgicalalt or our Facebook Page to read more stories like this one.
About the Author:
I have been dealing with clients in severe pain from herniated discs, bulging discs, hiatal hernias, degenerative disk disease,peripheral nerve damage, nerve entrapments, pinched sciatic nerve issues and many more symptoms that people think they either have to have surgery for or just deal with the pain. The reason I started blogging was so that I could reach and help some of those people that suffer from these and many other painful conditions. At Surgical Alternative we can help! Please check out our site www.surgicalalternative.com/blogs and post your stories and comments.
My Alaska Family receives effective treatment for Hiatal Hernias without Surgery!
One late summer my office received a call from a couple in Alaska inquiring about hiatal hernias. The husband informed us that both he and his wife had been suffering from abdominal pain for quite some time, which they believed was contributing to their stomach disorders. More specifically they’d been experiencing acid reflux and were interested in seeking out a more natural but lasting remedy. They thoroughly searched the internet leading them to me and my work, which was surprising considering how little presence I had on the web at the time. Goes to show you the links people who suffer from hiatal hernias or those that are in constant pain will go through to find relief. I explained how the specialized therapy I use called, SET body work, addresses this condition. How I align the body and take out the structural core distortion collapse that contributes to 90% of all pains in the body. Then I use a combination of deep tissue massage techniques to release the tissues in the muscles allowing the body to be more structurally upright reducing the stress on the diaphragm. I explained to them how this session would need to be repeated along with other deep tissue work that would continue to bring the rest of the body into align and provide proper support. They were excited about our previous successes in rehabilitating hiatal hernias and were relieved to find out there were alternative approaches available. The next thing I knew their family of five were air bound for Tampa!
Please follow us at Twitter @surgicalalt or our Facebook Fan Page to hear the conclusion of this story and more like them.
About the Author:
I have been dealing with clients in severe pain from herniated discs, bulging discs, hiatal hernias,degenerative disk disease, peripheral nerve damage, nerve entrapments, pinched sciatic nerve issues and many more symptoms that people think they either have to have surgery for or just deal with the pain. The reason I started blogging was so that I could reach and help some of those people that suffer from these and many other painful conditions. At Surgical Alternative we can help! Please check out our site www.surgicalalternative.com/blogs and post your stories and comments.
Sciatica- A pain you don’t have to live with!
There are many times when I am crossing the parking lot of a store and I observe people walking with pain or discomfort. I see them walking with a limp, walking slowly holding a shopping cart and wincing because of the severe pain they are experiencing. I often think about speaking with them to let them know that there are options for them to get better. I want to give them my business card to let them know that I can help. A common pain that many people suffer from is sciatica or a pinched sciatic nerve. It usually starts in the back as a minor pain and will eventually move all the way down your leg as the pain progresses. This is one of those pains that can get worse as it starts to travel and make its way down your leg. The pain can be so intense that it can bring you to your knees. When the nerve becomes really irritated it will start to bother you while sitting or standing and can also be so intense that it keeps you up at night. Most times you can wiggle around until you find a position that isn’t as uncomfortable and the sciatica pain will ease. After a certain point, the pain you feel from the pinched sciatic nerve can seem like no position is a good position. I hear people chalk it up to getting older but I am here to tell you “don’t buy into that!” The structural work I do, which uses a combination of several techniques including deep tissue massage and cranial/structural therapy, addresses the tight muscles allowing the bones to release bringing the pelvis back into balance. You don’t have to manage that pain! We can get rid of it. My clients feel a SIGNIFICANT difference in just one session! It is best to follow thru and do more than 1 session; but imagine being able to finally sleep, walk, or sit without this pinch sciatic nerve pain running your life! I have been dealing with clients in severe pain from herniated discs, bulging discs, degenerative disk disease,hiatal hernias, peripheral nerve damage, nerve entrapments, pinched sciatic nerve issues and many more symptoms that people think they either have to have surgery for or just deal with the pain. The reason I started blogging was so that I could reach and help some of those people that suffer from these and many other painful conditions. At Surgical Alternative we can help! Please check out our site www.surgicalalternative.com/blogs and post your stories and comments.
A New lease on life-Pain Free
A client came in suffering from severe neck and shoulder pain. Their neck muscles were so seized or traumatized that they were causing a constant low grade headache. The muscles were so tight that they made her right shoulder draw tight to her body and drop lower than her left shoulder, which could also lead to painful conditions such as nerve entrapment. The client had been suffering and living with this from this condition for over 25 years. . Their loss of range of motion in their neck, led to losing their ability to drive or operate other motorized vehicles, making a difficult situation more unbearable. In our first session, I used a combination of many techniques including deep tissue massage to help release the strain on the muscles, it was painful but relieving. After only the first session there was an instant increase in their range of motion for her neck and surrounding tissues. The second session focused releasing the restriction around the neck and shoulder areas. We also explored what restrictions would cause the arm to hold so tightly to the body. In my 13 years using alternative therapy as complementary and alternative medicines, I have come to find that problems like these can be more mental or emotional than physical. I continue with the deep tissue massage techniques releasing the muscles that went into the ribs and around the rotator cuff. After only the second session the client had regained blood vessels and circulation in the wrist area of the right arm. Blood flow had returned to a bone in wrist that had recently been diagnosed as a dying bone!! The client had not mentioned this to me because they had thought there was nothing anyone could do about it outside of surgery. It has now been 2 ½ months and the veins in the right wrist are as beautiful as ever! Their neck is maintaining its gained range of motion even though we still have a ways to go. The best news to for me is they now drive themselves to their appointments! How Awesome! I have been dealing with clients in severe pain from herniated discs, bulging discs, hiatal hernias, peripheral nerve damage, degenerative disk disease, nerve entrapments, pinched sciatic nerve issues and many more symptoms that people think they either have to have surgery for or just deal with the pain. The reason I started blogging was so that I could reach and help some of those people that suffer from these and many other painful conditions. At Surgical Alternative we can help! Please check out our site www.surgicalalternative.com/blogs and post your stories and comments.
Childs night time sleeping habits keeps parents at wits end
As a massage therapist in Tampa for over 13 years I have seen my share of interesting cases. For instance, a father came in for therapy and seemed more tired than usual. He told me how since birth, his child woke up on a nightly basis frantically screaming, until a parent came to comfort them back to sleep. Both he and his wife would take shifts of who would sleep and who would do the comforting. He also told me how this had severely limited their lives because the child was usually acting out what he had done earlier that day. Too much day time excitement and stimulation made the nights much worse. The father gave the example of taking their child to the beach or attending family/friend functions as not being an option for them. A very interesting detail about this was that the child was never aware that they were doing this. They only had the awareness of being tired every morning. I explained to the father how I thought the child could benefit from a cranial decompression and other cranial work that would release pressure on the cranium but also help bring it into balance. I asked the father to bring in the son to experience a cranial work session. Both parents agreed to bring the child in for therapy. The child enjoyed the therapy, was quite inquisitive, and fell asleep during the session. When the family came for the second appointment the parents gave feedback that 2 days before their 2nd appointment the child slept through the night for the first time! The parents had grown accustomed to taking shifts for the past 7 years anticipating his waking, but he never did wake up. By the 3rd appointment the parents were happy to report that the son had not woken up again since 2 days before his 2nd appointment. This nightly disturbance that had taken over their lives was no longer limiting and governing their lives! No longer waking up tired has allowed this child to become more emotionally balanced, more focused at school, and more themselves! The parents were surprised at all the changes are and were so grateful for how this has changed all their lives! There are many types of alternative medicines and therapy that can help change what people think they have to live with. Check into it and you may be surprised. I’d love to hear any stories you may have.
