Cervical Myelopathy | How Physiotherapy Helps In Regaining Function And Control?

 Cervical myelopathy is a condition that affects the spinal cord in the neck region, leading to a wide range of symptoms that can significantly impact one's quality of life. While surgery is often considered the primary treatment option, physiotherapy plays a vital role in managing and improving the condition. In this blog, we will explore cervical myelopathy and how physiotherapy techniques address the neck, upper back, joints, and muscles for treatment and rehabilitation.

Understanding Cervical Myelopathy

Cervical myelopathy is a progressive condition caused by the compression of the spinal cord in the neck (cervical) region. This compression can result from various factors, but the most common cause is the degeneration of the cervical spine due to age-related changes. Other causes include spinal stenosis, herniated discs, trauma, tumors, and inflammatory conditions.
The spinal cord is a crucial part of the central nervous system, responsible for transmitting messages between the brain and the rest of the body. When it becomes compressed, the communication between the brain and the body is disrupted, leading to a range of neurological symptoms.

Cervical myelopathy is characterized by a broad spectrum of symptoms, which can vary in severity and duration. The most common symptoms include neck pain which is often the first sign of cervical myelopathy, but it can be attributed to various other conditions. In cervical myelopathy, the pain is usually chronic and may radiate into the shoulders and arms. As the condition progresses, muscle weakness can develop, affecting the arms and legs. This weakness can make simple tasks like gripping objects or walking difficult. Many patients experience numbness, tingling, or "pins and needles" sensations in their arms and hands. This is due to the interruption of nerve signals. Cervical myelopathy can affect a person's balance and coordination, leading to stumbling and difficulty walking. In severe cases, the condition can impact bowel and bladder control, which can be particularly distressing and debilitating.

Role of Physiotherapy

While surgery is often recommended for cervical myelopathy, physiotherapy plays a critical role in managing and improving the condition. Physiotherapists are skilled in assessing patients and developing tailored treatment plans to address their specific needs. Here are the ways in which physiotherapy can benefit individuals with cervical myelopathy:

1: Pain Management: Physiotherapists can employ various techniques to manage pain, including manual therapy, gentle exercises, and modalities like heat or cold therapy, TENS, etc. By reducing pain, patients can participate more actively in their rehabilitation.
2: Improving Mobility: Cervical myelopathy can significantly impact a person's ability to move and perform daily activities. Physiotherapy aims to enhance mobility and restore functional independence through exercises and stretching routines.
3: Strengthening Weak Muscles: Muscle weakness is a common symptom of cervical myelopathy. Physiotherapists design exercises to strengthen specific muscle groups, helping patients regain strength and stability in their arms, legs, and core.
4: Improving Balance and Coordination: Physiotherapy focuses on balance and coordination training to reduce the risk of falls and improve overall motor function.
5: Sensory Re-education: In cases where patients experience numbness or tingling, physiotherapists may employ sensory re-education techniques to improve sensory perception and spatial awareness.
6: Postural Correction: Poor posture can exacerbate symptoms in cervical myelopathy. Physiotherapists educate patients on proper posture and may use manual techniques to address postural issues.
7: Functional Rehabilitation: Physiotherapists work with patients to improve their ability to perform daily tasks, such as dressing, cooking, and hygiene, to enhance their quality of life.
8: Preoperative and Postoperative Care: For those who undergo surgery, physiotherapy is crucial both before and after the procedure. Preoperative physiotherapy can optimize a patient's physical condition, while postoperative care helps with recovery and rehabilitation.

Cervical myelopathy is a complex condition that can severely affect an individual's daily life. While surgery is often a necessary intervention, physiotherapy plays a crucial role in the management and rehabilitation of cervical myelopathy. Physiotherapists are skilled professionals who tailor treatment plans to each patient's unique needs, helping to reduce pain, improve mobility, and enhance overall quality of life. By working in conjunction with medical and surgical interventions, physiotherapy offers a path to recovery and a brighter future for those living with cervical myelopathy. If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of cervical myelopathy, consult a healthcare professional to explore the best treatment options, which may include physiotherapy, and start the journey towards a better, more mobile life.

 

Cervicogenic Headache: Managing your head pain with Physiotherapy Treatment

Cervicogenic headaches can give you a troublesome time and not let you concentrate on your work due to the excruciating head pain. Though cervicogenic headaches can be treated by drugs but physiotherapy treatment is one of the best-known solutions. It is safely treatable by specific physiotherapy techniques which address the neck, upper back, joints, and muscles. Cervicogenic headaches can cause pain, limited neck movements, dizziness, or nausea. The physiotherapist assesses the spine and offers treatments that can help to decrease pain and improve mobility. In this blog, we will discuss cervicogenic headaches and their physiotherapy management.

 

Neck anatomy and cervicogenic headache:

The neck is comprised of 7 cervical vertebrae stacked one on the other. In between these bones are spongy and soft intervertebral discs with joints on either side of the neck. The cervical vertebrae protect the spinal cord and allow the neck to move in flexion, extension, rotation, and side bending.  Upper cervical vertebrae help support the skull. There is a joint on either side of the cervical level that connects to the occiput of the skull and allows the motion to occur. From the sub-occipital area several nerves and muscles that support and move the head, travel from the neck, through the sub-occipital area, into the head. Headaches and pain can be due to these nerves and muscles. Cervicogenic headache has several symptoms like pain on one side of the upper neck that radiates to the temple, forehead, or eye, pain in one side of the face or cheek reduced range of motion in the neck, pain on both sides of the back of the head, Pain in the back of the head that radiates to shoulder, dizziness, nausea, sensitivity to light or sound. Symptoms can often be triggered by certain movements or during sustained postures of the neck and can last for several hours to days.

 

Physiotherapy Management

The physiotherapist conducts a proper assessment and evaluation by palpating the neck and skull and recording the neck range of motion, and strength. After the evaluation treatment plan is designed to treat the cervicogenic headache. The physiotherapist may use different interventions for the treatment of cervicogenic headaches. The interventions include:

 

Ice therapy:

Ice therapy may be applied to the neck and skull to help decrease pain or inflammation.

 

Heat therapy:

Heat therapy is used to increase blood circulation, and relax tight muscles before performing neck stretches.

 

Traction:

Traction can be given manually by hands or mechanically with the help of a machine, it helps to decrease pain due to cervicogenic headache and also decompress the neck's discs and joints to allow improved neck movement. Even joint mobilizations can be performed to improve neck motion and decrease pain.

 

Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation (TENS):

Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation on the neck muscles helps to decrease pain and improve the headache symptoms.

 

Vestibular Therapy:

Cervicogenic headaches can cause vertigo or dizziness, for this vestibular therapy can be beneficial. This therapy involves performing specific neck, head, and gaze stabilization exercises to improve the way the vestibular system functions.

 

Massage:

Massage helps to loosen the tight muscles which cause limitation of the neck movement thus causing headache pain. Sub-occipital release technique can be performed to loosen the muscles that attach the skull to the neck, and allow improved motion, and decreases nerve irritation.

 

Exercise:

Exercises done to improve neck motion and decrease pressure on cervical nerves include cervical flexion, side bending, rotation, and side bending cervical retraction. These exercises are done slowly, without any sudden or jerky movement. After the movement, slight overpressure is applied with hands to each neck stretching movement, and at the end, range stretches may be held for up to 1 minute.

 

Postural Correction:

Postural correction is done to prevent the pinching of the nerves in the suboccipital area and upper cervical spine area. Strategies used include the use of a supportive neck pillow when sleeping, a lumbar roll while sitting, and preventing slouched posture. Kinesiology taping is used to improve correct posture by increasing tactile awareness of the back and neck position.

 

Through Physiotherapy management you can be assured of a quick and safe way to get pain relief and return to your level of activity.

 How to manage Pain in Winters with Physiotherapy?

As temperatures drop in the winter, weather-related health problems start to rise. Especially for patients with bone & joint-related issues. Pain, swelling, stiffness, fatigue, and other common symptoms are harder to control during the winter. Physiotherapy can help patients suffering from arthritis, spondylosis, asthma etc in managing pain in winters and living through winter pain-free.

 

Common conditions that get worsened in winters & How Physiotherapy helps:

 1. Joint pains and stiffened muscles are the most common health problem plaguing the lives of older people in low temperatures. There is a 50 percent spike in the number of senior citizens seeking treatment for bone and joint problems during winter.

 Various modalities like hot & cold therapy, TENS therapy, and therapeutic massages can help in managing joint pain & loosen muscles during winters. Also, your physiotherapist can suggest certain exercises/stretches to keep the pain at bay.

 2. Rheumatoid arthritis is another chronic ailment that concerns people during winters. Its symptoms including pain, swelling, stiffness, fatigue, and other common rheumatoid arthritis symptoms are harder to control during the winter

 Physical therapy is an effective and safe treatment for managing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Under proper counseling individuals with rheumatoid arthritis can safely exercise, improving overall physical fitness, improved sense of wellbeing, and greater ease for activities of daily living

 3. Cervical Spondylosis, a condition affecting bones, discs, and joints of the neck of people have a tough time as temperatures dip in winter.

 

Physiotherapy plays a significant role in the management of cervical Spondylosis. In the active part of physical therapy, a physical therapist teaches various exercises to improve flexibility, strength, core stability, and range of motion.

 4. Asthma attacks are also triggered by cold weather, as winters come with a lot of allergens in the air, being the main causative factor for asthma. People with asthma have sensitive airways, which gets aggravated by cold or damp weather conditions.

 Diaphragmatic breathing exercises and pursing lip breathing techniques are widely used in asthma to prevent breathing abnormalities. Pursed lip breathing prevents the trapping of air into the lungs.

https://cbphysiotherapy.in/blog/world-osteoporosis-day-managing-bone-health-with-physiotherapy

World Osteoporosis Day: Managing Bone Health with Physiotherapy

World Osteoporosis Day is observed on the 20th of October every year. This day is dedicated to raising awareness for early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of Osteoporosis. World Osteoporosis Day WOD aims to make osteoporosis and fracture prevention a global health priority by reaching out to health-care professionals, patients, and the public at large. Osteoporosis is a skeletal condition, which leads to the thinning of bones, mainly due to a deficiency of minerals such as calcium. Mineral deficiency leads to reduced bone density, which is characterized by brittle bones that are prone to fractures. Individuals with osteoporosis often experience multiple fractures in the long bones of arms and legs, and in the spine. Osteoporosis hinders movement and thus causes Joint Pain and Pain in the bones. Regular exercise and good nutrition, including getting the recommended daily amounts of calcium and vitamin D, are essential for building and maintaining bone strength throughout the lifespan. Various osteoporosis treatments have been proven to reduce fractures by 30 to 50 percent.

 

Factors Responsible for Osteoporosis 

 

Genetic factors play a critical role as a risk determining factor for Osteoporosis, but dietary and lifestyle modifications can help to prevent it. Identifying early signs and symptoms can help people take tangible steps to monitor Osteoporosis. Family history, low bone density, poor levels of vitamins and minerals and some health conditions and medications contribute to osteoporosis risk. Sedentary lifestyles alcoholic consumption, dietary gaps are also associated with the risk factors of osteoporosis. Reduction in bone mineral density is a natural process after the mid-20s, but incorporating an adequate amount of calcium, proteins, and vitamin D in our everyday diet can help to reduce our risk of Osteoporosis. Older adults lose bone mass with natural aging. With age, the ability to create new bone decreases while disuse continues to occur. In women, there is a sharp decline in bone mineral density after menopause, thereby increasing the risk of osteoporosis. Thus, postmenopausal women need necessary measures to prevent osteoporosis during later years in life.

 

 

Role of Physiotherapy in treating Osteoporosis

 

Strategies to improve bone density and reduce the likelihood of falls are important in the prevention of osteoporosis. Physiotherapists have a role to play in this condition through exercise prescription, therapeutic modalities, specific techniques and education. Appropriate treatment goals can be established following a thorough assessment of signs and symptoms, risk factors for osteoporosis and functional status. Since the aim is to maximize peak bone mass in children and adolescents, participation in a variety of high-impact activities should be encouraged.

 

Physiotherapy includes certain bone-strengthening exercises, such as weight-bearing activities (including walking or jogging) or resistance training (such as weight lifting or yoga).To also help prevent further fractures, a physical therapist helps patients suffering from osteoporosis to improve balance and posture. Better control over balance will help people to prevent falls while proper posture takes unnecessary stress off the spine, which will reduce the risk of spinal fractures. A physical therapist may even help people to make changes in-home and/or office to promote a healthy recovery. Often physiotherapy teaches people safe ways to do everyday activities—from how to correctly lie down to how to sneeze properly—that will help people to avoid fractures. Physical therapy is an effective non-surgical treatment for osteoporosis that may help restore healthy movement, function, and bone strength. Physiotherapy will teach patients suffering from weak bones to exercise for bone health and ways to manage daily activities to lessen the chances of having an osteoporosis-related fracture.

https://cbphysiotherapy.in/blog/world-spine-day-managing-spine-health-with-physiotherapy

World Spine Day: Managing Spine Health with Physiotherapy

WORLD SPINE DAY

 

World Spine Day celebrates spine health annually on October 16th. The day aims to increase awareness for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of back pain and other spine issues. With an estimated one billion people worldwide suffering from spinal problems, it affects all age groups, from children to the elderly. It is the biggest single cause of disability on the planet. World Spine Day brings together people from all walks of life – patients, health providers, healthcare organizations, associations, and governments – to help ease the global burden of spinal disorders. World Spine day also provides a forum for on-going discussion about the burden of spinal disorders and sharing best practices. Spinal problems can be managed by the promotion of regular physical activity, encouraging good posture throughout all stages of life and teaching responsible lifting and developing healthy working conditions.

 

The Theme for World Spine Day 2020: Back on track

 

The 2020 theme for World Spine Day is ‘Back on Track’. The timely theme was inspired by the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, which have inevitably led to a decrease in physical activity, potentially leaving people susceptible to spinal pain. COVID-19 affecting the various people across the world followed by imposing restrictions on people’s movement has been linked to a range of health conditions. Back on Track highlights the importance of exercise, posture, movement, and good self-care to ensure a healthy spine. The activities can be as simple as ensuring to exercise daily, maintain a balanced diet, and get enough sleep. Practicing Straighten Up stretching program is also a great way to help you regain control over your health. The theme celebrates for the cause of people being able to reactivate and revitalize their bodies by getting out and focusing on effective spine care. The theme also highlights the importance of exercise, posture, movement, and good self-care to make the spine healthy.

 

 

 

 

PHYSIOTHERAPY IN MANAGING SPINAL HEALTH

 

Physiotherapists are trained in many different aspects of the spine, which are proved to be effective in managing spinal related health concerns, from rehabilitating patients with spinal cord injuries or systemic spinal conditions (such as Ankylosing Spondylitis) to treat conditions such as lower back and neck pain. Physiotherapy has a special interest in neuro-musculoskeletal conditions and treats patients with nerve irritations referred from the spine, muscle injuries and pain, and pain in all joints including the spine. Physiotherapy aims at helping regain normal movement patterns of the spine to aid in and prevent pain. This is usually carried out through joint mobilizations, soft tissue techniques, as well as teaching, improved movement through mobility, flexibility, and strengthening exercises.

 

The goal of physical therapy is to decrease back pain, increase function, and teach the patient a maintenance program to prevent future spinal problems. The patient may only need the treatment and education that patient receives during the initial assessment or the patient may need months of rehabilitation. Common forms of physical therapy include Passive physical therapy (modalities), which includes things done to the patient, such as heat application, ice packs, and electrical stimulation. While as the Active physical therapy focuses on specific exercises and stretching. For most spinal problems related to back pain treatments, active exercise is the focus of the physical therapy program. 

 https://cbphysiotherapy.in/blog/physiotherapic-rehabilitation-in-times-of-covid-19

PHYSIOTHERAPIC -REHABILITATION IN TIMES OF COVID 19

 As the era of COVID-19 began with the global contagion engulfing the whole world, the healthcare systems across the world faced a daunting range of challenges. Scientific understanding of COVID-19 was considerably evolving since the World Health Organization declared it a “public health emergency of international concern” in late January 2020.  The combination of unpredictable patterns and incomplete knowledge meant that planning for and implementing both an immediate and sustainable long-term pandemic response was difficult—yet absolutely critical for the care of patients, employees, and organizational survival.

 

PANDEMIC CHALLENGING HEALTHWORKERS AND ROLE OF PHYSIOTHERAPY

The covid-19 pandemic landed all healthcare professionals across the world in an unprecedented situation, facing tremendous challenges to make impossible decisions and work under extreme pressures. These challenges ranged as how to allocate scant resources to equally needy patients and how to provide care for all severely unwell patients with constrained or inadequate resources.

Physiotherapists working in primary healthcare facilities played a significant role and faced huge challenges and being an established profession throughout the world had major contributions in assessing and treating the Covid-19 patients with comorbidities. Physiotherapy proved promising and beneficial in the respiratory treatment and physical rehabilitation of patients with COVID-19. Physiotherapists who practise in the ICU environment also provided airway clearance techniques for ventilated patients who show signs of inadequate airway clearance and they can assist in positioning patients with severe respiratory failure associated with COVID-19, including the use of prone position to optimize oxygenation.

 

 ADAPTING TELE-REHABILITATION AT CB PHYSIOTHERAPY IN TIMES OF COVID

Tele-Rehab has emerged as a great tool to help deliver physiotherapy services remotely to patients. Tele- Rehabilitation has significantly contributed toward the sustainable care of patients who were looking for quality care at home in the global contagion. By embracing technology, physios are now able to offer recovery & pain management sessions remotely through online channels (aka Telehealth, Virtual Physiotherapy, online Consultations, and e-Health.

At CB Physiotherapy early adoption of tele-health was of immense help in adapting to the new normal. With our Exercise Prescription software TelePT, Our Physiotherapists were quick to adapt to the new normal and help patients in their recovery while staying at home. Physiotherapists at CB Physiotherapy & across the world were able to continue delivering physio care to patients even during lockdowns & stay at home guidelines. As the experts in the respective fields, physiotherapists at CB Physiotherapy guided patients in how exercise and various home-based treatment modalities can help recovery at home. Exercise Prescription software like TelePT by CB Physiotherapy should be leveraged to provide video instructions & make understanding exercises easy for the patients. At CB Physiotherapy, we also have conducted tele physiotherapy sessions to NRIs stuck in other parts of the world.

 

TAIL PIECE

Therefore, it is very important for us to identify, recognize and appreciate the efforts and importance of physiotherapy practitioners in their contribution to delivery of healthcare. Not only that but for the general health of population, awareness needs to be created to highlight the benefits of physiotherapy and how it can help people in management of pain, maintaining mobility & improving the overall quality of life.