Breaking the Pain Cycle

With Memorial Day quickly approaching and the unseasonably warm weather we are having, many are planting vegetables and herbs, working on the lawn and nurturing flower gardens. Remember to protect your back and “hinge at the hips rather than bend at the waist”! Avoid pain.

Let’s Explain Pain. No one wants it and once you have it no matter where it is in your body you want to get rid of it fast. The unpleasantness of pain is the very thing that makes it so effective and an essential part of life. Pain protects you, it alerts you to danger, often before you are injured or injured badly. Pain occurs when your body’s alarm system alerts the brain to actual or potential tissue damage. When pain persists and feels like it is ruining your life, it is difficult to see how it can be serving any useful purpose. It hurts because the brain has concluded you are threatened and in danger.

Many come to Lake Country in pain and for those of you who know us, we help you manage or abort your pain then progress gradually as tolerated toward restoring mobility and function. The techniques we use “talk to the brain” and this is why your pain is gone so quickly.

Primal Reflex Release Techniques (PRRT, pronounced PERT), is a specialized hands on manual therapy that quickly breaks your pain cycle, the body’s maladaptive response to various stimuli. The technique is successful without the associated risks of NSAIDS such as Ibuprofen or Aleve. Using PRRT, 50% resolution of pain is expected and frequently found by the end of the first session.

Robert C. Christakos, PT, DPT and I are two of less than 100 trained at the most advanced level with PRRT. PRRT addresses painful trigger regions that are linked to the Dura/cranial nerves/sympathetic nervous system loop. These techniques down-regulate or download this loop. It is like rebooting a computer. Technically speaking, the system shifts from nociception to proprioception and from a catabolic, sympathetically-driven state to an anabolic parasympathetic one. In other words from painfully tight and tense to pain free and loose. PRRT facilitates the immune system, speeds healing and restores normal muscle and joint function.

PRRT is a pain relief therapy developed by John Iams in San Diego California. Robert and I met at one of John’s PRRT seminars in California. Robert at the time was a resident in Riverside County California and was looking to make a career change. We soon discovered we were both looking for the privilege and an opportunity to work with a fellow PRRT expert. Together we are here to assist you!

Let me explain pain a bit further. Easing overactive and ongoing bodily stress reactions can ease pain associated with a wide variety of conditions and injuries. Primal or pain reflexes are what the body does to protect itself as a reaction to pain. Startle reflex occurs when you jump from hearing a loud noise or experience pain. The withdrawal reflex happens when you pull away from something that scares you or hurts you. The body’s protective reflexes become activated and stay that way in response to injury or discomfort from inflammation or other traumatic conditions, such as surgery.

The Primal reflexes, hard wired into our central nervous system tighten our muscles and joints and cause more pain than the condition that resulted in the reflex response in the first place. The techniques are quickly effective, gentle and involve tapping, flicking, touching often far from the painful trigger region. This helps down regulate or download the stress or pain signal.

Lake Country Physical Therapy and Sportscare, PC initiates care within 48 hours. All you need to do is call and make an appointment. The NYS direct access law allows you to receive care without seeing your doctor first and most insurance carriers no longer require a referral to initiate physical therapy.

Lake Country is resuming home visits for those who do not have transportation or are unable to drive, after surgery when it is difficult to get out of the home due to pain or physical limitations or for those who want to improve their overall function so it easier to do things outside the home. Keep in mind if you are having skilled care in your home such as nursing, your insurance carrier will not cover our services until that portion of your home care is completed. However, you can receive care on a self – pay basis.

Our in office hours of operation are Mondays and Wednesdays 10-7pm and Tuesdays and Thursdays 8-5 pm, and Fridays 9-4pm. Home care is available Monday and Wednesday before 9:30 am, Tuesday and Thursdays between 5-7pm, all day Friday and Saturdays.

Participate in our HELP A FRIEND program. It is an opportunity to celebrate a double bonus. You have experienced the benefits of our services and when you refer a friend you receive a gift certificate to shop downtown Canandaigua.

NEXT MONTH WE WILL TELL YOU ABOUT GRASTON TECHNIQUES AND HOW IT RELEASES ADHESIONS AND SCAR TISSUE TO ALLOW PAIN FREE MOTION.