Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Osteopathy versus Physiotherapy



Osteopathy and physiotherapy, although there are minor differences between the said branches of medicine, are both geared towards the alleviation of pain one feels in his or her muscles. Both are also focused in restoring movement, balance, flexibility and function to muscle groups that are in question in order to allow patients perform their daily tasks and responsibilities as they normally should. However, the only difference is in osteopathy, an osteopath is concerned with the entire medical history of the patient in order to pinpoint the reason why there is discomfort or pain felt. 

For an osteopath, in order to achieve holistic recovery, all the parts that comprise the entire body should be investigated. Moreover, for an osteopath, the body has the natural capacity to heal itself. That said, if a certain pain is felt in the upper and lower leg of a person, chances are the body parts near the legs such as the shins and the ankles are also likely to feel the discomfort, which in effect may cause either the shins or ankles to swell and render the patient unable to walk or run. 

Unlike a physiotherapist Singapore who will mostly likely focus on the recovery of the body part or muscle group that is in question, an osteopath will always involve the other body parts in the recovery plan. For instance, if a patient is complaining of back pains, an osteopath will recommend several exercises not specifically targeted on the back. These exercises for back pain will mostly likely include pelvic tilt exercises, neck release exercises, buttock strengthening exercises; back leg lifts and seated twist exercises. You will see that these exercises did not involve the back purposefully but it targeted the different areas that are congruent to the back muscles. 

For a physiotherapist, the best way to alleviate and address back pains would be the administration of manual therapy in the form of massages. These massages are targeted to relax the muscles in question as well as improve the circulation. With massages, the tensions in the soft tissues are eliminated. Whether you seek an osteopath or a physiotherapist is definitely up to you. At the end of the day, both an osteopath and physio Singapore are helpful professionals in pain management and alleviation.

Activity in Osteopathy and Physiotherapy


physiotherapist in singapore
The role of a physiotherapist or an osteopath in today’s society should not be missed nor disregarded. Today, although the advances in technology and computers that should make our lives easier, there are still aspects in our daily lives that cause us to experience pains and body discomforts that may not be easily addressed by the ingestion of pain killers and other prescribed medications. When we travel long distances especially during vacations and camp trips, we always run the risk of having back pains and shoulder pains that when not addressed to a professional quickly may result into cases of mild scoliosis. 

For older individuals, if this is not addressed earlier on in their lives, this may lead to bone problems such as osteoporosis. Moreover, when one is currently engrossed on a particular outdoor sport, there will always be the case where the body will experience pain and injuries when too much stress is applied.

A physio Singapore is consulted like one would for a physical therapist. In fact, in some countries and regions, the role of these therapist is the same. With a therapy to help you address your problems in your back, shoulders, legs, ankles, arms and any other parts of the body that is hard to move, you can slowly gain your body the freedom from such compromises and discomforts. 

Several exercises targeted to increase range motion, movement, and flexibility are administered by these professionals to a patient in need. These exercises are not only targeted on restoring motion, movement and flexibility but these are also exercises targeted to restore function and use of a particular body area. Especially for athletes who rely solely on the condition of their bodies in order to execute and perform a particular sport, they need a physiotherapist to put them back to shape and to their normal active lifestyles. 

Aside from consulting with these therapist, people are also advised to consult the expertise of a medical professional with specialization on osteopathy. Osteopaths function very much the same way like physiotherapists, but they target the entire body as a system during rehabilitation and not just focus on the body part that needs improvement. Some individuals consult a professional on osteopathy for holistic development and cure.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Osteopathy or Physiotherapy: What is the Best Option Between the Two?

Accidents, injuries and chronic and acute disorders are common realities that a part of the general population faces. The good thing about it is that with the advancements in science and in medicine, we do not necessarily have to be left behind in terms of treatments and the alleviation of pain caused by these medical conditions.

A lot of people find it hard to differentiate Osteopathy and physiotherapy from one another. Although both branches of medicine technically deal with the alleviation of pain associated with musculoskeletal and visceral injuries, their philosophies and specific approaches make the difference. Osteopathy is a holistic approach towards the treatment of musculoskeletal and visceral dysfunctions.

It is a branch of medicine on its own and does not delve simply into short series of techniques that will be applied to the body. In order to provide holistic medical care, an osteopath would see to it to treat the body as a whole on the treatment of a dysfunction. It is not simply concerned with the treatments and relief of a certain symptom, but it makes sure that the dysfunctions are permanently cured and guaranteed not to recur. In order to achieve and restore this sense of harmony and balance in the body, osteopaths consider as well the psychological and social aspects of the patient in order to arrive at the best diagnosis.

Physiotherapy, on the other hand, is focused solely on the management and evaluation of health conditions for patients of all ages. A licensed Physio singapore bears the task of showing the patient the different kinds of treatments and movements that are designed to restore full function and use of body parts that may otherwise have been compromised due to age, the instance of accidents, injuries, health conditions, health disorders and more. Unlike osteopath, physiotherapist singapore do not provide the diagnosis for the patient. They simply facilitate the forms of physical therapy for the patients to be able to do as well once they are out of hospital grounds.

If you have constant bouts or complaints of knee pains or leg discomforts, it may be an excellent idea to consult an osteopath first for a complete checkup and diagnosis. Remember, osteopaths are licensed medical practitioners who can readily diagnose and prescribe your plan of treatment on the fly. If you seek a physiotherapist immediately, he or she might decide on a series of physical therapies without conscious regard to the functions your hips, your back, your ankles or your legs might contribute to your current pain in the knees. An osteopath will always think as your body as a large system where the different parts of your body is meant to explain your discomfort. Seek an osteopath first for a holistic medical program, and then once you are confident with the treatment plan, have your osteopath recommend you to a licensed physiotherapist to teach you all the movements and techniques you need to know so you can do the therapy yourself at the comfort of your own home.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Begin a Healthy Lifestyle by Walking



The young working class of Singapore and that of every part of the world has finally decided that they cannot just go on with the normal busyness of their daily lives. The Yuppies, or Young Professionals, have been working hard for the longest time and they know that they have been stressing their lives for far too long. The age group of these young people range from 25-40 years old and their common denominator is that they are working too hard and enjoying life too little and because of this reason they try to cram in a week’s worth of physical activities over the weekend. This weekend physical over exertion is worrisome to any Physiotherapist in Singapore.
How to start becoming physically active.

For somebody who is not physically active most of his life a sudden change in physical activity should never be drastic. Any Physiotherapist in Singapore will tell you that activities should begin with baby steps. Never should a person overdo himself thinking that he can make up for lost time of non-activity for years in the past. If you have been living a sedentary life then the best way to start doing a physical activity is to walk for about 15 minutes at least three times a week. This is especially true if you have been used to sitting in front of a computer for eight hours a day and then lazing off in the couch to watch TV when you get home. A 15-minute walk is enough to start you off.

Before you begin walking, do some stretches first. Stretch your arms, legs and muscles and then start walking at a leisurely space. You may think that 15 minutes of leisure walk is useless just remember that this is only the beginning. You are going to exert more effort once your body has been accustomed to doing this physical activity.

On your second week, you can start adding another 15 minutes to your regular walk. This time you can also increase the pace of your walk. Always remember to do some stretching before you begin walking. The first five minutes of your walk can be done in a slow pace then start brisk walking for the next 20 minutes and use the remaining five minutes to cool down.

Once you feel that a 30-minute routine is so ordinary for you then that is the time that you can increase your physical activity and maybe take on a more strenuous sport like running, cycling, swimming, basketball and the likes. It is also advisable that you don’t do just one sport so that you don’t strain just a certain muscle group. You need to pair your walking with swimming or cycling with running so that you get to strengthen all the muscle groups and give your body the much needed balance for it to be healthy. Whatever kind of exercise you choose to do just always remember what any Physiotherapist in Singapore will tell you – start every activity with stretching exercises and walk before you run.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Exploring a Career as a Physiotherapist




For young people who are inclined to go into the medical fiend but still unsure what to take up in college, you might want to consider becoming a Physiotherapist in Singapore. Becoming a Physiotherapist in Singapore is a great career opportunity because there are lots of opportunities to find a job. A Physiotherapist is not limited to working at hospitals, homes for the aged and clinics because even sports organizations are in need of in house Physiotherapists to care for their athletes.

What to expect when working as a Physiotherapist

When working at the home for the aged, a Physiotherapist is expected to care for the physical therapy needs of the old people under the care of the facility. Some of these old folks have lost the ability to use their hands or feet and depending on the Doctor’s recommendation the Physiotherapist may be asked to evaluate the needs of the patient. Once the initial evaluation is done, the Physiotherapist is expected to recommend exercises that will help strengthen the patient’s muscles and use of their limbs.  They will also be needed massages and exercises that will target the muscles that have not been used for a long time.

Working with the elderly is a very challenging scenario for a Physiotherapist.  Patience and an extra dose of understanding and care are needed so that the needs of the patients are met. It is so easy to lose your patience and snap when working with the elderly especially as some of them are suffering from Dementia and Alzheimer.  The social and psychological aspects of staying inside the home care will also be a part of a Physiotherapist’s responsibility as it part and parcel of the overall well-being of the patient.

If this is not something that you want, you can still pursue a career as a Physiotherapist in Singapore. Sports Clubs and Sports Organizations employ Physiotherapists to help them take care of injured athletes. These professional athletes tend to abuse their bodies through training and the different competitions that they enter and they need people like a Physiotherapist to make sure that they don’t overdo it and that they do their sports the right way. A wrong posture and a wrong stance can injure an athlete and a therapist should be there to correct it and to prevent the athlete from injuring himself.

Benefits of being a Physiotherapist

Aside from the obvious benefit of being able to serve your countrymen through helping them with take care of their movement and the function of their different body parts and muscles, a Physiotherapist in Singapore can earn a lot as well. Physiotherapists will not be in want of a job because he can work in a hospital, clinic or even go on private practice. For as long as a person lives, he will be in need of the services of a Physiotherapist no matter how young or how old he is. If you think that this is something that you can do for a very long time, then you might want to consider going into the medical field by becoming a Physiotherapist.

Understanding the Needs of a Stroke Survivor

Caring for a sick loved one is a very hard task for any member of the family. The love the binds the family members will always be there and everybody will really try to do their best to help a sick loved one’s situation get better. Unfortunately, love is not enough to help the sick family member get better.  The care and attention that professional care givers are important if we really want to help the sick loved one gain back even at least a portion of what he once was before getting sick. One valuable help that cannot be taken lightly is from a Physiotherapist in Singapore.
What to expect when an aged loved one losses function of his limbs

One of the most common afflictions that an old member of our family experiences as he ages is a Stroke. A stroke is a medical condition where a patient losses oral and physical function of parts of the body because some brain cells died because lack of oxygen. It can also be because of a ruptured artery in the brain because of an obstruction (ie. blood clot).  The result of a Stroke depends on the severity of the damage and it can happen to anyone especially those above 55 years old. Of course even the younger people these days suffer from stroke as well because of an unhealthy lifestyle but as the years go by the possibility of having a stroke increases. For those who survived a stroke, the results vary from weakness of a limb to being paralyzed and losing sensation and movement to major parts of the body.

If a person losses mobility because of a stroke, expect a lot of emotional roller coaster rides.  This is especially true if the patient was a strong willed and independent person. Not being able to take care of yourself and do even the most basic everyday things that people do can be very frustrating. Imagine not being able to hold your spoon and knife, brush your teeth, walk straight, brush your hair and other everyday simple things we do that we take for granted before but you can’t do anymore.  It is as if you become a child again and utterly dependent on other people to do these things for you.

What help you can extend for a family member who survived a stroke

The best way to help a loved one who suffered a stroke is to hire a Physiotherapist in Singapore.  A Physiotherapist will teach the patient how to regain his strength and get back the use of his paralyzed body parts. Of course there is no 100% guarantee that the same function and strength of the limbs prior to the stroke will be regained but there is a very big possibility that the damaged limbs can be used again.  Although there are no guarantees but the mere fact that somebody is focusing all his energy to make the patient get well is an encourage enough to continue moving forward.

It is expected that the patient will try to resist the programs that his Physiotherapist will recommend him to do.  Some of these exercises can be painful and definitely frustrating.  Imagine having to practice lifting up an empty plastic cup every session for over a month and still nothing happens – that is what a patient has to go through during his sessions together with his Physiotherapist in Singapore. As a family member, what you can do is to just support and try to understand the erratic mood swings and frustrations. After all, there really is nothing you can do but to give love, support and understanding.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Say Goodbye to Pain with Physio Singapore



Whether it is a dull, throbbing, piercing, shooting or aching pain, it will only get of poorer quality than you think if you try to endure it or if you just want to ignore it as if it does not exist; and so I quote what J.K Rowling mentioned in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, “Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it.”  Although we can run some miles trying to decipher and explain such a quote but taking its context of pain, it is not a little thing… it is something and more. 

We are familiar with how pain can destroy our disposition, how we think, and the way we deal with other people; whether you admit it or not, “numbing the pain” is not the perfect choice you can make but there is another option you can choose because what you need is to see a team that has a vast experience and uses the most modern treatment approaches. 

osteopathy

Physio Singapore uses a high quality and evidence based therapy that does not only provide a temporary treatment to pain but it treats the root-cause of it providing a long-term relief to the patients. You can expect a Hands-On Treatment where you will be involved with the various activities such as gentle manipulation that will help you out in reclaiming movements that are pain free in your soft tissues and joints.

Pain should be managed, it should be corrected, and it should not be in your body as if tormenting you little by little until you cannot take it anymore. How familiar are you with the consequences of not consulting the right people who knows how to handle pain? One cannot just be passive about the whole experience. Try dealing with a lower back pain and you can know for certain that what started as a little pain turned into something that can cripple you in performing your best at work, it will limit you to accomplish your chores the quickest time possible, and it can prevent you for living your life to the fullest. 

For Physio Singapore, the well-being of their patients is always the top priority and what is better than partnering with you, with your healing process and helps you take control. With experts who analyze your movement which can determine your areas of tightness and weaknesses, a corresponding exercise regimen will be required to facilitate your speedy recovery.

The more you know about what causes your pain and the better your understand how you can manage it, the more you can take part in the treatment process on how you will eliminate also chances of experiencing it all over. A wealth of education about your condition will be explained extensively in the initial stages of your consultation helping you to overcome your pain or present debilitating injury that causes a real amount of discomfort and return your body into its normal and optimum level of function using the highest quality of multidisciplinary approach available through Physio Singapore.