Pain Center
What is physical therapy?
Physical Therapy is a process for assessment and treatment, restoring physical disorders reduces pain, reduces inflammation of tendons, muscles, and joints, and corrects abnormal movements and body structures. It includes preventing recurrence with special physical therapy techniques and tools for patients to have a better quality of life.
What symptoms can be treated with physical therapy?
- Injury of muscle, tendons, and joints
- Pain in the neck, shoulders, back, knees, and hips
- Office Syndrome
- Scoliosis
- Herniated Disc
- Numbness or muscle weakness
- Chronic headache from muscles that are tighter than usual
- Sports injuries
Where did the physical therapist graduate from?
The physical therapist at Addlife graduated in Physiotherapy and has a license to practice physical therapy which has been duly certified by the Physical Therapy Council.
How is physical therapy different from massage therapy?
Physical therapy treatment consists of a physical examination to determine the cause of symptoms before treating them. There are a variety of treatment approaches by using physical therapy tools such as Ultrasound, Laser, Shockwave, and Traction. Physical therapy treatment includes massage, stretching, and joint arrangement. There is also a customized exercise program that is designed to suit patients’ symptoms and problems. Therefore, physical therapy treatment is different from massage therapy.
What is Ultrasound Therapy?
It is a technology that uses high-frequency sound waves that give a thermal effect in the form of heat deep under the skin at 2-5 cm to the muscles and joints. It uses to reduce pain and tissue inflammation, increase the flexibility of deep joints, reduce swelling and accelerate tissue repair, and loosen the contraction of the muscles. The ultrasound waves used in physical therapy have a frequency of 1-3 MHz. The physical therapist will consider the frequency setting and the intensity of that wave of each individual symptom.
Benefits of Ultrasound Therapy
- Reduce swelling in the early stages of inflammation
- Reduce pain
- Increase blood circulations, and stimulate the repair of tendons and muscles
- Increase flexibility and reduce muscle contraction
- Reduce adhesion of joints
- Help speed up the inflammatory process and make the injury heal faster
What is Laser Therapy?
Laser therapy is a medical treatment technology using a high-power laser that can pass through the skin and tissue layers about 5-10 cm deep. It is highly effective as it causes biological changes in tissues but does not cause heat to the skin and tissues beyond the dangerous limits. It treats pain from diseases of the musculoskeletal system, tendons, and joints. The function of laser therapy is characterized by a bio-adjustment (Bio modulation) that causes changes at the cellular level.
Benefits of Laser Therapy
- Stimulate cells to generate energy to maintain balance and build better tissues
- Increase blood and lymph flow, increase oxygen, nutrients, and growth stimulants leading to better tissue repair
- Reduce inflammation
- Reduce swelling
- Reduce muscle contraction
- Pain relief
What is Electrical Stimulation Therapy?
It is the use of electricity to treat and stimulate muscle and nerves. There are different types of electrical currents used by physical therapists for different purposes according to the patient’s symptoms.
Benefits of Electrical Stimulation Therapy
- Pain relief
- Reduce muscle contraction
- Stimulate muscle contraction to prevent and slow down muscle atrophy for muscles with nerve conduction disorders
- • Stimulate to guide the desired movement
- When the muscles are contracted and released from the electric current, it increases blood and lymph circulation and helps reduce swelling
Spinal Traction
Spinal traction is the use of tensile forces to stretch the tissue, and separate joints or bones. The force applied must be large and long enough in the right direction to counteract the resistance of the body moving in the opposite direction.
- Stretching to reduce stiffness
- Reduce pressure on herniated discs and nerves
- Make the space between the vertebrae wide out to reduce nerve root compression
- Separating the joints of the cervical or dorsal vertebrae
What is Shockwave Therapy?
Shockwave therapy is a shock wave produced by sound waves for the treatment of chronic pain. It sends energy from shock waves to stimulate the body to re-injury in the chronically inflamed area to break the cycle of chronic inflammation and stimulate the body to rebuild tissues through the skin layer down to the tendon and muscle, about 3-4 cm deep.
Benefits of Shockwave Therapy
- Stimulates the creation of new blood vessels
- Stimulates new inflammation to accelerate the repair process of muscles and tendons, helps solve chronic pain problems
- Stimulate collagen production and repair of muscle tissue and tendons
- Helps break down tartar in tendons
- Helps muscles relax, reduce muscle contraction
- Reduce the secretion of neurotransmitters that stimulate pain
What is the cost of physical therapy at Addlife?
The doctor will be consulted for evaluation prior to the physical therapy treatment. The fee starts from 1,200 baht.
Can I use insurance for physical therapy at Addlife?
The insurance can be reimbursed for physical therapy. The patient has to make the payment first and bring the medical certificate to submit to the insurance company. Please check with your insurance for details.
How long is the physical therapy treatment and how often do I have to do it?
It depends on the treatment plan recommended by the doctor which normally takes around 1 hour. It is advised to come for the treatment at least once a week.