When recovering from a personal injury such as a car accident or slip and fall, it’s possible you will end up seeing more than one type of medical professional for treatment. This is especially true if your injuries were more serious.
To speed up and help the recovery process, your doctor, chiropractor, or physical therapist may combine multiple treatment modalities. A modality is a method or device that generates a specific therapeutic response. Common treatment modalities that involve “devices” are: ice, heat, electric stimulation, and ultrasound. However, there are also hands-on or “method” modalities that are used in conjunction with these to speed up the recovery process.
What is manual therapy?
Manual therapy is a type of physical treatment that includes the kneading and manipulation of muscles, joint mobilization, and joint manipulation. It is the primary treatment used by physical therapists, chiropractors, and massage therapists.
As opposed to using machines like ultrasound, this type of therapy is hands-on and must be done by someone who is properly licensed.
Personal Injuries and Manual Therapies
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy attempts to address illness or injury that limit a person’s ability to move and perform functional activities in daily life. This is done through a history and physical examination of the patient to make a diagnosis and arrive at a management plan.
This commonly will include exercises, joint manipulation and stabilization, and the use of treatment modalities like ice, heat, ultrasound, traction, and others.
Like other modalities, physical therapy may use both a hands-on approach in conjunction with other devices to aid in recovery.
Chiropractic Medicine
The practice of chiropractic medicine focuses on the body’s structure, mainly the spine and its functions. A trained chiropractor will use different techniques to manipulate your spine and other parts of your body to put them in alignment. The goal of chiropractic medicine is to ease pain, improve body function, and aims to help the body heal naturally.
Studies have shown that chiropractic can be helpful for lower back pain, headaches, neck pain, joint problems, and especially disorders caused by whiplash .
Massage Therapy
Gone are the days where massage is just seen as a luxury. It has widely become accepted and considered as a part of complementary and integrative medicine.
Massage is a general term for pressing, rubbing, and manipulating the skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments. It may range from light to deep pressure. There are several different kinds of massage, each with a different approach on how the speed, pressure, and overall goal of what the therapy is trying to accomplish.
Massage therapy is used in conjunction with other modalities to help relieve muscle tension, pain, headaches, soft tissue strains, anxiety, and stress, among others. It is seen as a complement to others, not as a replacement for regular medical care.
Alternative Medicine and Manual Therapy
Alternative medicine describes medical treatments that are non-traditional but used to complement others.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that uses needles to stimulate specific parts of the body. The spots that are used are called the “meridians” and each corresponds to a part of your body. The goal of acupuncture is to allow your body to naturally heal itself.
Studies have shown acupuncture can be effective in treating a number of conditions related to personal injuries like neck and back pain, anxiety, and depression.
Many times, you will see the above therapies used in conjunction with one another as well as the different treatment devices.
A Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help
If you’ve been injured by the negligence of another and required medical treatment, you could be entitled to coverage of your medical bills covered, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.
My name is Daniel J. Hanecak and I am a Sacramento personal injury attorney. When you call my firm, you will speak with me directly about your case. We can go over the facts and circumstances and I will give you free and honest advice. Call me today at (916) 619-5452 or fill out our form online and I will be in touch.
