Do you suffer from having pain in the lower abdomen and pelvic region? Is there pain with having sex, urination, bowel movements, exertion, walking, and other daily activities? Are you aware that some physical therapists here in the Brazos Valley are specifically trained in pelvic floor pain? Physical therapy is an important addition to your family physicians' plan of care. Here is why: Chronic pelvic pain is a common and often unbearable problem that can have profound effect

Dry Needling is a natural but effective way to heal your pain. What is Dry Needling? Dry Needling is a treatment method that uses a thin, solid needle to deactivate muscle and soft tissue pain and discomforts. Muscles and body tissue can create painful knots, tension, and immobility anywhere on the body. The increase in soft tissue tension and stress will create and sustain your pain. Using a small sterile needle along with traditional manual therapy methods, we go directl

Hip pain, especially as we get older, is more common than you realize. It can come on without apparent cause, while at other times it follows an accident, trauma, injury, prolonged sitting with legs crossed, or an episode of overuse. First, let me describe the most common musculo-skeletal causes of hip pain. Then, I’ll address the different treatment options. Bursitis – inflammation of the fluid filled sacs between the tendon & skin/bone (bursa). Bursitis is often caused b

Cancer affects over 1 million people a year. In fact, 77% of all cancers are in adults 55 years old and over. We are living longer today, and thus the possibility of getting cancer as we age increases. We now know that 75% of all cancer risks are caused by environmental/behavioral factors that include tobacco, diet, chemical exposure, occupational hazards, and radiation. Three of the leading causes for cancer are within our control -- thus we can greatly affect our chanc

October is Physical Therapy Month! And because I frequently get questions about physical therapy and what a Doctor of Physical Therapy can do to help you, I'd like to answer some of them here. First and foremost: why should you have your own Doctor of Physical Therapy as part of your close medical team, and how can he/she help you with your overall health, welfare and longevity? Second, should I take an active part in choosing my physical therapist, and if so, why? It's proba

In order to understand the recovery and rehabilitation after a stroke, it is important to understand what has happened to the body when someone has a stroke. A stroke, or "brain attack", occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery or when a blood vessel breaks, interrupting blood flow to an area of the brain. When either of these events happen, brain cells begin to die and brain damage occurs. This includes muscle and nerve damage. Depending on which area of the brain is affect

I'm a veteran of a past war and curious if you're set up with the Veterans Administration (VA) to accept patients. They told me they have a new program called Veteran's Choice -- which means we can choose a healthcare provider in our own town instead of making the trek to Scott & White in Temple, Texas. I live here in the Bryan/College Station area. I go to Temple for physical therapy for severe back and leg pain (my injuries stem from an explosion during combat). Due to the

In the last 10 years, there has been a significant increase in the number of injuries and surgeries in young athletes. This is particularly important because young athletes' bodies are still growing, making them more vulnerable to injury and making surgery more complex. In addition, research demonstrates that injuries and surgeries in young athletes can lead to early onset osteoarthritis, showing up in their 20s and 30s. In our current culture, sports are very important. Kids

Healthcare is changing -- how does that impact you and yours? You have probably already noticed the major changes in terms of impact on you or a family member, but perhaps not if you don't take medication, haven't seen a doctor, or have been to the hospital. Let me mention a few things and provide my own advice regarding how to handle the changes. Doctors as Employees: Hospitalists attend to you in the hospital, which often have several different providers -- not your specifi

There are two main reasons why almost 40% of amateur golfers experience chronic low back discomfort and/or acute injury: The first is technical in nature, and the second has to do with muscular deficiencies. From a technique perspective, there are several very common swing faults that can bring on low back issues. First and foremost is reverse spine, or a leaning of the upper body back toward the target during the back-swing. Not only does this fault not place the golfer in