Category Archives: Health

An End to Spinning: Physio Exercise to Treat Vertigo

Of the many debilitating conditions that people face daily, vertigo, or the spinning sickness, acutely and chronically affects people from all backgrounds with symptoms that adversely affect their daily activities and quality of life. Although not everyone will experience vertigo, many people age 50 and older experience it. It also commonly occurs as a secondary condition to one or more other life-changing illnesses.

Lifestyle changes and medicines can alleviate many associated symptoms, but sometimes the best solution is vertigo physiotherapy and rehabilitation with exercises. Read on to learn more…

What Is Spinning Sickness?

Vertigo describes the sensation of movement that patients experience. They might feel like the world has suddenly shifted into a spin around them. They can also feel like they’re spinning, even when sitting still or standing in place.

The dizziness aspect makes their brain or body uncertain about their physical position in relation to everything around them (i.e., spatial orientation). Their central nervous system and the sensory receptors and areas of the body connected to it stop communicating effectively, which leads to disharmony between the brain, eyes, vestibular system, joints, muscles and skin.

Beyond dizziness and associated light-headedness, vertigo symptoms typically include balance dysfunction, disorientation, eye-focusing difficulties, falling in one or more directions, ear ringing (i.e., tinnitus) or hearing loss. In some cases, a person can experience nausea or vomiting, and associated dehydration. If the underlying condition is life-threatening, they might also experience double vision, facial paralysis, slurred speech, swallowing difficulty, throat tightness or weakness in the arms and legs.

What Causes Vertigo?

Two main types of vertigo exist. Peripheral vertigo results from a defect or miscommunication associated with the inner ear or the eighth cranial nerve that leads from the inner ear to the brain stem. Central vertigo commonly occurs because of a problem with the cerebellum part of the brain or the brain stem.

Although vertigo often happens when a person moves their head or body rapidly in a specific direction, the movement or speed isn’t always the cause or underlying condition. For example, if a person merely breathes too fast or suffers a migraine, they can experience vertigo. The following list covers the most common causes:

– Traumatic brain injury

– Long bed rest or a bedbound scenario

– Ear, TMJ, neck, spine or skull-based surgery

– Fluid buildup or leakage, irritation or inflammation of the inner ear or inflammation of the vestibular nerve from infection, virus or other cause, as seen with Ménière’s Disease, Labyrinthitis, Perilymphatic Fistula and Vestibular Neuritis

– Any other conditions that negatively affect the inner ear, such as abnormal bone growth, Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo and low blood pressure

– Medicines that damage the inner ear or cause vertigo as a side effect, such as antibiotics, anticonvulsants, anti-inflammatories, cardiovascular drugs, diuretics, pain relievers and salicylates

– Tumors and other lesions that compress the vestibular nerve, brain or brain stem, such as brain cancers, Multiple Sclerosis, Meningioma and Vestibular Schwannoma

– Poor circulation or compression of one or more blood vessels or non-vestibular nerves with or without seizures or strokes, such as heart disease, Raynaud’s Syndrome and Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

– Weakness of the bones, joints or muscles or a non-vertigo mobility disorder that creates a high risk of tripping or falling

How Does Vertigo Physio and Rehab Treat Vertigo?

Vertigo physio helps a patient correct their spatial orientation and balance through various non-surgical physical adjustments, exercises, lifestyle changes and other techniques. In some cases, treatment only requires a few visits. In other cases, a patient might need weeks or lifetime care.

Physical therapists commonly advise patients to stop performing activities that can cause their symptoms to worsen during a high-symptom moment. For example, they usually recommend that a patient immediately turn down the lights and lie or sit down without continued movement or other activities that can exacerbate it, such as offline and online reading.

PTs frequently recommend or work with other specialized medical professionals to treat underlying conditions causing vertigo and improve other areas, such as cognition, diet, stress reduction and overall quality of life. They might also help the patient with assistive technologies that support balance and coordination. During physiotherapy and rehabilitation, a PT who has experience with vertigo might recommend one of the following treatment options:

Canalith Repositioning Maneuvers (CRM): Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo occurs when microscopic calcium carbonate crystals (i.e., otoconia or canalith particles) attached to sensory hair cells that assist with balance in one part of the inner ear break off, fall into other areas of the ear, and increase movement sensitivity. With CRM, a PT performs specialized head adjustments over one to two sessions to gently reposition the crystals into safe, painless positions.

Risks and Complications: The crystals can fall back into the wrong areas. Patients risk vertigo symptoms during treatment. There is also a risk of a back or neck injury.

– Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT): With VRT, a PT focuses on a patient-centered plan and a wide range of treatment options. While supervised by their PT, a patient repeatedly performs the same movements that cause their vertigo symptoms to help their brain learn how to adapt to incorrect balance and other signals. They learn physio exercises that teach their body to sense their surroundings and movements better (i.e., improved proprioception or kinesthesia). They also learn to use their other senses to a greater degree to compensate for continued problems.

Risks and Complications: A patient might experience an adverse change in hearing or inner ear pressure, fluid leaking from one or both ears, new or worsening tinnitus, or neck or head pain.

What Are the Benefits of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation?

Vertigo physio and rehab help patients better control their symptoms and reduce the risk of falls through improved coordination and physical strength. The ultimate goal is to help patients stabilize and once again perform various activities without suffering from vertigo or, at least, the worst symptoms. Patients who succeed with their vertigo treatments often experience greater independent mobility and feel more motivated, confident and positive when active on their own and around others. They enjoy a better quality of life.

Visual Vitality: Elevating Your Perspective on Eye Examinations and Beyond

Healthy eyes are a crucial aspect of your body. To maintain optimal eye health, you should plan for regular examinations, they detect any issues with your eyes, allowing for early vision correction. A visit to Milwaukee eye doctors can spot different health and eye conditions that can affect your vision.

Common examples include dry eye, cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration, which may not exhibit any signs during the early stages. Moreover, the eye doctors will prescribe the right vision aids, such as contact lenses or glasses, to suit your optical condition.

What are the different types of eye examinations?

1. Contact lens exam

Contact lenses are medical devices, and you should schedule a visit to an eye doctor in Greenfield, WI if you want to wear lenses. The lenses should be perfectly fitted, and this should be done by a professional.

During a contact lens exam, the doctor will use devices such as microscopes to examine your eyes. They may put eye drops in your eyes to check for damage to the corneal surface. The professional will also examine your vision while wearing the contacts to ensure they are working perfectly and organize follow-up visits.

You can also opt for an online contact lens exam. The test will also determine your eligibility for contact lenses, the required measurements, and your preferences for the types of lenses.

Who needs contact lenses?

  • An optometrist may prescribe or fit contact lenses due to various reasons. You may need contact lenses if you have;
  • Nearsightedness
  • Recurrent eye infections
  • Severe allergic reactions
  • Issues with eye lubrication
  • Are constantly exposed to extensive amounts of dust or smoke.

2. Regular eye exams

Having your eyes checked helps avoid serious vision issues and sight loss. During eye examinations, the optometrist in West Allis, WI, can detect signs of other health conditions that can significantly affect your vision, mostly diabetes, cancer, or high blood pressure.

The provider will perform tests on your cornea, pupil, retina, optic nerve, and other parts of your eyes. They will also conduct a visual acuity test to determine your visual strength. If you have issues with dry eyes, the doctor will examine your eyes and tailor treatments to offer relief.

Common types of regular eye exams include the following:

  • Retinoscopy
  • Corneal typography
  • Ophthalmoscopy
  • Glaucoma test
  • Visual refraction eye test

How often should I go for eye examinations?

The frequency of eye exams depends on several factors. For instance, kids with specific risk factors require more frequent exams than adults. The risk factors include a family history of eye issues, prematurity, maternal health, etc.

On the other hand, elderly people require more exams due to age-related conditions that can affect their vision. Your doctor will advise you on how often you should have your eyes examined, depending on your overall optical health.

Conclusion

With advances in technology, optometrists use advanced technology to examine your eyes and detect any issues that can affect your vision. A visit to a leading eye doctor ensures a proper prescription and helps avoid eye issues early enough. Have your eyes checked and determine whether you qualify for contact lenses today!

How Swimming Can Benefit Your Loved One on the Autism Spectrum

Do you have a family member or a friend who has been diagnosed with autism?

Autism is a brain developmental condition that impacts how a person perceives the world around them and how they interact with other people. Being on the autism spectrum also affects how effectively an individual is able to communicate with those around them.

When we speak of the “autism spectrum”, we refer to a range of conditions including –

  • Autism
  • Asperger’s syndrome
  • Childhood disintegrative disorder
  • Pervasive developmental disorder (Unspecified form)

Depending on where the individual is on the autism spectrum and the severity of their symptoms, they may have anything from mild to debilitating developmental problems. With careful and consistent support and skilling, people on the autism spectrum can be provided with life-saving skills, that can enrich their lives.

One such life-saving skill, which research has shown can be very beneficial to a person with autism, is swimming. In this article, we explore how swimming can benefit your loved one on the autism spectrum.

7 ways swimming helps autistic children and adults

  1. Swimming can save their life

Numerous studies around the world have observed that one of the leading causes of fatalities in people on the autism spectrum, is accidental drowning. Research has shown that this is due to a couple of reasons –

  • Individuals with autism are more likely to wander away from caregivers, putting them at risk in dangerous environments, such as ponds, lakes or pools.
  • The increased susceptibility of an autistic person, to epileptic and non-epileptic seizures, makes any time spent in the water very risky.
  • The appearance of water as being calm and harmless; and any past positive experiences in water, can lull people with autism into a false sense of security, making them more vulnerable to accidental drowning. They may also find it challenging to stop repetitive behaviours, such as playing in the water unaccompanied, even when advised against it.
  • Many people on the autism spectrum take much longer to recognise signs of danger, compared to their peers, making them unprepared to handle the risks of entering the water unaccompanied by a caregiver.
  • The social communication impairment, common in people with autism, acts as a barrier for them when they are in trouble in the water. They may find it difficult to near-impossible to ask for help, even if they know what steps to take next.

Teaching your child or adult loved one how to swim can quite literally save their lives. It can give them the skills they need to stay afloat long enough until help arrives.

There are many groups that offer learn-to-swim classes for people on the autism spectrum. These are organised by pools and autism groups and have programs that take into consideration the special requirements, strengths and challenges faced by people with autism and those on the spectrum.

  1. Swimming improves their motor functions, improving their quality of life

People on the autism spectrum tend to have lower muscle strength and endurance, compared to their non-autistic peers. Since swimming is a full-body exercise, it can be very helpful to people with autism, in developing muscular strength and endurance.

Additionally, the various strokes in swimming can improve the individual’s balance and hand-eye coordination. For kids and teens, this can be very helpful socially, as they now are better equipped to play with their peers, participate in school/university sports and move around with more freedom outside of the house.

  1. Swimming can help reduce the stress of sensory overload that people with autism often experience

People on the autism spectrum have more sensory sensitivity, which also lasts much longer, compared to their peers. Based on the nuances of their conditions, they may have mild to strong reactions to specific sights, sounds, smells, tastes and textures. Pain, heat and cold may also feel different to them. This can feel very stressful for the person and the resultant stress and anxiety can be fatiguing and distracting.

In inground swimming pools Perth with controlled temperature and pressure, the feel of water on the body can have a soothing and cathartic effect on the person with autism. Their stress is more likely to reduce, allowing them to experience the swim session in greater comfort. The water can be stimulating to them, without overloading their sensory processing mechanism.

In fact, these days, many occupational therapists and physiotherapists use swimming and other aquatic activities to help support the developmental needs of autistic individuals.

  1. Swimming can help people with autism develop healthy social relationships

Children and adults with autism can find it harder to make friends or engage socially. This is predominantly due to the different ways in which they perceive the world and social situations.

When put into swimming classes, children with autism can learn how to play with kids their own age. They are more likely to mimic their peer’s speech patterns and are more likely to learn how to share toys, caregiver attention and other resources. These group swim classes can also be the foundation of lifelong friendships and can reduce any loneliness children – especially pre-teens and teens – may be experiencing.

Adults with autism can also find group swim sessions helpful. Any social anxiety or shyness they feel can be reduced, by repeatedly exposing them to this group setting. The non-judgemental atmosphere in these classes can also make them feel like they belong to a group – which can be very empowering and great for their psychological wellbeing.

  1. Swimming can improve their neural health

Swimming in a social setting also facilitates faster and stronger neurodevelopment. A person with autism needs to pay greater attention to their instructor, fellow swimmers and themselves. This can help increase their ability to focus, their attention span, their responsiveness to instructions and their alertness to danger in the water.

This cognitive and neural development can also benefit the individual in the classroom or at the office, allowing them to thrive.

  1. Swimming can improve their ability to speak and learn languages

People on the autism spectrum sometimes speak at a much-delayed timeline than their non-autistic peers. These days speech therapists are recommending swimming to help hasten their speech. The different breathing techniques used in swimming allow the child or adult to move important facial muscles, that also contribute to speech. Through consistent swimming, they may be able to develop the oral motor skills needed to speak sooner or regain their clear speech.

This ability to speak will also make your autistic loved one more confident and happier, opening many doors for them on the personal and professional front. Their increased self-esteem can give them the motivation they need to work towards managing their autism spectrum symptoms, to have a full life.

Build a safe fibreglass pool at home for your autistic loved one

Sometimes, it’s unfeasible or unsafe to take your loved one with autism to the local public pool. You will be making a wise and beneficial investment, by choosing to get your very own home pool installed.

At Factory Pools Perth, we have worked with families with varied medical and developmental requirements, helping them find the perfect pool that works for them. We can work with you to build a pool that is safe and comfortable for your loved one with autism, to use whenever they want to. Our team can put in place bars on the walls and accessible steps/ramps to get into and move around the pool safely. If you require any other accessibility features that are suitable for people on the autism spectrum, just let us know. We can do that for you.

So, give us a call or send us an email and we’ll come over to your property to discuss which fibreglass pool works best for you and can be done on a budget.

Swimming and Cardiovascular Health – A Detailed Look

Swimming is a fantastic exercise to get your body moving and increase your heart rate. It is low-impact, exercises your whole body, and is a lot more soothing than following the usual workout regime for over an hour in a gym. This makes swimming one of the best exercises to promote physical well-being.

Some major advantages of swimming include:

  • Strengthens muscles
  • Builds endurance
  • Improves posture, coordination, and balance
  • Reduces inflammation
  • Maintains weight
  • Improves flexibility
  • Alleviates stress and anxiety

Other than being beneficial to the general well-being of your body, swimming is an excellent exercise for maintaining cardiovascular health. Some major heart health benefits that can be achieved through swimming include:

An ideal physical activity

Being physically active is the best way to prevent all kinds of diseases, including heart diseases. Swimming is a full-body exercise. This means all the muscles in your body, including your heart, will be equally engaged and developed. Swimming regularly will decrease the chances of getting heart-related diseases like coronary heart disease, elevated blood pressure, and stroke.

Enhances heart rate

Your heart, a muscle, can be strengthened by proper training, just like every other muscle in the body. Your heart rate indicates the number of times your heart is beating every minute. With each pulsation of your heart, it pumps a higher amount of blood, increasing the body’s ability to replenish its blood supply. Having a heart rate at rest lower than normal is a good sign, and it helps in reducing your risk of heart illnesses.

The heart rate at rest of a well-trained swimmer is as little as 40 heartbeats per minute. This is very much lower than the heart rate at rest of the average person, which is about 60 to 100 beats per minute. This shows that people who swim regularly have a very low risk of getting cardiovascular diseases compared to people who do not. This makes swimming a very good exercise if you want to keep away from heart diseases so contact your pool builders in Melbourne.

Boosts blood circulation

Many people, especially older adults, complain about experiencing numbness and tingling in their arms, legs, and other areas of the body. This is especially true in the case of people suffering from diabetes. Since the heart rate increases when you swim, it will increase the flow of blood throughout your body. The tingling and numbness you were experiencing in different parts of your body because of inadequate blood circulation can be lessened as a result of enhanced circulation. If you have lost sensations in some body parts due to improper circulation, swimming can also help in regaining sensations.

Improves breathing

Compared to an average individual, swimmers can breathe faster and for a longer period of time in one breath. Swimming strengthens your major muscle groups and raises your heart rate, which helps your lungs function more effectively. Your heart rate and blood pressure will get better the more you swim.

Decreases blood pressure

Swimming is a good aerobic exercise. It greatly helps in strengthening the heart and enables an unencumbered and increased flow of blood throughout the entire body. You can reap numerous benefits from swimming, which include lowering your blood pressure by swimming for 30 minutes each day. According to studies, about 2.5 hours of exercise every week is enough to keep a healthy heart. This shows that to maintain a healthy heart and to keep your blood pressure under control, you need not do any other strenuous exercise other than swimming.

Lowers cholesterol

Another term that is frequently used in connection with heart disease is cholesterol. This is an important fatty component of the blood necessary for the normal functioning of the body. Having a very high cholesterol level can cause numerous major health issues, like mini-strokes, strokes, heart attacks, and atherosclerosis. You can keep your cholesterol levels under control by swimming. Swimming every day for 30 minutes has the ability to burn fat, which raises your chances of lowering harmful cholesterol like LDL cholesterol. Swimming for 30 minutes daily is also beneficial for increasing your good cholesterol levels. All these will have a positive effect on heart health.

Reduces stress and anxiety

People with anxiety issues and chronic stress experience unnatural highs and lows. This can result in high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, or even heart attacks. A faulty stress response can encourage inflammation, which harms the linings of the arteries and paves the way for the development of coronary plaque. Stress can also cause elevated blood pressure, increasing the risk of strokes and heart attacks. Stress may also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease by paving the way for adverse lifestyle choices like smoking, eating too much, and not exercising enough.

Several studies have shown that swimming regularly can reduce the incidence of anxiety and help manage stress. It is an exercise known to have a meditative effect on people. It will help you to release every negative emotion in your mind and enable you to feel refreshed. When you swim, it is easier to push negative thoughts out of your mind since you will be focused on the various aspects of your swim, like the breathing pattern or completing laps. Thus, swimming is an excellent method to relax the body, soothe the mind, reduce anxiety, and minimise stress.

Swimming with heart conditions

Swimming is usually recommended for cardiac patients with a low-risk factor as a safe exercise. People with heart conditions should only swim in water that is between 26 and 33 degrees Celsius. This is because cold water can cause heart rhythm irregularities. Heart patients should swim only when they feel good. They should also wait at least an hour after eating before entering the water. They should also get accustomed to the warmth and depth by entering and leaving from the shallow end. Furthermore, they should begin and end your swim at a slower rate.

Conclusion

Swimming is a great exercise for everyone. It is a natural, safe, effective, and cheap way to prevent cardiovascular diseases and maintain heart health. It is also a good exercise for low-risk cardiac patients.