8 Pain Management Techniques That Help You Stay Active

May 13, 2019

Although pain is the body’s early warning system, increasingly, health care professionals are recognizing that pain also limits a person’s ability to function. It can interfere with mood and sleep, and the ability to move, concentrate and heal. Longer hospital stays and recovery times have been linked to unmanaged pain.

In short, chronic pain is neither a normal part of life that anyone should have to tolerate, nor a normal part of aging that should just be accepted.

Health professionals are also learning that how we experience pain affects our ability to tolerate it. Individuals who are fearful, anxious or depressed have a lower tolerance for pain and are more debilitated by it. Consequently, pain management techniques must also address the emotional component.

Below are the eight most common methods for treating chronic pain.

1. Physical Therapy

Research shows that moderate exercise can reduce pain and vice versa – less pain allows for more exercise. Physical therapists teach patients how to engage in this virtuous cycle by moving safely and functionally, and building strength through therapeutic exercise.

2. Heat and Cold

Cold therapy reduces painful swelling and numbs the affected area of the body. It is usually used early after the onset of pain. Heat is generally applied after that because it helps muscles relax, promotes blood circulation and eliminate lactic acid buildup. Blood flow and lactic acid removal speed healing and reduce pain.

3. Relaxation Techniques

Meditation, deep breathing, relaxation imagery, bio-feedback, self-hypnosis and other related techniques calm the mind and reduce stress, both of which have been found to alleviate the experience of pain. Additionally, relaxation slows body functions, including the transmission of pain.

4. Massage

Clinical studies like this one have found massage therapy provides significant relief from pain. Massage relaxes painful muscles and related structures and diverts the body’s attention away from pain in a process called “gate control.”

5. Ultrasound and TENS

Ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves to stimulate blood flow to muscles while relaxing them. TENS – transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation – innervates offending nerves until they are exhausted, reducing their ability to transmit pain.

6. Acupuncture

The ancient Eastern art of acupuncture has long been recognized as beneficial to those suffering from chronic pain. It’s still a mystery why acupuncture is an effective pain reliever but it is thought to stimulate the body’s own pain fighting mechanisms. It is also generally performed in a quiet, relaxing atmosphere that has some of the same effects as other relaxation techniques.

7. Mental Health Support

Psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers and other mental health practitioners can provide counseling to individuals feeling stressed and depressed in connection with their pain. Among the techniques they may use are keeping a pain diary, envisioning a pain-free existence, and addressing other issues that weigh on patients’ mental health.

8. Drugs

Useful for short-term relief but a last resort for chronic pain, analgesics like ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), acetaminophen (Tylenol), naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve) and aspirin can help calm pain. Steroids may be prescribed by a doctor to alleviate inflammation that causes pain and antidepressants can improve mood and aid sleep.

These eight strategies generally work best in combination, because pain has many causes and pathways. Freeing a body from debilitating pain promotes physical, mental and emotional well-being.

Nye Health Services offers six campus locations in Eastern Nebraska and one in Wyoming, structured to meet the needs of their residents from independent living to skilled nursing and memory care. A family-owned company with a rich history of connecting with the people they serve, Nye Health Services is open for visits anytime. Call 402.753.1400 to schedule an appointment at locations in Fremont, Lincoln, South Sioux City, Norfolk, or Jackson Hole, or visit https://nyehealthservices.com/ for more information.

6 Advantages of Short-Stay Rehabilitation

Sep 25, 2018

6 ADVANTAGES OF SHORT-STAY REHABILITATION

September 25, 2018

Going directly home is not always the best option for people leaving the hospital after a surgery, illness or accident. Instead, short-stay rehabilitation programs provide the physical, occupational and speech therapy services necessary to help patients return to their house or to an assisted living facility in the shortest time possible.

In most cases, therapists are part of a team of medical professionals who collaborate with patients and their family members to develop an individualized plan aimed at completing the recovery process.

A few days or even a few months at a short-term rehab facility offers several advantages over outpatient physical therapy. For example:

1. Access to Care

The patient has access to professional medical care 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week. This takes the burden off of your loved ones and allows you access to more advanced care and assistance while you recover.

2. On-Site Therapy

Some facilities employ physical, occupational and speech therapists, as well as social workers, physicians, nurses and nutritionists. Having all of the specialized care you need speeds up the recovery process, and ensures the smoothest, quickest path to healing.

3. Organized Activities

Recovering at home can be an isolating experience, especially when those in your life carry on with the fun, daily activities you enjoy. Many short-term rehab facilities provide private rooms and a variety of social and recreational activities, which means you won’t be stuck at home watching TV all day.

4. An Opportunity to Take a Break

Being at home isn’t easy, especially when you look around and see everything that requires your attention. At a short-stay rehabilitation facility, you can forget about the leaf-filled yard and pile of laundry while your recover. Patients won’t feel like they have to return to their normal household responsibilities sooner than they are ready to do so, which means they’ll be healed sooner, too.

5. The Best Fit

You have the opportunity to choose a short-stay rehabilitation facility that is the best fit for you. Here are some questions to ask if you are looking for a short-stay rehab facility for yourself or a loved one:

What percentage of patients go home or to as assisted living facility after short-stay rehab, and how many patients must return to a hospital?

How does the Medicare program rate the facility?
What is the ratio of staff to patients?
What is the average length of recovery time?
Are private rooms available?
Is the facility close enough for friends and relatives to visit on a regular basis?

6. Recovery in Less Than Two Months

How long will you have to remain in short-stay rehab? That depends on why you’re there and your goals for recovery, though generally speaking, four to six weeks is normal. If you have Medicare coverage, the federal insurance program will usually pay for your stay, as long as you’ve spent at least three nights as a hospital inpatient within the past 30 days. And, of course, the facility you choose must be certified by Medicare.

If you are covered by health insurance other than Medicare, you should check to make sure a specific facility is in your network and find out exactly what services are covered.

Are you interested in learning more about how short-stay rehabilitation can help you transition from the hospital to your home or to an assisted living facility? Check with Nye Health Services, which offers short stay rehabilitation services In Fremont, South Sioux City and Lincoln, Nebraska. For more information, visit NyeHealthServices.com or call 402-753-1400.

5 Things You Should Know About Short Stay Rehabilitation

Jun 11, 2018

5 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SHORT STAY REHABILITATION

June 11, 2018

Short stay rehabilitation serves as a vital link between a stay in the hospital and a patient’s return to his or her place of residence. Services customized for each individual and provided by a team of skilled and compassionate health care professionals help people recover as quickly as possible from surgery, illness or accident.

Whether patients require physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, nutritional counseling, post-surgical care, specialized wound care or other services, short stay rehabilitation will help them transition from the hospital to home. It serves as an important stop on the road to recovery, regardless of why hospital care was required to begin with.

Here are five factors to consider before you decide if short stay rehabilitation is a viable option for you or your loved one:

1. Don’t Be Stuck Without a Plan

Most people don’t expect to have to spend time in the hospital, and they have no idea that they might require an interim stop between the hospital and their home. It’s a good idea to do some research, plan ahead and choose a reliable and reputable rehab facility just in case you or a loved one needs short stay rehabilitation.

2. Make an Informed Decision

Find out about which facilities near your home specialize in specific rehabilitation services. You can do your research on the internet, or you can even visit one or more local rehab centers. Among other things, find out if skilled nursing care is available 24/7 and whether licensed physical, occupational and speech therapists are part of the health care team.

3. An Individualized Plan

No two situations are alike. Make sure the rehabilitation facility you choose offers a plan customized for you or your loved one. A person recovering from hip, knee or shoulder replacement has different needs than someone who spent time in the hospital following a heart attack or stroke. By the same token, if you were in the hospital suffering from pneumonia, your rehabilitation requirements are different than those of someone who had gastrointestinal surgery.

4. Some Factors to Consider

Rehabilitation centers aren’t all the same. Check to make sure facilities you are considering are licensed by the state and certified by the Medicare program and whether they accept your private insurance. Does the center provide Wi-Fi, televisions and top-of-the-line food service? Is there a full-time medical director? Are the members of the medical team trained and credentialed to provide the services you or your loved one requires? And, finally, is the center clean and modern, with the most up-to-date equipment? When you walk through the front door, does it look like a place you wouldn’t mind calling home for a few days, or even a couple of weeks?

5. Medicare Coverage

Many patients that require short stay rehabilitation are over the age of 65 and are insured by the federal Medicare program. Generally speaking, Part A – which covers hospital care – also will reimburse you for at least part of your stay in a rehabilitation facility. Make sure to choose a facility that offers Medicare-certified services that also has a dedicated staff member who is able to clearly explain the costs that will and won’t be covered by your insurance.

If you or a loved one is interested or in need of short stay rehabilitation services, consider a Nye Health Services campus. Campuses are conveniently located in Fremont, Lincoln and South Sioux City, Nebraska. Get better, stronger and back home faster through state-of-the-art rehabilitation and Medicare-certified services that fit your needs. Nye Health Services campuses offers various levels of care and service, specializing in physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. For more information, please contact Nye Health Services at 402-753-1400.

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