(I may not be available at certain times for walk-ins as I may be with a patient.) Scott Nelson-Richards, MA PT
I’ve been practicing traditional physical therapy along with alternative techniques for over 25 years. As someone who experiences migraines and back pain myself, I can appreciate the relief my patients feel when they realize that their misery can be greatly reduced or eliminated. Most
people experience a significant decrease of headache or back pain on the first visit. However, a series of treatments is usually necessary to make long-standing changes in a person with chronic issues. Occasionally 1-2 visits will suffice with recent onset or infrequent headaches or back pain. Services:
Strain Counterstrain (SCS)
Strain and Counterstrain uses passive body positions of spasmed muscles and dysfunctional joints toward positions of comfort or tissue ease that compress or shorten the offending structure. The purpose of movement toward shortening is to relax aberrant reflexes that produce the muscle spasm forcing immediate reduction of tone to normal levels. This allows the joints influenced by the now relaxed muscle to function optimally increasing its range of motion and easing muscle pain. SCS is an effective but extremely gentle technique because its action for treatment moves the patient’s body away from the painful, restricted directions of motion. CranioSacral Therapy (CST)
CranioSacral Therapy is a gentle, hands-on approach that releases tensions deep in the body to relieve pain and dysfunction and improve whole-body health and performance. Using a soft touch, practitioners release restrictions in the soft tissues that surround the central nervous system. By normalizing the environment around the brain and spinal cord and enhancing the body’s ability to self-correct, CST is able to alleviate a wide variety of dysfunctions, from chronic pain to acute injuries (especially back pain and headaches). Myofascial Release (MFR)
Myofascial Release is a safe and very effective hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure into Myofascial connective tissue restrictions to eliminate pain and restore motion. Fascia is a specialized system of the body that has an appearance similar to a spider’s web or sweater. It is very dense and covers every muscle, bone, nerve, artery and vein, as well as many internal organs including the heart, lungs, brain and spinal cord. It plays an important role in the support and function of the body since it surrounds and attaches to all structures. In the normal healthy state, the fascia is relaxed and has the ability to stretch and move without restriction. However, when physical or emotional trauma, scarring or inflammation is experienced fascia can become tight and restricted and a source of tension for the body. This can affect flexibility and stability, create pain and limit ability to perform daily activities.
