Doctors of Naprapathy are specialists in the treatments of muscle and soft tissue treatment, healing, and therapy. While chiropractic practice focuses on the alignment and mobilization of joints, Naprapathic treatments focuses on the health and functionality of muscle and connective tissues, including ligaments and tendons and their relationship with joints. Focusing on a combination of modalities including hot and cold therapies, mobilization and manipulation of joints, massage, stretching, ultrasound, and electro-stimulation, Naprapaths are able to alleviate pain and improve mobilization as well as provide therapeutic treatment plans to help their patients better heal injuries.
Ulf Henricsson is a licensed Naprapath and is the founder of The Sports and Health Clinic based in Chicago. As a Naprapath, Ulf is a master of functional anatomy. He has an expert ability to assess the cause of a patient’s discomfort by observing the manner in which they move or do not move.
Naprapathic Treatments include several methods in order to treat acute injuries like a sprain or tear, as well as chronic pain issues like tennis elbow. Modalities include:
MOBILIZATION, MANIPULATION, AND MASSAGE
An appointment with Ulf almost always begins with a warm-up massage to the area being treated. Relaxation is imperative to treatment. Tissue stretching and mobilization/manipulation of joints will improve mobility and reduce pain.
HOT AND COLD
Ulf Henricsson is a strong advocate of heat application as one of the most effective Naprapathic treatments for healing injury, and believes that it is far under advised in comparison to cold treatments among standard medical practice in the United States.
The application of cold or ice pack is very effective for the first 48 hours after trauma or injury. Cold application effectively treats pain and inflammation by slowing down nerve impulses and blood flow. After approximately 48 hours, as pain and inflammation are showing improvement, changing to heat application will aid in flushing the injured tissue with fresh blood and assist in healing. In therapeutic treatments, a patient may be advised to apply heat for 10 minutes and then switch to cold application for two minutes and repeat to increase circulation.
There are many effective ways to apply heat treatment including disposable heat packs, electric heating pads and blankets. Ulf is a spokesperson of regular sauna visits.
STRETCHING
Muscle stretching is one focus Naprapathic treatment. Mobility is possible because of the relationship between Muscles, Tendons, Ligaments, and Bones. In many cases, the cause of a patient’s discomfort is a combination of those tissues not working together the way they should. A tendon attaches a muscle to a bone. By stretching a muscle the correct way, it can release tension to an injured tendon relieving pain and aiding in recovery. Lower back pain, for instance, can sometimes be relieved by applying specific stretches to the leg muscles. A Naprapath Ulf can help you understand exactly where, how, and in what order to prevent further injury or discomfort.
ULTRASOUND
In some cases, Ulf will use Ultrasound during Naprapathic treatment to assist in treating a patient. Ultrasound is a tool that is used to push sound waves through soft tissues. The friction between wave and tissues create heat and a specialized medical device allows for the doctor to apply that heat to very specific locations. Tennis elbow is an example of where ultrasound treatment may be particularly useful. A combination of ultrasound to the tendon with massage and stretching to the forearm muscle can be used to provide relief to the tendon causing discomfort.
ELECTROTHERAPY
On occasion, electrotherapy is also used in the treatment of soft tissue injuries or chronic pain. Electrodes can be applied to a patient’s skin to send electrical impulses through muscle tissue. These electrical impulses are used to contract and release muscle tissue similar to how nerve impulses function. This method can be used to relax a muscle that is in spasm, reduce pain, or to relieve tension.
NUTRITION AND FITNESS
Ulf is an avid spokesperson for maintaining a healthy body by focusing on nutrition and physical activity as a staple part of every patient’s treatment. Patients are given homework assignments after every visit to help them maintain a forward path on their road to recovery and wellness. Nutrition advice and help to pick the right supplements are also part of a treatment for all patients.
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