How to Know When To Seek Treatment for Hip Pain

When hip pain becomes a regular part of life, or manifests often, it should be addressed. It is important to keep in good communication with your doctor and know your body. As we age, the major joints naturally deteriorate. Sometimes, injury or unusual stress also plays a role. Whatever the cause, any time pain is experienced in the body, diagnosis and treatment options should be sought. It doesn't necessarily merit a rush to the emergency room, but making an appointment, or mentioning it in your next scheduled visit is important. Sometimes a doctor can suggest self-help methods or minimally invasive options, such as a holistic approach through osteopathy.

Common sense dictates that the fist step in alleviating hip pain is through self-help methods. If aching or pain in the hip is experienced, one of the best first approaches is to allow the joint to rest. The body often can heal itself with time taken to prevent further injury. Over-the-counter pain or anti-inflammatory medication can also sometimes do the trick to reduce the swelling and remove the discomfort. Sometimes stretching can also help. If those methods have little or no effect, then your doctor needs to know. They will be able to run the proper tests in order to provide a diagnosis and suggest a variety of treatment options.

Chronic or reoccurring hip pain can severely impact your quality of life. You may find yourself unable or unwilling to perform everyday activities in order to avoid the pain. Rather than reducing your lifestyle to accommodate for the milady and accepting the pain as normal, it is important to seek help. Many options exist before invasive treatments such as surgery should be considered. Osteopathic manipulation could be an option. An osteopathy will utilize methods of stretching, pressure, and massage to move the tendons and soft tissue around the joint, so the body can realign and heal. It is important to find the right treatment option, so you can get back to living your life.

If you would like to learn more about hip pain in Austin, visit Tamara McReynolds, D.O.

The New Mom's Guide to Baby Reflux

Baby reflux is the same that adults experience. It happens when partially digested food in the stomach, along with some acid, makes its way back up the esophagus, often out of the mouth. The condition in babies is commonly referred to as “spitting up.” It is highly common for babies and often clears on its own in the first year of life. However, for some children the reflux affects the baby's comfort, causing problems eating and sleeping and resulting in general irritability. This is understandable, due to the uncomfortable burning sensation of stomach acid in the esophagus. Although it can be a common occurrence in infants, you know your child and what is or is not normal. Trust your instincts and seek help for your baby if you think something is wrong.

Some home adjustments can be made to help reverse the severity of baby reflux, such as feeding baby more often with less amounts, so the stomach doesn't get too full. Baby might be having a reaction to the formula being used, so switching the brand or type could help. Another option is to feed baby partially sitting upright, so gravity helps keep contents in the stomach. Some parents have found that propping the head of the crib up, so the baby sleeps at an incline, can aid the situation. When abnormal amounts of reflux happens and no self-help methods at home have made a significant difference, then it is time to speak to a doctor for their medical opinion.

Depending on the situation, your doctor may suggest several options for baby reflux. Medications are typical. Tests to measure the acid levels in the stomach and the construction of the digestive tract could be used. Some choose to utilize osteopathy. Sometimes, the problem with the digestive tract was caused during the compression trauma of being cramped in the womb or being born, especially if there were complications. By assessing baby's body as a whole, a decision can be made for osteopathic manipulation treatment of the infant.

If you would like to learn more about baby reflux in Austin, click here.

Questions and Answers About Cranial Manipulation for Infants

The process of being born can be stressful for infants and their bodies. Cranial manipulation for infants is an option to help reverse the side effects of the compression resulting from birth. While there are many treatment options available, an Osteopath (DO) could help. Osteopathy is one of the few methods that is an acceptable treatment for all ages, from infancy through adulthood.

Q: Is cranial manipulation for infants safe?

The holistic modal of treating humans is safe for infants, provided that the Osteopath (DO) is well trained in the area. Simply do your due diligence and ask the doctor about their experience and credentials. As long as the DO is qualified, the procedure is not only safe, but can aid in a healthy infancy.

Q: Why use osteopathy on an infant?

Most people associate misalignment of the body, aches, and pains to aging. However, injury is also a cause. The birthing experience can be stressful on a baby's body. The compression of passing through a birth canal can cause the skull to push together and misshape. The body can become squeezed. The situation is compounded when forceps or other tools are used due to birth complications. Addressing the problem early through cranial manipulation for infants might prevent worse problems that could develop later in childhood and adulthood.

Q: What things can osteopathy help?

The treatment is holistic, meaning it considers the body as a whole to look for ways to return to health. Many issues not thought to be related could be helped through osteopathic manipulation. Some conditions that could be improved are sleep issues, flat or misshaped head, colic, restlessness, and failure to thrive. Problems with digestion, such as inability to suckle, constipation, and reflux can also be addressed.

Q: What happens during the treatment?

During cranial manipulation for infants, a DO will gently massage the bones, muscles, and tendons in the child's body. With a gentle touch, the body responds to being adjusted back into proper alignment for healing. Through techniques that involve pressure, stretching, and resistance, a careful physician can help the baby's body return to it's normal state.

If you would like to learn more about cranial manipulation for infants in Georgetown, visit Tamara McReynolds, D.O.