Fall back into health

As you return to physical activity, sometimes you must battle through health issues and injuries.

by Dr. Saman Rezaie — 

The summers in Arizona have a way of slowing things down. The heat keeps people indoors, which tends to bring a halt to being active. The loss of physical activity can lead to getting out of shape and can make us more prone to injuries. With the temperatures coming down in the fall, people feel able to come out and play again.

As you return to physical activity, sometimes you must battle through health issues and injuries. Not to worry, as many beneficial options are available and will support an active lifestyle. Below are several therapies that can help you get where you want to be.

Let us first look at acupuncture. This therapy is one of the most widely practiced forms of alternative medicine in the country, and it is the most commonly sought-after treatment by adults who are looking for relief from chronic pain. A study published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine found that acupuncture outperformed standard care when used by people suffering from osteoarthritis, migraines and chronic back, neck and shoulder pain.

Acupuncture involves inserting needles at various points on the body to stimulate energetic flow. The entire process takes about 30 minutes to complete, including a brief intake, placement of the needles and letting them rest. Many people are able to get off the table with reduced symptoms and often complete relief. But it usually takes a series of treatments, as each one helps to balance out the body.

The second therapy is prolotherapy. It is a technique that reactivates the body’s healing process by injecting a mildly irritating substance — commonly, a somewhat concentrated sugar solution, along with the painkiller lidocaine — into the injured area to stimulate a temporary low-grade inflammation. This technique tricks the body into initiating a healing response and can be used for both acute and chronic injuries. Prolotherapy is usually a series of cost-effective, minimally invasive treatments that heal you back to 100 percent.

Another therapy that is highly beneficial is cryotherapy. This technique involves placing an individual in a cryogenic chamber for a short duration of 1.5 to 3 minutes to lower the skin’s surface temperature significantly and stimulate receptors, without damaging any tissue. This temperature drop allows an increase in the body’s immune response, a boost in the metabolic rate and accelerates wound healing. Studies conducted over the last two decades have established cryotherapy as an effective treatment for inflammatory disorders and injuries. Professional athletes have discovered this therapy as a powerful treatment to decrease recovery time and increase athletic performance.

One more therapy to consider this fall is intravenous (IV) therapy. This therapy is highly effective for a wide array of conditions, including acute cold/flu, various levels of pain, athletic recovery, gastrointestinal issues, detoxification and more. It is a quick and useful way to get high doses of vitamins, minerals and amino acids into the bloodstream to promote a faster therapeutic effect. An IV solution bypasses oral absorption and allows for a larger number of beneficial nutrients to spread throughout the cells in your body. This process can take 45 to 90 minutes. You can relax in a recliner during the infusion process and take your health back in a day’s time.

Now is the time to get ready to become active again. So begin looking into the many therapies discussed above and discover which one might be right for you.

Dr. Saman Rezaie is a naturopathic doctor who is a general practice physician, specializing in autoimmune, leaky gut and gastrointestinal problems. He also works with pain management and structural alignment at Integrative Health in Scottsdale, Ariz. www.integrativehealthcare.com or 480-657-0003.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 32, Number 5, October/November 2013.