Pain Management is comprehensive, and it can require multiple different courses of treatment. At Superior Performance Center, we want to ensure that our patients have access to many different types of treatment. These alternative treatment methods go beyond the local source of pain to address the body unit. The clinicians at Superior Performance Center can utilize these manual therapies in combination with rehabilitative exercises to bring lasting pain relief. For comprehensive pain management options, visit Superior Performance Center and ask Dr. PierreCharles about all our many alternative treatment options.
What is Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM)?
IASTM is the use of an external instrument or tool to assist in mobilizing the muscular and fascial tissues of the body that might be restricting movement and causing pain.
- Cupping
Cupping is an ancient form of alternative medicine that utilizes suction cups on the skin for the purposes of decrease pain and inflammation, increasing blood flow, relaxation, and well-being. Cupping is considered a type of deep tissue massage.
- Graston Technique
Graston Technique (GT) therapy is an instrument assisted therapy that can effectively treat all soft tissue conditions, whether they are chronic, acute or post-surgical. The Graston Technique instruments are uniquely designed that have found great success with restoring range of motion, eliminating pain, and restoring normal function. Graston Technique requires a certified clinician to use their instruments.
What is Soft Tissue Massage?
Superior Performance Center will have a certified massage therapist. Soft tissue massage targets muscles, tendons, ligaments, or other connective tissue such as fascia. Massage is one of the best-known examples of soft tissue mobilization technique.
What is Acupuncture?
Superior Performance Center will have a certified acupuncturist. Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine and a key component of traditional Chinese medicine in which thin needles are inserted into the body. It is used to alleviate pain and to treat various physical, mental, and emotional conditions.
What is Dry Needling?
Dry needling, is also known as myofascial trigger point dry needling, is an alternative medicine technique similar to acupuncture. The technique uses a “dry” needle, one without medication or injection, inserted through the skin into areas of the muscle. Trigger point dry needling is an effective therapy for treating muscular tension and spasm.
What is Positional Release Therapy (PRT)?
PRT is a type of therapy that focuses on the release of spasm and trigger point by placing the body in certain positions with applied pressure. The comfortable body and tissue positioning can manipulate the neurological system to interrupt the pain-spasm cycle. This will reset the tissues to their normal resting length. A common metaphor used to understand this is to think about unkinking a knot from a chain necklace. Instead of trying to pull or stretch the knot out, the tissues are pushed together, twisted, and compressed to take the tension off and unkink the knot.
What is Self-Myofascial Release (SMR)?
SMR is a patient-centered therapy that empowers the patient to perform release techniques on themselves that they can use at home or in the office whenever they are experiencing pain, tightness, or spasm. SMR puts the patient in control of the amount of pressure applied to their muscles and fascia and requires the patient to become more in-touch with the feelings of release that can come from the body with this type of therapy.
