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Why We Believe In Flexible Payment Options For Our Patients

Taking care of your body is a crucial part of your health, not an optional luxury that depends on your current budget or financial situation. While that may feel like the case at most insurance-based practices, Impact Medical aims to be your guiding light by offering you the services you need in a way that you can afford with our self-pay services.

Discover the reasons why we believe in providing you with flexible payment options so you can feel comfortable visiting us anytime for quality chiropractic care:

Some Bodily Conditions Can’t (Or Shouldn’t) Be Left Ignored

When we say that chiropractic care shouldn’t be seen as a luxury, we especially mean it when it comes to post-treatment in response to an unfortunate accident. The pain you feel soon after a crash (or any other incident) can turn into a lifelong debilitation if you don’t treat it immediately, and the lack of funds could be a valid reason for anyone to ignore their soon-to-be chronic symptom.

In our quest to help people, we can’t turn our back on a patient in need just because of their financial situation. Our flexible payment options available through our cash-based practice are our way of encouraging you to get the post-accident care that you need in a way that still meets our goals as a reliable chiropractic office near you.

Read more > If You Need Adjustments Often, A Self-Pay Chiropractor May Be Your Best Option

Each Of Our Patients Come From A Different Slice Of Life

Every individual’s financial health is unique, and so it’s not fair to gatekeeper essential treatment based on that factor alone. The current state of our economy has left many people with what’s considered low income, and not everyone has access to decent health insurance. Despite your current situation, you deserve to receive quality chiropractic care just like everyone else, and that’s what we aim to achieve with our flexible payment options via self-pay chiropractic services.

We Understand If Your Funds Or Method Of Payment Is Limited

One of the biggest flaws with regular chiropractors is that many of them only accept specific ways to pay in an effort to control their own flow of income. We’re here for you, and that means doing what we can to ensure that you’re able to pay, however you prefer to pay. That’s why we now support self-pay methods, giving you the ability to pay as much as you want whether it be session-per-session or in discounted bundles. You are no longer bound by the restrictions of insurance-based payment methods, and that’s something to celebrate!

Learn more > How Cash Pay Chiropractic Care Allows Patients Control Over Their Treatment & Payment

Our Mission Here At Impact Medical

We’ve told you our intentions for offering you a flexible way to pay for your chiropractic care, but how does that look in person? We’ll give you a test run with an initial exam and adjustment for only $39. You can use that first visit with us to decide how you want to proceed. In the end, you’re the one who gets to make the final call on what works for you, making your choice that much easier. Whether you choose to walk out or keep going, that’s a small price to pay for the power of choice and a refreshed body.

Stop By Your Nearest Impact Medical Location Today For Affordable Treatment!

Learn more about our cash-pay chiropractic services by reaching out to your nearest Impact Medical location! We’ll gladly inform you on everything you want to know including how to get started on affordable chiropractic care.

Our Top PT Methods for Treating Shoulder Pain

Struggling with nagging shoulder pain? If you’ve been grappling with a shoulder injury, you know the frustration it can bring. It’s one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints that physical therapists encounter. But what specific methods work when it comes to treating this complex area? Here are the top physical therapy (PT) approaches to treating shoulder pain, each designed to bring you comfort and restore your motion.

1. The Power of Manual Therapy

First on our list is a cornerstone of physical therapy: manual therapy. It involves hands-on mobilization or manipulation of your shoulder joints and soft tissues. Your physical therapy plan may include manipulative techniques to improve flexibility, relieve muscle tension, and promote proper “mechanics.” Whether you’re dealing with a rotator cuff injury or a frozen shoulder, the precision and skill of a manual therapist can help you make vast improvements in your pain levels and mobility.

2. Progressive Strengthening Exercises

A strong shoulder is a resilient shoulder. Our second approach is progressive strengthening exercises, which focus on gradually increasing the resistance and challenge to the shoulder muscles. Starting with simple motions, like lateral raises, and progressing to resistance band exercises, the goal is to build strength, which in turn helps stabilize the shoulder. It’s a critical milestone for anyone recovering from an injury or seeking to guard against future problems.

3. Postural Re-Education

Often, shoulder pain involves more than just the shoulder itself. A lot depends on how you hold your body throughout the day, and postural re-education can help.

Many people suffer from ‘desk posture,’ a common culprit for shoulder pain. Physical therapists educate patients on optimal alignment and provide exercises to strengthen core muscles, enabling you to carry your body in a way that supports, rather than stresses, your shoulders.

4. Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES)

For some patients, especially those who are immobile or are in severe pain, traditional exercises may need a little kickstart. Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation, or NMES, can be a critical lifeline in these situations.

NMES involves placing electrodes on your skin, creating electrical impulses that stimulate the targeted muscle groups, mimicking the action potential that comes from the central nervous system. This can reduce muscle atrophy and pain, and improve range of motion, often making exercises more tolerable and effective.

5. Functional Movement Screening

Last but not least, we turn our focus to functional movement screening (FMS). FMS evaluates how well your body performs under a range of physical stresses through a series of movements. An in-depth assessment helps the physical therapist to identify compensations and weaknesses that may contribute to shoulder pain. Your therapist may include FMS in your personalized treatment plan, ensuring that the work you do in therapy translates to better function in your everyday life.

Take the First Step Toward a Pain-Free, Fully Functioning Shoulder

Recovering from shoulder pain is never a one-size-fits-all journey. At Impact Medical Group of St. Petersburg, we know every patient is unique and requires a personal treatment plan that’s tailored to your specific needs. If you’re ready to break free from shoulder pain, call us today at (727) 722-8103 to schedule your free medical evaluation.

Is It Safe To Supplement Chiropractic Care With At-Home Exercises?

Chiropractic care is a modality that can help those suffering from accident injuries and chronic conditions. But the healing journey doesn’t end when you leave the chiropractor’s office. You can complete exercises at home that can supplement your adjustments and aid in the recovery process.

But what exercises are best? Don’t worry! If you’re unsure, our Impact Medical Sun City Center team shares some of our favorite at-home exercises to help your body return to optimal health. Let’s get into it!

What is Chiropractic Care?

First, let’s discuss what chiropractic care entails. By adjusting the spine, chiropractors can alleviate pain, improve posture, and restore range of motion to those suffering from accident injuries.

Ultimately, if you have aches and pains caused by strain or an injury to your musculoskeletal system, a chiropractor can likely help, and you won’t need to take pain medication.

Chiropractic treatments often include:

• Adjustments: Realigning the joints decreases pain and helps to increase the range of motion.

• Soft-tissue Manipulation: This helps to relax any tight muscles, relieve muscle spasms, and release tension.

• Exercises & Stretching: These help to maintain strength, joint stability, and mobility.

The best part is that chiropractic care is a holistic therapy that can impact an individual’s overall well-being and can be used in conjunction with several other modalities.

Why Do You Need to Exercise After Visiting the Chiropractor?

Though chiropractic care can be a powerful tool to help accident victims heal after an accident, its beneficial effects are amplified when paired with gentle exercises and stretches.

Doing so will:

• Keep the spine aligned
• Strengthen muscles
• Boost flexibility & mobility
• Protect against future injuries

Think of it as a comprehensive approach. Chiropractic care can correct and align the subluxations in the body, while exercises will keep your body in optimal shape, helping you recover faster and prevent re-injury.

Exercises to Supplement Chiropractic Care

Before we share some of our favorite exercises, it is important to note that patients should be cautious with exercise after chiropractic care. We recommend waiting around 30 minutes after the appointment to allow the body to adjust to the changes that the chiropractor made.

Excessive workouts should be avoided right after a chiropractic appointment. And we always recommend to our patients to warm up and stretch before doing any exercises.

To enhance your chiropractic treatments, try:

• Neck Exercises: Gentle neck exercises can help support any cervical adjustments that were completed by your chiropractor. Try rotating the neck slowly back and forth, and around in a circle. Just be careful not to overdo it.

• Back & Core Exercises: Yoga-style movements like the cat-cow stretch and child’s pose, as well as planks, can help strengthen the back, core, and spine. They can also help maintain spinal alignment and alleviate pain.

• Shoulder Exercises: Wall stretches and slow shoulder rolls can help complement any shoulder adjustments that your chiropractor performed.

• Hip Exercises: Gentle leg stretches while sitting or standing can help keep hips in alignment and boost stability.

Remember, when starting any exercise regimen, it is important to start slow so you don’t overdo it or undo the work your chiropractor did when adjusting your body. If you aren’t ready for these kinds of exercises or stretches, try a lower-impact activity such as swimming, riding a bike, or taking a walk.

Also, make sure to follow your chiropractor’s instructions on how often to exercise.

Heal & Gain Mobility with Impact Medical Sun City Center

Accident injuries do not have to be debilitating. With chiropractic adjustments completed by our skilled team at Impact Medical Sun City Center, you will walk away with an improved range of motion, less pain, and greater mobility.

Don’t let injuries hold you back from living a vibrant life. Schedule a chiropractic consultation with our team by calling (813) 938-5195 today!

5 Things You Should Never Do When Having Back Pain After An Accident

Getting into a car accident that causes a back injury can be frightening. How will this affect your day-to-day life? Is the pain going to become chronic? Do you have other injuries? Before you panic, take a deep breath, our team at Impact Medical Zephyrhills is here to help.

Here, we discuss five things you should never do if you have back pain after an accident.

Recovering from Back Pain: What to Know

To ensure that you receive the best medical care possible and get relief from back pain as soon as possible following an accident, here are a few things you should never do:

#1. Don’t Wait to Get Medical Treatment

After an accident, time is of the essence when it comes to treatment for back injuries. While there could be several causes of the back pain you are experiencing including a soft tissue injury, nerve damage, or a bulging disc, we need to examine you to be sure.

The sooner you seek treatment for back pain, the sooner we can design a treatment plan that will bring you relief.

#2. Don’t Forgo Diagnostic Imaging

Getting x-rays done can help rule out different kinds of injuries so your pain can be treated appropriately. Further, documentation will help your case if you need to litigate or use your PIP benefits.

Delays in seeking treatment will make it harder to get insurance companies to pay for your treatment, plus, you have 14 days after an accident to use your PIP benefits in Florida.

#3. Don’t “Tough It Out”

No matter how minor you think your injuries are, the pain you are feeling could be caused by a more serious injury or be the start of chronic pain.

If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it hundreds of times—seek treatment as soon as possible after an accident. It could be the difference between recovering from your back pain or suffering from chronic debilitating pain.

To ensure that your body heals properly, you have to rest. You may need to take time off, but don’t stop moving even if it’s just a little bit, as your back pain could get worse as your muscles atrophy.

While resting, we recommend that you use ice or heat therapy to help reduce pain, inflammation, and swelling.

• Start with ice first. This helps reduce swelling. Use an ice pack for 15 minutes at a time.
• Apply heat next. This can help soothe tense muscles and aid in the recovery process. Apply a hot water bottle or heat pad to the injured area for about 15 minutes at a time to help improve blood flow to the injured area.

#4. Don’t Forget to (Gently) Exercise

We know that when you have back pain it feels like you shouldn’t move at all. But this isn’t the case. You don’t want to remain immobile for too long after your accident. Believe it or not, gentle exercise can help ease back pain after an accident—depending on the extent of your injuries.

We recommend starting with short, simple exercises. We recommend taking a short walk around the block, which can help you maintain your muscle strength. Gentle movement also encourages blood flow, helping ease the pain.

#5. Don’t Rely on Pain Medication Alone

While pain medication may help alleviate some of the back pain caused by your accident, we recommend manual therapy and chiropractic care to help you recover.

Manual Therapy

Manual therapy can help stimulate blood flow which in turn could speed up the healing process. Gentle exercising and stretches will help keep your body flexible and will also improve your muscle strength helping support the injured area.

Furthermore, a trained therapist can also share a few simple exercises that you can do at home to help ease your pain.

Chiropractic Care

A chiropractic visit can help you recover faster than traditional treatments like surgery or pain medications. Essentially, a chiropractor can help heal the source of your back pain, rather than just managing the symptoms after your accident.

We recommend letting your chiropractor know about any symptoms that you are experiencing including:

• Headaches
• Numbness
• Immobility

These will help them determine what treatments and adjustments will encourage your body to heal properly.

Heal and Move Forward From Back Pain

Don’t let back pain hold you back from experiencing all the good things in life. Contact our compassionate team at Impact Medical Zephyrhills for an evaluation and we will design a treatment plan to get you on the road to recovery.

Call us at (813) 706-5156 to schedule your appointment today!