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Treatments & Services

We offer a variety of treatment approaches which compliment our specialities and will help support you on your journey.

Dry Needling

Dry needling is a therapeutic treatment procedure that involves a thin, solid needle to manipulate various tissues in the body.
 
The goal of the procedure is to encourage a change in how the muscle is activated and to "re-boot" your nervous system. This may include relaxing a tight muscle, activating a weak muscle or indirectly communicating with your nervous system.

Dry needling is an effective treatment for acute and chronic pain, rehabilitation from injury, and even injury prevention, with very few side effects. As a treatment modality it is one of the fastest growing and most effective treatments for a wide variety of pain and movement dysfunctions.

Fascial Counterstrain

Fascial Counterstrain (FCS) is a very gentle manual therapy technique that utilizes specific tender points to identify dysfunctional and most often, painful, structures.  These structures may be dysfunctional or painful because of trauma, surgery, postural strain, repetitive motion, infectious or viral conditions, even secondary to a long-term inflammatory diet or autoimmune disease.  FCS removes painful, reflexive tissue contractions from the body via a gentle hands-on process that involves slackening or decompression of the involved structures.  The treatments are completely painless making it a viable option for even the most painful or delicate cases.  Many patients report lasting relief of chronic conditions after only one or two treatment sessions.

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Dysfunction of these structures may present as:

  • muscle or joint pain

  • chronic edema or swelling

  • weakness, digestive dysfunction

  • neuropathies or nerve symptoms

  • endocrine dysfunction

  • migraine and non-migraine headaches

  • visual disturbances

  • tachycardia

  • CRPS

  • peripheral arterial disease

  • balance disorders

  • depression or anxiety

  • impaired immune system function and recovery

  • systemic conditions such as fibromyalgia

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Please feel free to read more about the Fascial Counterstrain technique here.

Pessary Fitting

A pessary is a medical grade silicone device that fits into the vaginal canal to support the pelvic organs in the case of pelvic organ prolapse or stress urinary incontinence.  It is a non-surgical, minimally invasive solution and offers immediate symptom relief.

 

In the past, pessaries were reserved for older patients who were non-surgical candidates, but that has changed drastically in recent years.  A pessary is now an excellent option for women of all ages for the treatment of symptoms related to pelvic organ prolapse and/or stress incontinence especially for those who wish to preserve their child bearing potential, are not a surgical candidate or simply prefer a less invasive approach to symptom management. SOGC Clinical Practice Guideline No.411. 2021.

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The assessment and determination of which pessary to use, the measurement and fit of a pessary and the follow up to check symptom improvement are so very important in the success of pessary use.  If you have tried a pessary before and have stopped using it because you felt that it didn’t work or failed to improve your symptoms it may be because it was the wrong type of pessary for you or the incorrect size.  If this is the case, we would love to be your second opinion!

 

Who would benefit from a pessary?

  • For those who have been diagnosed with any grade of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) with the presences of bothersome symptoms such as:

    • heaviness

    • pressure

    • palpable or visible bulging

    • difficulty with full voiding of bladder or bowels

    • mental or emotional bother

    • stress urinary incontinence

      • ANY involuntary loss of urine (leakage) with coughing, sneezing, laughing, jumping, running, heavy lifting

  • For those who elect not to undergo surgery

  • For those who are not surgical candidates

  • For those awaiting surgery

  • For those who are not yet done childbearing​

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Not sure if a pessary is right for you?  

Schedule a Discovery Call and let's figure it out together!

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Ready to get the support you need?  

Schedule an Evaluation > Pessary Fitting with Dr. Jill O'Brien.

Visceral Mobilization

Visceral mobilization is a gentle manual therapy treatment that addresses tension in the connective tissue within and around our organs.  Each organ is anchored to our skeletal system (our bones) by tendons, ligaments, fascia or other connective tissue which holds them in place.  Healthy tissue should move and glide easily and your viscera (your organs) and your musculoskeletal system (your muscles and bones) should not limit motion of the other.  However, due to a number of factors, restrictions within our musculoskeletal system can cause issues in and around our organs.  The reverse of this is also true; dysfunction, inflammation, or scar tissue in or around our organs can cause restrictions within our musculoskeletal system.

 

For example, right shoulder pain could be an issue with your rotator cuff or it could be caused from restrictions surrounding your liver, gall bladder or colon (or more than likely a combination of both).

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What conditions can Visceral Mobilization treat?

  • Acute Disorders: whiplash, seatbelt injuries, chest or abdominal sports injuries, concussion, traumatic brain injuries

  • Musculoskeletal Disorders: chronic spinal dysfunction, headaches and migraine, carpal tunnel syndrome, peripheral joint pain, sciatica, neck pain

  • Digestive Disorders: bloating and constipation, nausea and acid reflux, GERD, swallowing dysfunctions

  • Women’s Health Issues: chronic pelvic pain, symptoms related to endometriosis, symptoms related to fibroids and cysts, dysmenorrhea or painful periods, bladder incontinence, effects of menopause, pain with intercourse

  • Pain Related to: post-operative scar tissue, post-infection scar tissue, abdominal adhesions, chronic muscle strain

  • Pediatric Issues: constipation and gastritis, persistent vomiting, colic, bladder and bowel dysfunction

  • Emotional Issues: anxiety, depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

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Read our blog post on Visceral Mobilization for more information!

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​Interested in taking the next step and want to get started?

Book a Discovery Call with Dr. Jill O'Brien.  We are so excited to work with you!

PEMF

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy is a technology that is used to stimulate our cells to help resolve cellular dysfunction, increase circulation, stimulate tissue regeneration and support overall wellness. 

 

Our cells are like batteries. And, it is common for our cells to slowly be drained of energy and therefore unable to function optimally. With repeated stress, injury or illness, your body and mind may feel tired or depleted. PEMF improves cellular function by sending magnetic energy and circulation to your cells.  This amplifies your body's ability to function more effectively, as well as improve healing, speed up recovery and relieve chronic pain.

 

Who could benefit from PEMF therapy?

  • Pre- and post-operative surgery

  • Chronic inflammation and/or pain

  • Chronic fatigue

  • Acute injuries or muscle strains 

  • Poor wound healing or neuropathy

 

Common benefits of PEMF therapy?

  • Stimulates circulation

  • Reduces inflammation and pain

  • Helps to speed recovery and tissue healing

  • Increases energy

  • Reduces anxiety and feelings of stress

Orthotic fitting

Finding the right shoes to support your feet during any type of activity can be a daunting task.  Dr. Pat Grabowski can help you take the guesswork out of finding the perfect pair by analyzing your gait, your foot alignment, discussing your activity level, sport or occupation, and providing you with customized recommendations that will help quiet those barking dogs at the end of the day.

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We believe that specialty orthotics shouldn't come at a high cost. Some of the biggest names in footwear have provided us overwhelming research that shows that custom orthotics are overrated and overpriced.  O'Brien Physical Therapy and Wellness offers affordable and quality off the shelf orthotics that can still be customized and tailored to your needs but without the price tag of true custom made orthotics.

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Let us help you!

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Do any of these sound like a good fit?

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