News Taffy

Sports, work and life in general can take a toll on a body. As we get older, we can acquire quite a collection of aches and pains - tennis elbow, stiff neck, chronic low back pain, to name a few. Constantly popping pain medicine isn’t healthy nor is it always effective. There are alternative solutions for pain relief now available here in Jonesboro.

Body, Heart and Spine is a new physical therapy business which offers several types of therapy not usually found, including dry needling and cupping. Owner Casey Bush is a licensed physical therapist with a passion for helping others achieve better health. She works as a personal trainer, does nutritional analysis, assists clients with making healthier nutritional choices and provides several types of physical therapy based on the client’s needs. Casey has many degrees and certifications so she is well qualified to help clients enjoy a healthier, pain free life.

Dry needling is similar to acupuncture in that they both use solid filament needles but dry needling is based on modern scientific study of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. Dry needling involves the insertion of extremely thin needles into the muscle to relieve painful trigger points and promote healing. Sometimes electrical stimulation from a tens unit is used in conjunction with the needles to decrease pain and promote healing. A trigger point starts with a contracted muscle that can’t relax and over time becomes highly irritated and knot like. They can be painful to touch or radiate pain and blood flow and oxygen can become restricted in this area. Most people don’t feel the needle going in but may feel an achy feeling or a reproduction of the pain they typically feel during treatment. Some patients feel immediate relief but most will need 1 to 4 visits to notice a lasting difference.

Cupping is another treatment Casey offers. Cupping has been around for centuries and involves the use of cups to create a suction effect which loosens muscles, increases blood flow and relieves muscle pain. Casey also uses therapeutic rehabilitative massage, or TRM, which is massage combined with physical therapy techniques to relieve pain, soreness or injuries. Many of these therapies can be combined into a specialized treatment regime geared towards each patient’s special needs.

Three of my friends have used Casey and report great success. One friend noticed “a dramatic, immediate improvement” after trying dry needling for low back pain. Another friend took her young son to her for a shoulder injury and he felt so much better after dry needling that he wanted to go back to treat the other shoulder.

No referral from a doctor is needed and Casey provides each patient with an thorough analysis of their problem before treatment begins and one on one care. If she believes the problem is beyond the scope of her therapy, she will recommend the patient see a physician. For more information on the therapies offered or to schedule an appointment, check out her website at bodyheartandspine.com or call 870-776-0974. There is no need to continue to suffer aches and pains.