SoulBeing Therapies/Treatments Glossary

A Chinese method of healing that uses hair-thin needles to treat illness and relieve pain. Acupuncture is a form of complementary medicine and a key component of traditional Chinese medicine. Acupuncture is a 5,000-year-old Chinese therapy.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends acupuncture as an effective treatment for over forty medical problems, including allergies, respiratory conditions, gastrointestinal disorders, gynecological problems, nervous conditions, and disorders of the eyes, nose and throat, and childhood illnesses, among others. Acupuncture has been used in the treatment of alcoholism and substance abuse. It is an effective and low-cost treatment for headaches and chronic pain, associated with problems like back injuries and arthritis. It has also been used to supplement invasive Western treatments like chemotherapy and surgery. Acupuncture is generally most effective when used as prevention or before a health condition becomes acute, but it has been used to help patients suffering from cancer and AIDS. Acupuncture is limited in treating conditions or traumas that require surgery or emergency care (such as for broken bones).

Acupuncture is one of the fundamental techniques found in traditional Chinese medicine. It is well documented, scientifically analyzed, and widely becoming acceptable in western medicine.

For more information on acupuncture visit The American Academy of Medical Acupuncture at www.medicalacupuncture.org.

Treatment for alcohol use disorder can vary, depending on a patient’s needs. Treatment may involve a brief intervention, individual or group counseling, an outpatient program, or a residential inpatient stay. Working to stop alcohol use to improve quality of life is the main treatment goal. A health care professional and counselor will work with a patient to develop an appropriate treatment plan. Along with behavioral counseling, the goal is to develop a plan that considers how alcohol use impacts an individual’s life including their mental, physical, social, and financial health. A counselor will help an individual set and track progress towards desired goals and outcomes as well as assist the individual in planning for and achieving long term maintenance care and success.

According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), “counseling is working with a mental health professional to cope with the challenges that come with a cancer diagnosis.

Talking with a counselor can help an individual:

• Learn how to cope with a cancer diagnosis
• Feel less overwhelmed and more in control
• Manage anxiety and depression
• Cope with symptoms and side effect, such as pain and fatigue
• Deal with emotional concerns about self-image, body image, and intimacy and sex
• Manage fears or worries about the future

A counselor can also help a person to talk with the people around them. For example, they can help a person:

• Communicate clearly with their health care team
• Talk with family and friends and adjust to changes
• Find resources and help them deal with changes to their work, career, and finances
• Make important decisions
• Consider what comes after a person or their loved one finishes treatment

For more information, please visit www.asco.org and www.cancer.net

Child / Adolescent counseling is aimed at helping young people make sense of their feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. This can entail traditional talking therapy or can use other techniques which draw on the expressive nature of young people- such as art therapy.

Attending counseling sessions can help improve child’s / teen’s self-confidence, overall mood, and self-esteem. Through therapy, teens learn and strengthen vital skills such as emotion regulation, effective communication, empathy, assertiveness, and self-awareness.

Clinical social work is a specialty practice area of social work which focuses on the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental illness, emotional, and other behavioral disturbances. Individual, group, and family therapy are common treatment modalities. Social workers who provide these services are required to be licensed or certified at the clinical level in their state of practice.

Clinical social workers perform services in a variety of settings including private practice, hospitals, community mental health, primary care, and agencies.

Clinical social workers seek to provide essential services in the environments, communities, and social systems that affect the lives of the people they serve. Clinical social workers are committed to the delivery of competent services to individuals, families, couples, and groups.

For more information visit the American Board of Clinical Social Workers at www.abcsw.org

Cognitive behavioral therapy is an evidence-based treatment that is grounded in theory and skill-based dialogue (conversations). It provides a supportive, nonjudgmental, and safe environment that allows a person to talk openly with a mental health professional who is objective and specially trained to help that individual with the issues they are having.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, “Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a structured, goal-oriented type of psychotherapy (talk therapy). Mental health professionals, including psychologist, therapists and counselors, use it to treat or manage mental health conditions and emotional concerns. It is one of the most common and best-studied forms of psychotherapy.”

During CBT, a mental health professional helps an individual take a close look at their thoughts and emotions and helps them to understand how their thoughts affect their actions. Through CBT, one can unlearn negative thoughts and behaviors and learn to adopt healthier thinking patterns and habits.

CBT can be used alone or along with medication and other therapies. A therapist will customize a treatment based on the issue that are being addressed.

Couples counseling is usually short-term counseling designed to help couples understand and resolve problems, dissatisfaction, and conflict in their relationship. Couples therapy is a type of psychotherapy focused on helping a couple work through challenges, understand their relationship better, and develop healthier ways of relating to one another. The therapist uses specific therapeutic techniques and interventions to support the couple’s goals. Couples seek therapy to achieve better communication, increase trust, and enhance intimacy, among other reasons.

Deep tissue massages use firm pressure and slow stroked to massage deep layers of muscle and fascia, which is the connective tissue that surrounds the muscles.It focuses on realigning the deeper layers of connective and muscle tissue. It aims to release the chronic patterns of tension in the body through slow strokes and deep finger pressure on the tense areas, either following or going across the fibers of the muscles, tendons, and fascia. It is particularly helpful for continually tight and contracted areas such as stiff necks, low back tightness, and sore shoulders.

Deep tissue massage is much more than just a “hard massage.” In contrast to only relaxing muscles, the specific lengthening of fascia, muscles and tendons offers many benefits such as increased joint movement, quicker injury recovery, better posture, as well as feelings of well-being.

Deep tissue massage is often used to treat:

• Chronic Pain
• Limited Mobility
• Recovery from Injuries (e.g., whiplash, falls, and sports injury)
• Repetitive Strain Injury (carpal tunnel syndrome)
• Postural Problems
• Osteoarthritis Pain
• Muscle Tension or Spasm.

Dentistry is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of conditions, disorders, and diseases of the teeth, gums, mouth, and jaw.

The branch of the healing arts concerned with the study of the skin, diseases of the skin, and the relationship of cutaneous lesions to systemic disease.

A person who assists at labor and birth and in postpartum care of mother and baby. A Doula is a trained medical professional who provides physical, emotional, and educational support to an expectant mother during her pregnancy, labor, childbirth, and immediate postnatal period. Doulas are trained and certified according to various requirements of local jurisdictions. They are helpful in educating the new family and in helping build their confidence as new parents. Midwives have received additional specialized training in obstetrics and childcare.

The National Center for Emotional Wellness (NCEW) describes emotional wellness or well-being “as an awareness, understanding, and acceptance of feelings and an ability to manage effectively through times of change or challenge.”

Emotional well-being, or emotional health or wellness, refers to how well people are able to accept and manage their emotions and cope with challenges throughout life. Emotional well-being can affect how well someone can function day to day or how they are able to deal with change or uncertainty. Difficulties in emotional well-being may have a negative effect on a person’s mental and physical health.

By gaining awareness of the emotions each person feels and how to process them, the NCEW says people can regain a feeling of control, minimize difficulties, and continue to function healthily.

For more information, please visit the National Center for Emotional Wellbeing at www.nationalcenterforemotionalwellness.org

Also please visit the National Institute of Health at www.nih.gov/health-information/emotional-wellness-toolkit

Energy work is a modality that restores the balance and flow of energy throughout the body, mind, and soul. An energy therapist works with the body’s energy field, making adjustments to enhance overall health and well-being.  The goal of energy healing is to restore and maintain the balance of energy to support physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

An Exercise Program for the treatment of a medical condition is a medically supervised program for people who have or are at risk for developing chronic diseases. The program is prescribed by a health care provider and includes exercise, education, and counseling. A person may have a team of providers and counselors whose goal is to develop and engage a person in a program that helps them to:

• Feel better (physically and mentally) and increase strength
• Reduce stress and increase confidence
• Break unwanted habits (tobacco, unhealthy diet, etc.)
• Develop new healthy habits
• Lower the risk of future health problems
• Start a regular exercise routine

Family counseling is a type of counseling that can help family members improve communication and resolve conflicts. Family is seen as a group of people who care about each other and call themselves a family. This could include parents and children, partners, grandparents, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, cousins, friends, caregivers, and other professionals that are close to the group.

Family counseling aims to address psychological, behavioral, and emotional issues that cause family problems. It is a treatment that can help improve troubled relationships with partners, children, or other family members as well as help family members better understand each other, support one another, and work through difficult issues or situations.

Fertility treatment is any treatment or medical procedure that is intended to increase the likelihood of a person successfully conceiving a baby.

Fitness generally refers to the condition of being physically healthy, including attributes such as cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, body composition, and flexibility. Fitness programs and classes refer to any activity geared toward improving these areas. Some examples of popular fitness activities include conditioning, weight training, bootcamp classes, cardio, cycling, rowing, Pilates, and yoga.

General fitness expenses do not typically qualify for HSA use, however, with a Letter of Medical Necessity, fitness programs and classes, certain equipment, and personal training could all potentially qualify as HSA-eligible services.

Functional Medicine was invented by nutritionist Jeffrey Bland. Functional Medicine focuses on interactions between the environment and the gastrointestinal, endocrine, and immune systems.

According to the Institute for Functional Medicine, “Functional Medicine is a systems biology–based approach that focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of disease. Each symptom or differential diagnosis may be one of many contributing to an individual’s illness. For example, depression can be caused by many different factors, including inflammation. Likewise, a cause such as inflammation may lead to a number of different diagnoses, including depression. The precise manifestation of each cause depends on the individual’s genes, environment, and lifestyle, and only treatments that address the right cause will have lasting benefit beyond symptom suppression.”

For more information visit the Institute for Functional Medicine at www.ifm.org/functional-medicine/what-is-functional-medicine/

Group Counseling is a form of treatment where a group of people, usually 4-10, with similar concerns, meet with a counselor or therapist to discuss difficulties, provide support to each other, gain insight and understanding into problems and to develop better strategies, methods and/or skills to address the problem.

The goal of health coaching is to give an individual the knowledge, skills, and confidence to drive and manage their self-care in order to achieve their health and wellness goals. Health coaching may help with a broad variety of health issues, such as weight loss, stress reduction, the management of chronic conditions, improving diet and exercise, tobacco cessation, addiction, and others. A health coach will work with an individual, in a collaborative manner to understand issues, set goals, and develop a plan and track progress. Health coaching involves positive reinforcement and support as the individual moves towards the goal.

Herbal Medicine or Phytotherapy is the study of the use of extracts of natural origin as medicines or health-promoting agents. Phytotherapy is another term for “herbal medicine”. An herb is a plant or plant part used for its scent, flavor, or therapeutic properties. Herbal medicines are one type of dietary supplement. They are sold as tablets, capsules, powders, teas, extracts, and fresh or dried plants. People use herbal medicines to try to maintain or improve their health.

Herbal medicines differ from plant-derived medicines in standard pharmacology. Where standard pharmacology isolates an active compound from a given plant, phytotherapy aims to preserve the complexity of substances from a given plant with less processing.

Herbal Medicine is distinct from homeopathic medicine and avoids mixing plant and synthetic bio-active substances. Traditional phytotherapy is a synonym for herbalism and regarded as alternative medicine by much of Western medicine. Although the medicinal and biological effects of many plant constituents such as alkaloids (morphine, atropine etc.) have been proven through clinical studies, there is debate about the efficacy and the place of phytotherapy in Western medical therapies.

For more information, visit the British Herbal Medicine Association at http://bhma.info/

Holistic medicine is a term used to describe therapies that attempt to treat the patient as a whole person. That is, instead of treating an illness, as in orthodox allopathy, holistic medicine looks at an individual’s overall physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional wellbeing before recommending treatment. A provider with a holistic approach treats the symptoms of illness as well as looking for the underlying cause of the illness. Holistic medicine also attempts to prevent illness by placing a greater emphasis on optimizing health.

The body’s systems are seen as interdependent parts of the person’s whole being. Holistic therapies tend to emphasize proper nutrition and avoidance of substances—such as chemicals—that pollute the body. Their techniques are non-invasive. Some of the world’s health systems that are holistic in nature include naturopathic medicine, homeopathy, and traditional Chinese medicine.

Many alternative or natural therapies have a holistic approach, although that is not always the case. The term complementary medicine is used to refer to the use of both allopathic and holistic treatments. There are no limits to the range of diseases and disorders that can be treated in a holistic way, as the principle of holistic healing is to balance the body, mind, spirit, and emotions so that the person’s whole being functions smoothly. When an individual seeks holistic treatment for a particular illness or condition, other health problems improve without direct treatment, due to improvement in the performance of the immune system, which is one of the goals of holistic medicine.

Homeopathic medicines – known as “remedies” – are made from natural sources (e.g., plants, minerals), and are environmentally friendly and cruelty free. Homeopathy is based on a series of ideas developed in the 1790s by a German doctor, Samuel Hahnemann. It is a gentle and natural system of healing that works with an individual’s body to relieve symptoms, restore itself, and improve overall health.

A central principle of homeopathic medicine is that “like cures like” – that a substance that causes certain symptoms can also help to remove those symptoms. A second central principle is based on succession, a process of dilution and shaking. Many homeopathic remedies consist of substances that have been diluted many times in water until there is none, or almost none, of the original substance left. The principle being the greater the dilution the greater the potency. Homeopathy is used to address an extremely wide range of conditions, including physical conditions such as asthma and psychological conditions such as depression. To learn more, please visit the National Center of Homeopathy at www.homeopathycenter.org

Hormone Treatments or Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is treatment with hormones to replace natural hormones when the body does not make enough. For example, hormone replacement therapy may be given when the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone or when the pituitary gland does not make enough growth hormone. Or it may be given to women after menopause to replace the hormones estrogen and progesterone that are no longer made by the body.

Hypnotherapy is guided hypnosis, or a trance-like state of focus and concentration. Hypnosis can be used to help an individual gain control over undesired behaviors or to help them cope better with anxiety or pain. It is a complementary form of treatment, used with other forms of medical or psychological treatments, for many conditions such as anxiety, phobias, post-traumatic stress, substance abuse, pain control, behavior change, and cancer treatment side effects. It can be used to help in pain management. One of the primary goals of hypnotherapy is to help an individual learn how to better control their state of awareness.

Individual counseling (sometimes called psychotherapy, talk therapy, or treatment) is a process through which clients work one-on-one with a trained mental health clinician in a safe, caring, and confidential environment. The information shared during sessions remains completely private. One-on-one attention. This allows the therapist to be thorough in understanding the individual’s specific problems and develop an individualized approach to treatment.

According to the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, “Integrative Medicine (IM) is healing-oriented medicine that takes account of the whole person, including all aspects of lifestyle. It emphasizes the therapeutic relationship between practitioner and patient, is informed by evidence, and makes use of all appropriate therapies.”

According to the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, Integrative Medicine’s Defining Principles are as follows:

1. Patient and practitioner are partners in the healing process.
2. All factors that influence health, wellness, and disease are taken into consideration, including mind, spirit, and community, as well as the body.
3. Appropriate use of both conventional and alternative methods facilitates the body’s innate healing response.
4. Effective interventions that are natural and less invasive should be used whenever possible.
5. Integrative medicine neither rejects conventional medicine nor accepts alternative therapies uncritically.
6. Good medicine is based in good science. It is inquiry-driven and open to new paradigms.
7. Alongside the concept of treatment, the broader concepts of health promotion and the prevention of illness are paramount.
8. Practitioners of integrative medicine should exemplify its principles and commit themselves to self-exploration and self-development.

For more information visit, www.integrativemedicine.arizona.edu/about/definition.html

With an emphasis on nutrition, fitness, behavior and support, lifestyle coaching and counseling helps individuals make better lifestyle choices to prevent, manage and improve chronic disease. Through lifestyle coaching and counseling, patients can connect with wellness experts who understand behavior change and what it takes to achieve improved clinical outcomes. With guidance and support in lifestyle management, and insight into the roots of their health issues, patients can move forward in their health journey.

A therapeutic technique involving the skillful use of the hands to move a part of the body, joint, or muscle to treat certain disorders. Manipulation is important in orthopedics, physiotherapy, osteopathy, and chiropractic. Manipulation may be used to treat deformity and stiffness caused by bone and joint disorders, to realign bones in a displaced fracture, to reposition a joint after a dislocation, or to stretch a contracture.

A massage therapist is a person trained in the manipulation of the muscles or other soft tissues of the body for therapeutic purposes, including relaxation and pain relief. Massage therapy is manual manipulation of soft body tissues (muscle, connective tissue, tendons, and ligaments) to enhance a person’s health and well-being. Massage therapy encompasses many different techniques. In general, therapists press, rub, and otherwise manipulate the muscles and other soft tissues of the body. They most often use their hands and fingers, but may use their forearms, elbows, or feet. There are dozens of types of massage therapy methods. People seek massage therapy for a variety of reasons – to reduce stress and anxiety, relax muscles, rehabilitate injuries, reduce pain, and promote overall health and wellness.

While there are many different types of massage, most can be described by two fundamental categories:

1. Relaxation massage – also known as Swedish massage; practiced in settings like spas, wellness centers and resorts
2. Rehabilitative massage – also known as deep tissue, medical, therapeutic, or clinical massage; practiced in many settings like clinics, hospitals, and chiropractic offices

The main professionals that provide therapeutic massage are massage therapists, athletic trainers, physical therapists, and practitioners of many traditional Chinese and other eastern medicines. Massage practitioners work in a variety of medical settings and may travel to private residences or businesses.

The US based National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine recognizes over eighty different massage modalities. The most cited reasons for introducing massage as therapy have been client demand and perceived clinical effectiveness.

Many types of practices are associated with massage and include bodywork, manual therapy, energy medicine, and breath work. Other names for massage and related practices include hands-on work, body/somatic therapy, and somatic movement education. Body-mind integration techniques stress self-awareness and movement over physical manipulations by a practitioner. Therapies related to movement awareness/education are closer to dance and movement therapies. Massage can also have connections with the New Age movement and alternative medicine as well as holistic philosophies of preventative medical care, as well as being used by mainstream medical practitioners.

Peer-reviewed medical research has shown that the benefits of massage include pain relief, reduced trait anxiety and depression, and temporarily reduced blood pressure, heart rate, and state of anxiety. Additional testing has shown an immediate increase and expedited recovery periods for muscle performance. Theories behind what massage might do include blocking nociception (gate control theory), activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which may stimulate the release of endorphins and serotonin, preventing fibrosis or scar tissue, increasing the flow of lymph, and improving sleep.

For more information visit the American Massage Therapy Association at www.amtamassage.org/

A medication (or medicine) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. The main types of medicines:

1. Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. These medications do not require a prescription from a health provider and can be purchased at pharmacies, convenience, and grocery stores.
2. Prescription medicines. These medications require a prescription from a doctor or a licensed health care professional.
3. Complementary medicines – these are commonly known as traditional or alternative medicines. They may include vitamins, minerals, herbs, and aromatherapy products. They are available without a prescription.

Meditation, according to NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, “has a history that goes back thousands of years, and many meditative techniques began in Eastern traditions. The term “meditation” refers to a variety of practices that focus on mind and body integration and are used to calm the mind and enhance overall well-being. Some types of meditation involve maintaining mental focus on a particular sensation, such as breathing, a sound, a visual image, or a mantra, which is a repeated word or phrase. Other forms of meditation include the practice of mindfulness, which involves maintaining attention or awareness on the present moment without making judgments.

Programs that teach meditation or mindfulness may combine the practices with other activities. For example, mindfulness-based stress reduction is a program that teaches mindful meditation, but it also includes discussion sessions and other strategies to help people apply what they have learned to stressful experiences. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy integrates mindfulness practices with aspects of cognitive behavioral therapy.” For more information, please visit NCCIH at: https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health

Mobilization therapies involve making a fixed part movable or releasing stored substances, for example, restoring motion to a joint such as the elbow, wrist, hand, hip, ankle, etc., freeing an organ, or making substances available that are help in reserve in the body as glycogen or fat.

In physical therapy and rehabilitation, mobilization is a combination of treatments and therapies needed to get a patient out of bed to ambulate.

The scientific application of principles of care related to prevention of illness and care during illness, generally referring to procedures or medications which are solely or primarily aimed at providing comfort to a patient or alleviating that person’s pain, symptoms, or distress, and includes the offer of oral nutrition and hydration.

Nutritionists are experts in food and nutrition, and they help people and facilities (like schools and nursing homes) plan meals for good nutrition. Dietitians are credentialed nutritionists with an RD (registered dietitian) or CNS (certified nutrition specialist). It is easy to confuse the terms dietitian and nutritionist. In most countries, the title nutritionist is not subject to professional regulation. Any person may call themselves a nutrition expert, whereas the title of dietitian can be used only by those who have met specific professional requirements. One way to distinguish the two is to remember all dietitians are nutritionists, but not all nutritionists are dietitians.

A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) is an expert in areas of food and nutrition. RDNs are accredited by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist has completed an undergraduate program in nutrition and a one-year clinical internship program. Registered Dietitian Nutritionists must pass a national exam administered by the American Dietetic Association. Registered Dietitians must also maintain their registered status through continuing education and advanced degrees/certifications for areas of specialization. Examples of specializations include certification as a cardiac dietitian, nutritional support dietitian, sports nutrition, or a certification for diabetes education.

RDNs are the food and nutrition experts who can translate the science of nutrition into practical solutions for healthy living. RDNs use their nutrition expertise to help individuals make unique, positive lifestyle changes. They work throughout the community in hospitals, schools, public health clinics, nursing homes, fitness centers, food management, universities, research, and private practice. RDNs are advocates for advancing the nutritional status of Americans and people around the world.

Registered Nutrition and Dietetic Technicians (NDTRs) are educated and trained at the technical level of nutrition and dietetics and for the delivery of safe quality food and nutrition services. They are nationally credentialed and are an integral part of healthcare and foodservice management teams. They work under the supervision of a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist when in direct patient/client nutrition care; and they may work independently in providing general nutrition education to healthy populations.

For more information visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics at www.eatright.org/

Occupational therapists and doctors help people develop or regain abilities through their everyday tasks or occupations so that they can function better in their work, home, or other environments.

Pastoral counseling integrates both psychological and theological concepts into its framework, is not unlike other modes of therapy when it comes to the therapeutic process. What sets it apart is the way faith, spirituality, and theology are incorporated into the model. Pastoral counselors believe this incorporation of spiritual exploration and support can foster wholeness, healing, and growth in those who are seeking help.

Beyond providing psychotherapy, pastoral counselors utilize resources such as prayer, scripture study, and participation in the congregation community to help guide people on their journey toward transcendence, transformation, and greater connection to others.

Range of motion (ROM) is a measurement of how far an individual can move a specific joint or other body part. When range of motion is impacted, an individual is unable to move a body part around a joint comfortably. With Limited ROM in one or more joints, an individual’s body may compensate by placing stress on other joints or muscles, resulting in muscle imbalance and improper body alignment. Poor alignment and muscle imbalance present a greater risk of injury and pain and reduce functional mobility. Limited range of motion can also contribute to mental health issues, including depression.

Therapist can assess Range of Motion and design a therapy, exercise and stretching program to help improve one’s ROM. When completed correctly and thoroughly, range of motion therapy can help:

• Improve strength and flexibility
• Reduce pain and discomfort
• Improve circulation
• Lessen stiffness
• Reduce the risk of reinjury
• Improve mood

Reflexology is a type of massage that involves applying different amounts of pressure to the feet, hands, and ears. The theory behind reflexology is that various parts of the foot, hand and ear correspond to organs and systems of the body. Reflexology is gentle and is believed to bring relaxation and healing to the corresponding area of the body. Although reflexology is not used to diagnose or cure disease, millions of people around the world use it to complement other treatments when addressing conditions like anxiety, asthma, cancer treatment, cardiovascular issues, diabetes, headaches, kidney function, PMS, and sinusitis.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), “Smoking cessation reduces risk for many adverse health effects, including poor reproductive health outcomes, cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cancer. Quitting smoking is also beneficial to those who have been diagnosed with heart disease and COPD.”

The goal of a smoking cessation program and/or counseling is to quit smoking. Healthcare professionals, smoking cessation therapists, behavioral therapists, medicines, and nicotine-containing products, such as nicotine patches, gum, lozenges, inhalers, and nasal sprays, may be used to help a person quit smoking.

For more information, please visit the CDC at www.cdc.gov/tobacco

Speech-language pathologists help people work on speech problems such as lisping and stuttering, language and communication disorders, and swallowing problems. Speech Therapy is the use of special techniques for correction of speech disorders, defined as a defective ability to speak, either of psychogenic or neurogenic origin.

Sports medicine concerned with the treatment of injuries resulting from athletic activities. A physician practicing sports medicine focuses on sports-related medical services. This may include preventative measures such as conditioning and injury prevention, as well as treatments such as osteopathic manipulation, rehabilitation, or injections.

According to the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, “Sports Medicine Physicians specialize in the non-operative treatment of musculoskeletal conditions. They can maximize non-operative treatment, guide appropriate referrals to physical and occupational therapies, and if necessary, expedite referral to an orthopedic/sports surgeon.

Common examples of musculoskeletal problems include:

• Acute injuries (such as ankle sprains, muscle strains, knee & shoulder injuries, and fractures)
• Overuse injuries (such as rotator cuff and other forms of tendonitis, stress fractures) Medical and injection therapies for osteoarthritis

Sports Medicine Physicians have received additional training in the non-musculoskeletal aspects of sports medicine. Common examples of these include:

• Concussion (mild traumatic brain injury) and other head injuries
• Athletes with chronic or acute illness (such as infectious mononucleosis, asthma, or diabetes)
• Nutrition, supplements, ergogenic aids, and performance issues
• Exercise prescription for patients who want to increase their fitness
• Injury prevention
• “Return to play” decisions in the sick or injured athlete
• Recommendations on safe strength training and conditioning exercises
• Healthy lifestyle promotion

Sports Medicine Physicians are ideally suited to provide comprehensive medical care both athletes and for the non-athlete as well and are excellent resources for the individual who wishes to become active or begin an exercise program. For the “weekend warrior” or “industrial athlete” who experiences an injury, the same expertise used for the competitive athlete can be applied to return the individual as quickly as possible to full function.”  For more information on the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, please visit www.amssm.org and  www.sportsmedtoday.com

Strengthening treatments are designed to make something stronger or more effective – traditionally muscles. Muscular strength is the ability to exert force against resistance. Strengthening can have positive effects on power, endurance, mobility, and balance. Additionally, muscular strengthening can help to protect against injury.

Stretching is an exercise that has traditionally been a part of a training and/or recovery program. Stretching is when a specific muscle or tendon (or muscle group) is deliberately flexed or stretched in order to improve the muscle’s elasticity. Stretching can help improve flexibility and range of motion about the joints, improve performance in physical activities and decrease risk of injuries. Stretching is also used therapeutically to alleviate muscle cramps and to improve function in daily activities by increasing range of motion.

Substance abuse is the use of illegal drugs, or the use of prescription or over-the-counter drugs, or alcohol for purposes other than for which they are meant to be used or in excessive amounts. A counselor will work with a patient to develop an appropriate treatment plan. Along with behavioral counseling, the goal is to develop a plan that considers how substance abuse impacts an individual’s life including their mental, physical, social, and financial health. A counselor will help an individual set and track progress towards desired goals and outcomes as well as assist the individual in planning for and achieving long term maintenance care and success.

The Mayo Clinic defines Tai Chi as a “a gentle way to fight stress”. It is a noncompetitive martial art that involves slow movements and deep breaths. It combines gentle physical exercise and stretching – with mindfulness. Tai Chi helps reduce stress and anxiety. It also helps to increase flexibility and balance. Tai Chi is low-impact, slow-motion exercise, and puts minimal stress on muscles and joints. Tai chi may also help:

• Enhance quality of sleep
• Enhance the immune system
• Help lower blood pressure
• Improve balance
• Improve joint pain
• Improve symptoms of congestive heart failure
• Improve overall well-being
• Reduce risk of falls in older adults

Traction is the use of a pulling force, typically devices such as weights and pulleys, to treat muscle and skeleton disorders and injuries. It is the practice of slowly and gently pulling on the injured, fractured, or dislocated body part to a beneficial effect (e.g., straightening, realigning, point a joint back in place).

Trigger point injections are a pain management treatment that involves injecting a local anesthetic, sometimes combined with a steroid medication, into a trigger point to relax muscles and relieve pain.

A trigger point injection can help soothe myofascial pain, especially in the neck, shoulder, arms, legs, and lower back. Trigger points are painful “knots” in muscles that can be sensitive to touch and/or pressure. They may form after acute trauma or by repetitive micro-trauma, leading to stress on muscle fibers

Most of our patients use trigger point injections in conjunction with other treatments, such as massage therapy, physical therapy, and acupuncture, to tackle the pain from every angle.

Trigger Point therapy refers to the treatment of myofascial trigger points (MTrP) or trigger points (TrP) that are found in muscles and fascia. Myofascial trigger points are painful, tense areas that are found in muscles. MTrPs affect muscles and fascia. Myofascial trigger points can be found anywhere on the body and are one of the most common causes for chronic musculoskeletal pain, also known as myofascial pain.

There are many different approaches to trigger point therapy including soft tissue work, deep tissue massage, dry needling, and ischemic pressure. The objective of trigger point therapy to release or soften a muscle knot to reduce (or eliminate) the knot pain and associated pain. This release happens by applying various levels of pressure to muscle knots, and then stretching the affected areas through a complete range of motion.

There are numerous benefits of trigger point therapy. Not only is it effective in reducing headaches and muscle tension, but it can also improve range of motion and flexibility. Patients have found it successful in improving their posture and relieving pain.

Vision services include various processes, education, procedures, and treatments involved in maintaining the health and function of the eyes.

A medical weight loss program is a program that is supervised by a medical professional that specializes primarily in weight loss for individuals that have a challenging time losing weight despite their efforts. Medically supervised weight loss programs are designed to offer treatment to overweight or obese patients who are closely followed by licensed healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, registered dietitians, and psychologists.

Weight management is the process of adopting long-term lifestyle modification to maintain a healthy body weight based on a person’s age, sex, and height. It includes techniques and physiological processes that contribute to a person’s ability to attain and maintain a certain weight. Most weight management techniques encompass long-term lifestyle strategies that promote healthy eating and daily physical activity.

The treatment is designed to help individuals decrease energy intake and increase energy expenditure by providing clear eating and exercise goals, and ways to monitor these behaviors. It targets poor habits that lead to obesity. These may include unhealthy eating and not exercising. Weight management treatment uses interventions to address these habits. An individual will work closely with a therapist, and this can be done one-on-one or in a group session.

Yoga therapy is a holistic therapy that takes a whole-body approach to health. It draws on yoga exercise, practices, and philosophies, to improve mental and physical health. Yoga is a mind and body practice that has long been utilized for its ability to derive calm and balance in one’s life through focus on breathwork and the mental-physical connection. Yoga brings together a combination of physical postures supported by breathing techniques and meditation. There are several types of yoga and many disciplines within the practice, all with the common goal of promoting mental and physical well-being. Yoga therapists use yogic breathing and stretching techniques, chosen based an individual’s health care needs, to help the body heal.

While yoga is a healthy pursuit that can benefit its practitioners in its general form, yoga therapy is an evolving field which focuses on using evidence-based yogic practices in the treatment of specific health conditions. People with specific health concerns, who want to acquire tools specific to their condition to improve wellness can benefit from yoga therapy. Yoga has proven helpful in the management of back pain, arthritis, depression, anxiety, and stress, back and neck pain, fibromyalgia, PMS, headaches, insomnia, menopause, and weight concerns.

Yoga expenses do not typically qualify for HSA use, however, with a Letter of Medical Necessity, yoga could potentially qualify as HSA-eligible services.