Often, the cause of muscular and neurologic pain is rooted in the body’s sensory systems. If the way we perceive the world is skewed, then the brain and motor pathways must dedicate extra work to correcting the discrepancy. This extra stress can manifest as chronic headache, migraine, nerve pain, or that “spot that seems like it always needs to be adjusted”. Utilizing specific therapies to re-train the eyes and balance systems of the body can make a profound difference in pain relief and resolution of odd neurologic symptoms. We utilize some of the latest technological advances in virtual reality and balance therapeutics to induce neuroplasticity at sites of disorder and injury.

Biofeedback therapy is a mind-body therapeutic technique that aims to help patients gain voluntary control over certain body functions that are typically involuntary (such as heart rate, muscle contraction or brainwaves). Biofeedback uses electronic instruments to convey to the patient certain physiological processes happening in their body that they are typically not aware of. Clinically, it is used to help teach self-control of brain functions by indicating to patients how their brains react to certain triggers. Over time, patients learn to recognize when their brain is in a certain state. Then, they can learn to recreate the desired state, such as relaxation, or avoid undesired states, such as agitation, in their daily lives.

Laser therapy (or photobiomodulation, PBM) is a safe, painless, noninvasive treatment for a variety of muscular and neurological conditions. It works through the use of a clinical-grade laser beam that penetrates a few centimeters into the skin to the targeted tissue. The beam is a specific wavelength of light (600-980nm), which prompts a significant increase in mitochondrial function within the targeted tissue. The combination of the penetrative capacity of the laser and the effect of the beam can result in dramatically decreased healing times for injury. Laser therapy is one of the most consistently-robust and studied conservative therapies for muscle, nerve, and brain recovery.

Electrical Stimulation therapy generates electric impulses that stimulate your skeletal muscles to contract. An e-stim device has various settings, meaning the contractions may be barely noticeable or they may feel, and look, like involuntary muscle twitches. The primary purpose of e-stim therapy is to simulate what happens in the body when you voluntarily contract and release a muscle many times in a row. This process strengthens and repairs tissue, particularly muscles which have become shortened, weakened, or atrophied due to injury or disease. It may also be used to provide a “hard reset” to regional nervous sites of pain for symptom relief.

Spine and joint manipulation (often called adjustment) is a specific and gentle means of improving joint function. Chiropractic Physicians specialize in a “high-velocity-low-amplitude” style of manipulation, which patients experience as a short, quick push. We offer many different techniques to accomplish superior clinical outcomes, as well as to accommodate patient preference. Manipulation is classically done by hand (Diversified), and you may hear and/or feel pops or clicks during the procedure. We also offer techniques that accomplish the same net adjustment force and are more gentle on the patient. We utilize Activator, Thompson Drop Table, and Flexion-Distraction techniques for this purpose.

Acupuncture has been used for thousands for years to manage a variety of conditions, chiefly to relieve pain. It is performed by applying needles to various points in the body. An Eastern medicine perspective on acupuncture is based on the concept of aligning energy (qi) in the body, while a Western perspective focuses mainly on clusters of points that have consistently provided treatment outcomes in structured studies. Tampa Bay Functional Neurology strives to provide our patients with the best evidence-based blend of these treatment approaches.

Manual therapy is a broad term that encompasses many different techniques to work on the musculoskeletal system. Trigger point (or areas of pain and tenderness within the muscles), muscle tightness and spasms can be worked on using techniques the the practitioners hands or even tools. Instrument assisted soft tissue manipulation (IASTM) uses a surgical grade steel tool specially designed to reduce adhesions, increase circulation, and improve range of motion. These forms of therapy are not your typical massage and are more focused deep tissue therapies.

Therapeutic exercise involves movement prescribed to correct impairments, restore muscular and skeletal function and/or maintain a state of well-being. Therapeutic exercise is a type of physical activity used to treat or prevent injuries and improve functional outcomes. The scientific evidence demonstrating the beneficial effects of exercise is indisputable, and the benefits of exercise far outweigh the risks in most adults.

Flexion-distraction therapy targets the soft tissue members of the spine, reducing tension of the ligaments, relieving disc pressure, and expanding the intervertebral foramen, thereby aiding the recovery of damaged spinal nerves and functional recovery of the surrounding structures. It is normally more comfortable for patients than conventional spinal decompression.