Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs
What is a Health & Wellness Visit?
This is a great option to come in for an informal assessment if there are areas in your daily life that seem like they need addressing, but not to the level where a visit to the doctor seems warranted. We will talk and figure out what the best plan would be and go from there. This will be achieved by incorporating orthopedic exercise prescription, manual physical therapy techniques, and education for minor aches and pains, to optimize mobility and flexibility, musculoskeletal health, balance, and to promote general health and wellness.
*This is NOT an insurance reimbursable visit.
What diagnoses do you treat with physical therapy?
Orthopedic injuries (think foot/ankle, knee, hip, shoulder, elbow joint problems), Neck and Back pain, and some balance problems.
Do you take my insurance?
I am currently in-network with BCBS IL (Blue Choice Preferred PPO, Blue Choice Options PPO, Blue Choice PPO, and Preferred Provider Options), Medicare Part B, Aetna and Cigna. If these are not your insurance provider, all physical therapy services would be self-pay at the rates listed in the “Services” section of the website. After the session, you will be given the information needed to submit the claim to your insurance for reimbursement. I will verify your benefits prior to the initial evaluation, but it would be a good idea that you also reach out to your insurance provider to check with them.
Are all of the services available to be performed at the patient/client home?
Health & Wellness Visits, IASTM, Reiki Sessions and Individual Sound Sessions are able to be performed in the patient/client home. There is a $20 travel fee added to the listed session cost and the treatment location must fall within the coverage area.
What is the normal length of a physical therapy evaluation and treatment?
A physical therapy evaluation is approximately 60-90 minutes, depending on the complexity. A physical therapy treatment is approximately 60 minutes.
How do I know which service to schedule?
Physical therapy visits are for those with a known injury that they need treated. Most of the time, this is something you have seen a doctor for, or feel as though it needs to be seen by a doctor. These visits are reimbursable by insurance. If you do not have insurance I am in network with, I will give you the paperwork needed for submitting to yours for reimbursement.
Health & Wellness visits are a great option for those individuals that feel there are areas in your daily living and activity that seem to need addressing, but not to the level where a visit to the doctor seems warranted. This is preventative, trying to address issues before they become injuries.
IASTM sessions are designed for individuals that have a specific area in the musculoskeletal system that is giving them problems and feel they would benefit from a slightly more aggressive manual technique.
Myofascial Release Therapy Sessions treat the entire Myofascial mind/body complex eliminating the pressure of the restricted Myofascial system (the straightjacket) that causes the symptoms. Note that this is not massage therapy, it will focus on the fascial system with gentle stretching and light pressure.
Reiki sessions are perfect for individuals in need of gentle relaxation and restoration, and open-minded to allow the energy to find and balance areas that will benefit from healing
Sound Therapy sessions are an excellent choice if letting healing tones of singing bowls and other instruments bathe you in powerful vibration that will immediately relax your mind and body sound appealing to you. This session also has the option to add gentle vibration and sound immersion through a vibration station set up on the treatment table.
During the Discovery Call we can discuss these options if you still are unsure which service, besides physical therapy, would best benefit you.
Do I need a doctor referral?
Illinois is now a direct access state for physical therapy, so no doctor referral is needed for most insurance plans. This is something to ask your insurance company when you call for verification. At this time, a patient with Medicare Insurance will require a referral and then a signed plan of care after the initial evaluation. If you have seen a doctor that has given you a prescription for physical therapy, please mention this so I will know what their diagnoses and orders say. All other services do not require a referral, but it is important to note they are not a substitute for medical examination or diagnosis, and it is recommended you see a primary healthcare provider for those services and discuss with them if there are any concerns about receiving alternative treatments.
What happens if you are not able to treat me after having our Discovery Call?
The purpose of the Discovery Call is for me to get to know you and your current situation a little better. This will give me the idea of what type of treatment and provider is needed, whether that be a larger gym type facility because you are an athlete trying to return to sport, or someone who is having health issues that require more specialized attention that do not fall within my scope of practice. It will also help me understand what your goals and expectations are, to make sure I am able to assist in your achieving them.
What is Myofascial Release Therapy?
A safe and very effective hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure into the Myofascial connective tissue restrictions to eliminate pain and restore motion. Myofascial release is a type of physical therapy often used to treat myofascial pain syndrome. Myofascial pain syndrome is a chronic pain disorder caused by sensitivity and tightness in your myofascial tissues. Fascia is a thin, web-like sheet of connective tissue that surrounds and supports every structure in the body, including muscles, bones, organs, blood vessels, nerves, tendons, and ligaments. These tissues surround and support the muscles throughout your body. The pain usually originates from specific points within your fascial tissues called “trigger points.”
Myofascial release focuses on reducing pain by easing the tension and tightness in the trigger points. It’s not always easy to understand what trigger point is responsible for the pain. Localizing pain to a specific trigger point is very difficult. For that reason, myofascial release is often used over a broad area of muscle and tissue rather than at single points.
Your therapist, who is J.F. Barnes Myofascial Released trained, will gently work the fascia and feel for stiff or tightened areas, stretching the areas that feel rigid with light manual pressure. The therapist then aids the tissue and supportive sheath in releasing pressure and tightness. The process is repeated multiple times on the same trigger point and on other trigger points until the therapist feels the tension is fully released.
Myofascial release works the broader network of muscles and fascia that might be causing your pain. It tries to reduce tension throughout your body by releasing trigger points across a broad section of your entire system. Because of this, the areas where the therapist is working may not be near where the pain originates or where you feel the pain most prominently.
We promote independence through education in proper body mechanics and movement, self treatment instruction, enhancement of strength, improved flexibility, and postural and movement awareness.
*This is NOT an insurance reimbursable visit.
What is IASTM?
This is an acronym for Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization. Your clinician may utilize a set of 5 Adhesion-Breaker tools to “break up” or “soften” scar tissue, allowing return of normal function in the area being treated. Your clinician is trained in the Graston Technique ® and after a comprehensive evaluation, will follow the protocol set forth in that training. Components of treatment may include:
Warm up of the treatment area.
Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Treatment.
Therapeutic exercise to include appropriate stretching and/or strengthening, which may be performed before, during, OR after your IASTM treatment.
Ice Therapy.
This technique is designed to minimize discomfort. However, the following reactions are normal, and in some instances desirable and unavoidable. IASTM may produce the following:
Local discomfort during the treatment.
Reddening of the skin.
Superficial tissue bruising.
Post treatment soreness.
Your clinicians may choose to include cupping in the treatment protocol, based on findings in the comprehensive evaluation. Cupping is a therapy that applies negative pressure on the skin using glass, plastic, or silicone cups. The suction created by these cups stimulates and increases blood flow, which can help relieve joint and muscle pain, reduce inflammation, accelerate recovery, increase the function of the lymphatic and circulatory systems and increase overall relaxation. Cupping may also aid in the healing of scars and surrounding tissues.
The following reactions are normal and may occur after a cupping session:
Static cupping may result in marks being left on the body and these marks can take anywhere from a few hours to up to two weeks to dissipate. These can look like a bruise.
Cupping marks may be tender to touch and you should inform your clinician if you are uncomfortable at any time during the treatment
Side effects to cupping are not common, but may include nausea/vomiting, fainting, bruising, headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and others.
There are cases where we DO NOT perform IASTM, such as:
Skin lesions or inflammation (already present)
Eczema or psoriasis
Unhealed/complicated fractures
Organ Failure (Renal, Hepatic, and/or Cardiac)
Pacemakers
Hemophilia or similar bleeding disorders
Cancer
Pregnancy
Varicose Veins, Spider Veins
CAUTION should be taken with any of the following conditions, please talk with your practitioner if you are experiencing any of the following:
Diabetes with complications or an acute infection
Taking anticoagulant medication ex. Aspirin, Warfarin, etc.
Severe chronic disease such as Heart Disease
Lymphedema or Anemia
New Tattoos (localized)
Recently given blood or undergone a medical procedure
*This is NOT an insurance reimbursable visit.
What is Reiki?
Reiki is a simple, natural and safe energy healing practice that is usually done by placing the hands in a series of positions lightly on or slightly above the fully clothed body. Reiki promotes healing by activating the relaxation response and helping the body to balance itself from a very deep level.
Reiki heals by flowing through the affected parts of the energy field and charging them with positive energy. It raises the vibratory level of our energy fields and helps lift us up. This helps dissipate negative energy and may assist in the reduction of anxiety, depression, stress, and treat the entire being. It has been known to produce feelings of peace, security, and well-being. This makes it an excellent choice for anyone in need of gentle relaxation and restoration.
During a Reiki treatment, you will lay fully clothed on a massage table, listening to soothing music. The practitioner will lay hands on your body, or float hands if requested, in a series of hand positions to deliver the Reiki energy.
Reiki tends to feel warm and relaxing, you may feel the hands of the practitioner become hot, cold, or tingly. Some people fall asleep, others describe a floating sensation and see colors and shapes. Some will experience an emotional release while on the table, or after the treatment is over. There is no expected experience, as it is unique for each individual.
Reiki is a complementary medical art that works well alone as well in conjunction with other treatments. Healing is often the result of gentle shifts in awareness, release of emotional patterns, achievement of new understanding and daily practice. Reiki is not a replacement for traditional medical treatment.
*This is NOT an insurance reimbursable visit.
What is Sound Therapy?
One of the basic laws of physics states that everything in the universe is in a constant state of vibration. This includes our bodies. Sound is vibration that is known to be translated by our inner ears, however, it is part of the spectrum of energetic vibrations that affect us on deeper levels (think mental, physical, and spiritual). The sound healing can gently massage the molecules into their proper homes, clearing blockages and restoring harmonies. An excellent way to understand how sound/vibration affects you on a daily basis is to think about how different songs can influence your mood. This is a complementary medical art that works well alone, as well as in conjunction with other treatments. It is not a replacement for traditional medical treatment.
With these sessions, you are encouraged to let the healing tones of the singing bowls and other instruments bathe you with vibration that will relax your mind and body, Crystal singing bowls and Tibetan style body bowls will be utilized to assist in releasing micro tension, as well as increase blood flow to the muscular system. This session may help with lowering blood pressure, slowing down your heart rate and breathing rate, as well as lead to relaxation, increased focus, decreased fatigue, stress relief, improved mood and sleep.
During a Sound session, you will lay fully clothed on a massage table, listening to soothing background music. The practitioner will play crystal singing bowls and other instruments, such as bells, rattles, drums, and occasionally a gong, around you. They may also place Tibetan body bowls on your person, this will be discussed prior to placement, and play them while on your body. There is also an option to add the use of a vibration station to this session, which includes the treatment table gently vibrating at a specific frequency to assist with desired results.
*This is NOT an insurance reimbursable visit.