Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation

What is Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation?

Physical therapy aims to correct all kinds of movement and functional disorders that occur in individuals at the highest level. Rehabilitation, on the other hand, is a set of therapy approaches that facilitate adaptation to daily life after any treatment process. As a result, the physical therapy and rehabilitation department deals with all treatment programs aimed at the solution of functional problems that occur in the human body. Physical therapy and rehabilitation is a basic medical department that is involved in the diagnosis and treatment of both functional and structural diseases. The doctors in this department have advanced expertise in diseases and treatments related to systems such as the brain, spine and muscles, in addition to their general medical education. Thus, they have the authority to plan and carry out all diagnosis and treatment programs in the field of physical therapy and rehabilitation. Therefore, if you have any of the following application reasons, you can apply to the physical therapy and rehabilitation department and consult with specialist doctors:

• History of recent surgery
• Musculoskeletal pain
• Limited mobility
• Speech disorders
• Long-term pain problems

Diagnostic Methods Used in the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation

The physical therapy and rehabilitation department frequently uses various diagnostic methods due to the diseases in its field of interest. In this department, your specialist doctor can first ask some questions and learn about your active problems and general health. Then, he can perform a comprehensive examination by applying a number of examination methods specific to the physical therapy and rehabilitation department. While valuable results are obtained in most diseases with the examination, some additional tests are required in order for the information gathered to turn into a clear diagnosis. The diagnostic methods used in the physical therapy and rehabilitation department are as follows:

• Biochemical tests: These are tests that help create a general health profile. They are performed using body fluids such as blood and urine.
• Radiological imaging: It can be applied with different techniques depending on the characteristics of the area covering the active complaint. It allows detailed examination of organs and tissues. Ultrasound is a method used in many areas of the body and obtains images through sound waves. X-ray is a fast technique useful in imaging areas such as bones and lungs. Computerized tomography is another radiological method that allows detailed examination of many organs and structures. Magnetic resonance imaging is a type of examination that allows precise evaluation of areas containing soft tissue in particular. In addition to these methods mentioned, there are also different imaging techniques such as scintigraphy and positron emission tomography.
• Electrodiagnostic tools: These are tests used to measure electrical activity in a target area. Electromyography is a method that provides information about muscle stimulation and the nerves that make it. It can be used to diagnose various movement disorders and nerve compression syndromes. Electroencephalography is another technique that allows the evaluation of electrical activity in the brain. It can be applied to different problems such as seizures, epilepsy, and sleep disorders.

Florence Nightingale Hospitals offer all diagnostic methods with the most up-to-date technology. Our specialist doctors in the physical therapy and rehabilitation department clarify the diagnosis by using all necessary tests. In this way, the factors that cause the complaints of the individuals are clearly determined and are eliminated with special treatment programs planned by specialist doctors.

What diseases does the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Department treat?

The functional disorders that occur in the body are within the scope of the physical therapy and rehabilitation department. As Florence Nightingale Hospitals, we provide services in our physical therapy and rehabilitation department for all kinds of health problems that impair functions such as movement and speech. In this context, the diseases treated in the department can be listed as follows:

• Brain diseases: The brain is the primary command center for functions carried out in the body. Some abilities carried out by the brain may be affected due to diseases such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, and cerebral palsy.
• Chronic pain: This type of pain, which has been going on for a long time and is disturbing to the person, can develop due to various factors. Fibromyalgia is a type of chronic pain that affects different parts of the body. Complex regional pain syndrome affects a certain area and causes severe and debilitating complaints there. There are also different types that manifest themselves with chronic pain. Each different form should be diagnosed by specialist doctors and treated appropriately.
• Arthritis: A type of disease in which the joint area is damaged by inflammatory processes. In addition to forms such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis or gouty arthritis, it can be observed in many other forms. In untreated cases, it can progress and significantly impair the person's mobility. In addition, it can cause recurrent pain attacks.
• Spinal cord injury: The spinal cord is a structure located between the head and hips that provides communication between the nerves that spread throughout the body and the brain. Spinal cord injury can lead to various functional problems because it disrupts the transmission of the nerves that spread from that level onwards. If these problems are not treated with appropriate methods, permanent functional disorders can occur.
• Musculoskeletal pain: Neck, back, waist pain, scoliosis, hip and knee pain, prostate disorders, carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow are among the disorders that fall under the scope of physical therapy.

Procedures Performed in the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Department

The physical therapy and rehabilitation department is a branch that includes its own examinations and procedures. During the examination, comprehensive information is obtained with special tests for each area. In this way, even problems that cannot be detected with other methods can be easily revealed. In the treatment, various physical therapies are applied, especially for diseases at levels that do not require surgery. In addition, medications deemed appropriate by the doctor can be added to the treatment. The basic procedures applied in the physical therapy and rehabilitation department are as follows:

• Physical therapy
• Radiation therapy
• Electrical stimulation
• Edema control
• Dry needling procedure
• Hydrotherapy
• Intra-articular injection treatments
• Ultrasound-guided nerve block treatments
• Medical Pilates
• EMS
• Schroth treatment for scoliosis

Treatments Applied in the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Department

Each treatment is shaped according to the type of disease and personal characteristics. Florence Hospitals provide health services by adopting the most up-to-date treatment methods in international medical literature. Florence Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Department treats all diseases related to this branch with programs created by specialist doctors in the field. The treatment types in the department are as follows:

• Rehabilitation: The recovery period after the operation is of critical importance for every function directly or indirectly affected by the relevant disease. Thanks to the correct rehabilitation programs applied during this period, individuals can quickly gain a healthy structure and continue their normal daily lives. Rehabilitation is an important phase that prepares the individual for a normal life both physically and emotionally.
• Pain treatment: Specialist doctors in the physical therapy and rehabilitation departments of our hospitals apply different treatment methods depending on the main cause of the pain. Dry needling is a therapy that has been shown to provide significant results, especially in trigger point treatment. Hydrotherapy is applied by giving water a certain current and temperature. It is effective in some types of pain. Different methods such as electrotherapy and photobiomodulation are also procedures applied when the doctor deems it appropriate. In addition to all these types of physical therapy, your doctor can also support the elimination of your pain problem with the help of drug injections.
• Manual therapy: It is a treatment applied to structural or functional disorders of the musculoskeletal system. A treatment program is prepared with special movements for these areas by targeting structures such as muscles and tendons that cause mobility problems. Your specialist doctor in our hospital will inform you in detail about the functioning of this program and the way the exercises are applied. Then, the necessary exercises and movements are applied with the help of certified physiotherapists.
• Acupuncture: It is a form of treatment in which certain points on the body are stimulated with the help of fine-tipped needles. Acupuncture therapy is applied by specialist doctors who have certain certificates in this field within our hospitals.
• Injection therapy: Corticosteroid is a drug that suppresses inflammatory processes, defined as inflammation, and thus helps relieve pain and similar complaints. Our specialist doctors can apply drugs directly to the target area in the treatment of diseases such as trigger points when necessary. In this way, treatment can be provided more effectively than drugs taken into the body with different methods.

Health Technologies Used in the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation

The physical therapy and rehabilitation department is a feature that benefits from current health technologies in both diagnosis and treatment stages. The health technologies routinely used in the Florence physical therapy and rehabilitation department are as follows:

• Ultrasound
• TENS (Transcutaneous electrical neuromuscular stimulation)
• NMES (Neuromuscular electrical stimulation)
• Iontophoresis
• High intensity laser
• EMS
• Radiofrequency

Why Should I Choose Florence for Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation?

Florence Nightingale Hospitals has an institutional understanding that has adopted the best standards of health services by following medical developments since its establishment. In line with this purpose, our doctors in our departments participate in national and international health events in their own branches every year and examine current treatment approaches. In our hospitals, routine care is carried out by our expert technicians using devices with the latest technological equipment. In this way, it is aimed to provide all kinds of opportunities needed in the diagnosis and treatment processes of individuals in accordance with international quality standards. Florence physical therapy and rehabilitation department continues the treatment of all diseases in this field with its expert doctor staff.

• Orthopedic physical therapy
• Geriatric physical therapy
• Cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation
• Pediatric unit (schrot therapy)

Other Departments Related to Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation

The physical therapy and rehabilitation department works together with other medical departments in both diagnosis and treatment stages due to the diseases it deals with. Florence Hospitals aim for a comprehensive approach for individuals by following a multidisciplinary perspective in health services. Other medical units that work together with the physical therapy and rehabilitation department within our hospitals are as follows:

• Neurology: Takes part in the diagnosis and treatment phases of brain and spinal cord diseases that cause cognitive and functional disorders.
• Psychiatry: It can work together with the physical therapy and rehabilitation department in the treatment of psychiatric problems accompanied by functional disorders and during the rehabilitation period.
• Orthopedics: Contributes to diseases of the movement system that can be treated with surgical methods.
• Radiology: Responsible for interpreting the results of imaging methods used in the diagnosis phase.