Poll- Occ or Phys Therapy | Arthritis Information

Have you ever done occupational or physical therapy for your RA? Did you ask for it or did your rheumatologist just go ahead and prescribe it

I've done both and think the everyone with RA should do them at the time of diagnosis. There is so much that can be learned from these professionals that can help prevent deformaties or functional difficulties but too many wait until they are already having substantial problems.

Physical therapy as prescribed by the rheumatologist soon after diagnosis to learn how to protect joints, strengthen the surrounding muscles, prevent injury, and preserve function. I have a "standing order" so can schedule a series of appointments as and when I feel assistance is necessary.

I have also seen a hand therapist on several occasions and found his input to be invaluable.

Great questions Buckeye.
[QUOTE=Spelunker]Physical therapy as prescribed by the rheumatologist soon after diagnosis to learn how to protect joints, strengthen the surrounding muscles, prevent injury, and preserve function. I have a "standing order" so can schedule a series of appointments as and when I feel assistance is necessary.

I have also seen a hand therapist on several occasions and found his input to be invaluable.

Great questions Buckeye.

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The same as above but nothing in the last couple of years. I do have an order for hand and wrist PT because of the damage that was just confirmed on MRI, which includes a tendon tear in my wrist. I'll probably start PT next month. I haven't had the need for OT. I need the PT because I want to be able to use my hands for as long as I can because of my jewelry making. Using a torch in bad hands can be dangerous! Lindy

hand therapy is generally performed by an OT..that is if you are using a certified hand therapistI'll question the OT vs. PT for hands and wrist when I stop by PT and check them out. Dr. wrote for PT but might end up being OT. LindyI've just finished 4 sessions of physical therapy for my hands and tendons. Exercises, dont seem much but are good... even if they hurt a little. I have splints and wear them when my hands are at their worst.

Because I work and have also had back surgery, I've had an OT come to my office. I have a great chair, foot rest so that my posture is good. I dont have a mouse, I have tried all the different roller ball ones and use a Bamboo pad and pen... no pressure required, it takes a little getting used to and I have to say if anyone tries to use my machine, its funny watching them trying to use the pen and pad.

In the UK, if I feel I need the physio sessions my GP just refers me, it can take a while to get sessions but they're worth it. They also provide the splints as and when you require them. Fortunately, you can just drop in to get replacements.

I agree, if you can get the sessions you should, they might not suit everyone but there's a lot of information available you just have to know where to find it I suppose.

I have been going to PT on and off for years. Just now the same PT I always went to treats me like I can not do anything. Just started the OCT They want me to do less? On a bad week I may get a mile of walking in. Some days I can still walk two miles in one day. Well if all anyone wants me to do is spend money to walk my fingers up the wall I can do that at home. I do not understand it. They used to be hard on me now they act as if I will break. It takes alot to keep my self moving and not give into the pain. I whin alot. Sure it causes me pain. The point is I think my body will soon enough tell me what I can not do. I do not want others telling me what I can not do sorry that is my head set for now. How would someone else know what is to much for me better than me?.... I would like to hear more about both types.Physical Therapy focuses on rehabbing an injured joint. So they would focus on ROM, strengthening, stretching of a problem area

Occupational Therapy focuses on the activities of daily life. Their job is to teach you correct motions (joint saving) that occur as you move about your day...things like getting in and out of a car, cooking, bathing etc

For example a stroke patient would visit a PT to get the paralyzed side moving again and visit an OT to relearn the functional activties of that paralyzed side

Certified Hand Therapists are a specialist catagory of OT's. Their job is to focus on the function of the hands and upper extremities. They will do both rehab and functional work. Hand therapists will also build customized splints

Oh ok. So... I would probably have to visit both of them, since I have very little muscle in my hands and then I also need to learn joint saving for when I am not doing well. Right?

I think I might need to move to a bigger city. My RD still has not called me back with an appt for PT, I guess there is no one qualified in my area. I wish I could drive, then I could go myself that hour away. It is not like I will be giving meds or anything like my infusion.

I see both.

I was having acupuncture with my PT but now have water therapy.

My OT is great, she made body splints for me to sleep in a while back, took a while to get used to them but I do feel the benefit.

We have a great OT department at our local hospital. The have it set up like a house. The kitchen has lots of gadgets for general use that the OT's show you how to get the maximum benefit out of each appliance, ideas for laundry and cooking etc.

I had my kitchen at home adapted by OT department. Having the work done was a nightmare as they had to knock a wall down but I dont know how I managed in the old kitchen.

[QUOTE=joonie]I wish I could drive, then I could go myself that hour away. It is not like I will be giving meds or anything like my infusion. [/QUOTE]

June, have you checked with your county to see if they have medical transportation available? Even in the very rural area where I live there are several options for medical transportation.

When I was going for dialysis every day the driver would pick me up at my front gate, drive me to the center, escort me into the building and then repeat the process when it was time to go home. At USD/week it was a bargain.

There is also a medical transportation system in this county that caters to patients on state disability and another that utilized retired people who are trained to assist patients and insured through a state program to use their personal vehicles for transporting patients to and from appointments. Call the state and ask for a directory of assistance for disable persons, call your county commissioners, call your nearest hospital, call the Red Cross, call you local sheriff's office. Find out what is available and if resources are limited find a way to get the assistance you need.

I understand that it can be difficult to ask for help, but perhaps there is someone in your church who could drive you to and from PT and OT appointment.

There is an old saying, "Necessity is the Mother of invention", I have found that to be very true. There is nearly always some way to overcome the obstacles to getting the medical care and treatments I need.

Good luck, Shug

I have looked into it before and there is none. And the way I read it in my phamplet for Medicaid... is that you can get someone else to drive you and they will reimburse you. They do mention ambulance taking you some where, but it is only to the local hospital.

Where I would have to go for PT, according to my RD is in the same city as my RD which is an hour drive away.

I do not have many people I would be able to take me there, as they would also be babysitter of my son as well. And I only expect family members to babysit my son for me.

Main reason I cannot drive is because I do not have a driver's license, but a driver's permit. I am to be getting my permit renewed this month, and I am thinking of just trying for my driver's license instead. But I do not know how to do a 3 point turn, as I have not had to do one. I also have not drove in over 5 months. I am little rusty.

I do not drive when I am not doing well.... because I get really jumpy and freaked out, and that is just with hubby driving. I am actually afraid of cars, was in a bad wreck one time and every since I think the worst of every car I see on the road and it makes me panic and I also cover my eyes too. Have been known to do that while driving too.

ETA: The people in my church... they live even further away than I do from where I would have to go. It would be a whole nother hour tagged on.

joonie2009-07-06 07:08:34 [QUOTE=joonie]Sixty years ago an hours drive would have been an obstacle, in today's society an hours drive gets many of us to work in the morning. I am not trying to make light of your predicament, but am saying sometimes a change of perception in necessary to begin to see other possibilities
No I do not think that is all. We do this for my brother he has medicaid. You call an 800 number and they will give you a selection of taxi ambulance or bus what ever is available. I will try to look up the number. Well I guess it could be differnt state to state? For him it is phsyciatric and they want usually a three day approval for that. I do not know about medical how many day approval but they do it. Once he got shipped to a hospital 80 miles out. I could get anyone to bring him home. So medicaid found someone to do it. They take him to the GP and even home from the hospital. Also he had to go to a different county health dept every two weeks to get a shot they picked him up and drove him home. Sometimes they would ask if you could change the appointment by thirty minutes. Seriously if you do not have a bus or taxi in your town they send one from a different town. Call medicaid and ask for there transportation department. Ask them what they cover for your area? It may have changed scince the last time you looked into it.actually it all has to do with my son. Not an obsticle, just a 4 year old who is more than hyper-active and cannot sit still for longer than 2 mins.

I just have not had much to think about PT. As I only brought it up with my RD just my last visit. I felt I could do it now. Where as before I did not feel I would make many of the appts and would just waste their time.

I've done both PT and OT. It helps keep me active and improves my range of motion. I highly recommend both of them to everyone who has RA Joonie

have you ever looked into a Head Start program for your son. You both would probably benefit from him being involved. He would get outside stiumulation to help burn some of that energy and you would get time to deal with your health issues

[QUOTE=buckeye]Joonie

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Yes, I have. Their is one in the next city over. But the problem would be getting him there. Hubby leaves for work too early. If we lived in that city, they would pick him up and drop him off.

The school my daughter goes to has a pre-k program, BUT they only have room for 5 kids. Each year they do a raffle to pick the 5 kids for their program.

We just do not have /week to send him to daycare/pre-k like we did with our daughter. That is another reason I wanted to get a job. Was so he could go and be with other kids, he LOVES other kids. I was just going to work so he could go and be with other kids. That is exactly where all the money I would make would go is to him going there.

I live in one of the poorest counties in Alabama, and the counties around us are not any more wealthy. So services and options are very limited.

Call the state Department of Public Health EMS Division, Non-emergency Transportation and be that proverbial squeaky wheel.

Most states, even financially strapped states, provides for non-emergency transport that is considered medically necessary, including trips to and from treatments centers that include physical therapy and outpatient centers.If, as you indicated you have medicaid, the cost of transportation to medically necessary treatment should be more than reasonable.

But would they drive me 60 miles both ways? And would they be able to provide safe transportation for my son as well? And if I start soon, then I would have to take both kids. you won't know what they will do unless you talk to them...don't assume the answers..even if you asked before because things do change

Ok I will call around again. It has been a few years since I have called anywhere about stuff like that. [QUOTE=joonie]But would they drive me 60 miles both ways? [/QUOTE]
The only way to know is to ask. The local service drove me about 100 miles each way six days a week.

As for your children, again the only way to know is to ask. However, I wonder how you, or anyone else, would your be able to concentrate completely on PT/OT if your children were with you requiring supervision...call in the family to watch over your children for the time you are absent caring for your physical well-being.
[QUOTE=Spelunker] [QUOTE=joonie]But would they drive me 60 miles both ways? [/QUOTE]
The only way to know is to ask. The local service drove me about 100 miles each way six days a week.

As for your children, again the only way to know is to ask. However, I wonder how you, or anyone else, would your be able to concentrate completely on PT/OT if your children were with you requiring supervision...call in the family to watch over your children for the time you are absent caring for your physical well-being.
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I can't. I have no one to watch them. I cannot ask my mom because she is still recovering from her last operation, and she has a hard time dealing with kids now. I just cannot do that to her, I know how my kids like to fight, and it drives me nuts, just think to what it would do to a 75 year old that is still healing and with a wound vac would feel with them. I cannot ask in-laws because one goes to school & works and the other is always gone due to church functions. I cannot ask my oldest sister because she works all the time. She has one day off a week, and well... she needs that day for herself. Besides she is really stressed out of lately and she does need her day off to herself.

I have no other family members I would feel that is safe enough to leave them with.

I have tried PT, when I broke my leg when my daughter was 2. I had to take her with me. It was a pain and I only went 2 times, maybe 3 times. I kept having problems finding someone to take me, and when I did they complained about it. So... all those things together made me stop going.

You never realize how insensitive and how ignorant people are about people who have a medical problem and how that person needs to do things to better their medical problem. I have seen it first hand over the years by my family members. Most has to do with how some of my family members just think of how I am doing all these doctor visits for "attention". Last time I asked one of my sisters to take me to one of my infusions because hubby did not have vacation time to take me, she complained about how long it took and then said she would never take me to another one. Yep.

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