Published on: 03 November 2018
Last Updated on: 19 July 2019
Many artists use art not only to express their ideas and thoughts but also to relieve stress. Artists claim that creating art can provide a catharsis for difficult emotions, distract you from your worries and much more. Also, getting into the state of “flow” can also be restorative for your mind. As all the mentioned benefits aren’t enough, you will get a beautiful piece of art in the end.
It is essential to know that art shouldn’t be created and enjoyed only by those who are talented or artistically inclined. Art should be created and enjoyed by everyone. Studies show that art therapy can help you relieve anxiety, depression, and stress. So, if you are feeling tense and need a natural and fun way to unwind, it’s time to get some brushes, colors and a canvas and delve into an art activity. Here are some great art ideas for stress relief recommended by Mac Fine Art galleries.
Create Something Beautiful:
Some people are deeply talented and able to create lifelike paintings, funny cartoons, powerful drawings and similar with ease. Other people may even experience difficulties trying to draw stick figures and hearts. If you are like one of the latter, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try art therapy. In fact, when it comes to stress management and enjoying the benefits of art, talent or the end product don’t matter at all. It’s all about the process of creating art and expressing your feelings. However, if you are not comfortable expressing yourself through a drawing, you could create something that’s just for you in your own personal drawing journal. You don’t have to show it to your friends or someone else.
Create Your Own Mandala:
Art therapists and even many famous psychologists such as Carl Jung have recommended creating mandalas for stress relief. Mandalas are circular designs that often consist of unique patterns and symbols. While making a mandala, you will process your feelings or things you went through in your life. It’s an excellent idea to symbolize some of your feelings, triumphs or losses with unique patterns and colors. There is no need to reveal your story because you may potentially trigger rumination. You just need to root yourself in the moment and allow the entire process to free yourself from negative thoughts or heal yourself from negative emotions. Your mandala can look however you want it. It can be rich with meaning or very basic. All you need to do is have fun. After you are done with drawing, you should also color it. If you really enjoy coloring mandalas but no so much the process of creating them, you can buy mandala coloring books.
Join an Art Class:
If you have enough time, it would be great to join an art class. One of the benefits of attending an art class is that it cements the activity into your schedule and routine. Also, being supported by a group can be a stress reliever in itself. If you don’t have enough time for this, consider taking a one-time workshop or something similar. Consider all your options and see what works best for you.
You Can Always Doodle:
If you don’t have much time for art classes or creating a complex painting at home, you can always dedicate 20 minutes of your time for a drawing session. Remember how you doodled at school when you were bored? It really felt good, right? It’s time to embrace your inner doodler again! You can get a sketchbook for 5-minute doodles, and keep it somewhere handy. If you love writing a journal, don’t forget to beautify the margins with hearts, flowers, smiling faces or whatever else you want. Doodling will let your inner artist slowly come out whenever you have time, and just enjoy life.
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There has been no time more integral to the advancement of our society than the 21st century. The past 20 years have been essential to the technological increases that are impacting billions of people all across the globe. Many facets of our society have been affected in the modern era, and healthcare is one of the most impacted elements. There has been a transformation throughout the healthcare industry, as new technologies like procedural telemedicine, as well as new regulations, have become commonplace throughout the medical system. There is a multitude of different specialties in healthcare, but one of the top aspects is physical and occupational therapy. This facet is involved in helping people fix their bodily ailments without the use of more invasive procedures.
What is Physical and Occupational Therapy?
Physical and occupational therapy has become increasingly popular throughout the 21st century, as advancements in the field and a greater understanding of the body have helped to improve peoples’ wellbeing. Patients who frequently attend physical and occupational therapy often have chronic pain or muscular-skeletal issues that can be aided with different exercises and stretches that help to heal the body. Working as a physical or occupational therapist allows you to more effectively treat patients who need help and requires immense knowledge of the human body. As 2020 has already gotten underway, it has become evident that the many changes to the system, especially for Medicare patients, are continuing to affect physical and occupational therapy offices. Understanding these changes is essential if you work in this field.
Learning about the 2020 Medicare Changes for PTA & OTA Modifiers
Working as a PTA (physical therapy assistant) or OTA (occupational therapy assistant) has undergone immense change since the beginning of the new decade in 2020. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has altered its billing policies, which has impacted the modifiers used in your office as well as the reimbursement procedures provided by PTAs and OTAs. Medicare changes 2020 has been implemented as a payment differential in the ways that PTAs and OTAs are paid.
The payment rate is now 85% of the rate of what assistants are paid. CMS has noted that any care that exceeds 10% of the total time of care would now be subject to reduced billing. The payment differential has to be applied to all private practice facilities, home health agencies, hospital outpatient departments, as well as rehabilitation agencies.
The codes that this can be applied include therapeutic services, as well as administrative or non-therapeutic services. Any timed or untimed coded procedures and modalities are also included, such as re-evaluations and initial evaluations. These many changes also include new documentation which provides a short description of the application of modifiers.
While many of these changes may sound a bit challenging, understanding them is essential for the success of any physical or occupational therapy office.
Final Thoughts
Working in the physical or occupational therapy field can be very complex, especially when dealing with Medicare billing. Learning about the 2020 changes in Medicare billing is essential when running a physical or occupational therapy firm.
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A muscle injury of any type can be extremely painful, weaken the body, and make it difficult to proceed with your daily activities. Muscle injuries include a pulled muscle or muscle strain and can occur for various reasons. Speeding muscle recovery time is crucial to carrying on with your life without pain.
Muscle injuries can limit the muscle’s movement, not only in that muscle but in surrounding ones attached via tendons and aponeurosis. Arteries, veins, and nerves penetrate the epimysium (connective tissue sheath surrounding the muscle). When a muscle is damaged, nerve impulses are sent to the brain, signaling pain. Blood flow can be compromised in severe muscle damage, and blood loss into the surrounding tissue can cause a bruise or hematoma.
Skeletal muscles also need signals (impulses) from the nerve cell to contract the muscle fiber. When an injured muscle cuts off these nerve impulses, the muscle cannot perform. In bodybuilding, muscle injury is what builds stronger, larger muscles as new cells fill in the tears. However, extreme damage can lead to serious issues.
How Does A Muscle Injury Happen?
A muscle strain can occur in various ways, each causing a different set of problems. Fatigue will not result in the same pain and damage that extreme exercise can cause.
Any strain on a muscle can reduce motion and cause pain. Minor and moderate injuries are easily treated at home. However, more severe damage (diagnosed as grade 3), such as rotator cuff tears, Achilles ruptures, or hamstring ruptures, might require surgery.
Muscle injury can occur in three different areas: within the muscle, at the connection between the muscle and tendon (most frequent), or in the tendon that attaches the muscle to the bone.
Muscle strains and injuries can happen to anyone. While athletes are more likely to experience these injuries, the general population is also at risk. Acute strains can occur while walking if you lose your footing or slip, throw an item, lift something heavy, jump, run, or lift something improperly.
Muscle injuries include:
Strains: these contraction-induced injuries occur most often when muscles work across multiple joints during rapid acceleration and deceleration more than the tensile forces the muscle fibers can withstand
Contusions: caused by compressive force to the muscle, such as in contact sports collisions that lead to muscle damage with bleeding resulting in a bruise
Lacerations: most often occur due to injuries, such as industrial or traumatic accidents that cut the muscle
Here are some of the most common causes of muscle injury:
Poor Conditioning
Engaging in physical activity when the muscles have not been adequately conditioned can increase the risk of injury.
Improper Exercises
Doing extreme, high-intensity exercises or those your body is not used to can cause exercise-induced muscle damage. The ensuing trauma can lead to inflammation, swelling, increased passive tension, decreased muscle strength, soreness, reduced range of motion, and problems with insulin sensitivity as the muscles are involved in glucose uptake.
Fatigue
Overexertion of the muscle can lead to muscle fatigue, weakening it and making it more susceptible to injury.
Improper Warmup
Working the muscles without preparing them through proper warmup exercises and stretches can cause muscle injury. Lack of flexibility can increase the risk of injury as the muscle fibers are tighter than they should be.
Overuse
Repetitive tasks can cause micro-trauma to the muscles. For example, someone on the computer all day doing repetitive movements with the keys or the mouse may experience muscle pain in the inner elbow or wrist.
Injury
Whether caused by sports or trauma, an injury can result in mild to severe damage to the muscle. Bruising is a sign of bleeding, and while minor bruises are not dangerous, some forms of hematomas can be life-threatening in the case of serious injuries, including when fractures or internal organ damage is present.
Poor Posture
Sitting or standing in the wrong position for a long time can strain the muscles. Muscle strains are more common in the neck, back, shoulders, and hamstrings.
What Can You Do For Muscle Injury?
The treatment you need depends on the severity of the muscle strain. Muscle injury is categorized into three grades as follows:
Grade 1: mild damage to less than 5% of individual muscle fibers, causing minimal loss of motion and strength.
Grade 2: more muscle fibers are affected with increased damage, yet no complete ruptures. The injury can cause significant loss of motion and strength and may take two to three months to heal.
Grade 3: complete muscle or tendon rupture that may require surgery to reattach the damaged tissue.
The tips below can help you speed up recovery from a muscle injury:
Rest
Injured muscles need time to heal, and that means letting them rest. An injured muscle is more vulnerable to further damage, so avoid activities that can further increase the strain.
Sleep
Getting adequate sleep is crucial to muscle recovery, as that is the time when growth hormone and insulin growth factor 1 promote cellular regeneration and tissue repair. Anything less than 7 hours reduces recovery efforts inside the body.
Hydrate
Hydrated muscles heal better than dehydrated ones. Along with water, increasing intake of fruit and vegetables provides additional fluids along with crucial vitamins and minerals the body needs for muscle repair.
Compression
Compression wrapping of the affected area supports and reduces swelling in the injured area. Do not make the compress too tight, which can cut off circulation.
Elevate
Raising the injured muscle above heart level decreases blood flow to the area, helping to reduce swelling. The sooner you can do that, the better it is to speed healing.
Ice
Applying ice packs to an injured muscle immediately can help reduce swelling and pain. Focus on doing it for 15 minutes every hour for the first two to three days (longer if necessary).
HGH Therapy
It has been clinically proven that HGH not only boosts muscle development but also enhances muscle repair and recovery. Find out what is the HGH cost in the US and whether HGH therapy is right for you.
Manual Therapy
Physical therapy targets the damaged muscle to improve circulation, increase mobility, decrease swelling, reduce pain, and promote healing.
Heat
After icing for three days, apply heat a few times daily to restore blood circulation to the area for healing.
Pain Management
There are many ways to manage pain, including over-the-counter medications, prescription painkillers (which can lead to addiction if used long-term), supportive braces, and getting help from a pain management specialist, if needed.
Increase Protein Consumption
Muscles need protein, and eating more protein, along with taking collagen or whey powder supplements, provides the muscles with nutrients to speed the healing process.
Consume Tart Cherry Juice
Studies have shown some benefits of tart cherry juice for reducing inflammation, soreness, and damage to the muscles.
Switch To Low-Impact Exercise During Injury Recovery
Strength and flexibility exercises can help improve strength and range of motion while speeding muscle recovery. A physical therapist can help determine the appropriate exercises for your condition.
Surgery
Serious injuries may require surgical intervention to improve healing. Seek medical help for severe muscle injuries.
Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections
PRP injections may accelerate muscle tissue regeneration in the damaged area.
Conclusion
Muscle injuries can cause significant pain, bruising, swelling, decreased range of motion, and loss of strength. The pain can be sudden, sporadic, stabbing, achy, ongoing, or combined.
As the muscle heals, stem cells around the injured area regenerate new muscle fibers, and scar tissue forms around the area. Torn muscle tissue may never fully regenerate, making it susceptible to future muscle strains.
Trying the RICE method of rest, ice, compression, and elevation is always the best step to take immediately. A newer recommendation is the PEACE approach, which has you protect the area from further injury by reducing use, elevating to decrease swelling, avoiding anti-inflammatory treatments (ice and NSAIDs) to allow inflammation for healing, compressing the area with a bandage, and educating yourself about the recovery period.
Protecting the muscles from injury is crucial, and giving strained muscles time to heal can reduce the risk of further damage. Seek medical attention if the pain and weakness are ongoing or severe.
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With our busiest schedules to follow, we often get reluctant about hitting the gym or following a proper diet plan. Nobody has the kind of time to spend hours pampering themselves. The good news is health and fitness is not all about investing too much time in cooking healthy meals and working out at the gym, it is much more.
Even the littlest healthy habits and avoidance of unhealthy habits can improve your overall lifestyle and turn you into a healthier YOU.
Want to know what such habits are and how you can add them to your daily routine? They might not sound very new, but they are exactly the ones you usually miss out on. So, here is a reminder for you to follow them for a healthy and happy life. Read through and thank me later!
How to Stay Healthy and Fit Despite a Hectic Schedule:
Carry a Water Bottle:
We all are aware of the fact that drinking 7 to 8 glasses of water is necessary for healthier skin and body. However, most of us get reluctant about it because it is way out of our reach and we are too busy to fetch a glass for ourselves.
Therefore, I would suggest you carry a medium-size water bottle wherever you go and finish it at least twice to hydrate your body well. Drinking water is not only best for hydrating the body but it also helps flush out any toxins prevailing inside the body.
Stay Socially Active:
By staying socially active, I do not mean to stay updated with and connected to social media. It means taking time out for catching up with old friends in person and making new friends as well. Put all the gadgets away and spend some quality time with your family on the weekend.
Staying socially active helps us relax and give us immense emotional strength. It is great for mental health and wellbeing.
Get Rid of All Kinds of Addiction:
If you are addicted to anything in your life, either it is some high-quality weed, video games or smoking cigarettes, try to get rid of it. It is tough, I know. However, where there is a will, there surely is away.
Telling yourself to avoid something takes you closer to it. Therefore, instead of doing that, just distract your mind by engaging in better and healthier activities whenever you feel the need for it. You will gradually be able to get rid of it without even knowing it.
Proper and Uninterrupted Sleep:
With all the smartphones and wireless gadgets in our room beeping every other minute, going deep into sleep has nearly become impossible. We all are so addicted to checking every notification immediately that we do not even keep our phones silent while going to bed. As a result, we end up staying up till late and feeling restless throughout the day.
If you want a healthier lifestyle, start turning your phone on silent mode before you go to bed and put all your devices away at least half an hour before you go to sleep. If you want something to do in that spare time before you doze off, take a good book to read while sipping on chamomile tea.
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