Frequently Asked Questions
How do I benefit from receiving treatment at Northwest Therapy Center?
- You will have one-on-one interaction with the therapists and receive an individually tailored treatment plan.
- Treatment, education, and exercise are optimized to fit your healthcare needs and home or family situation.
- Our location is easily accessible, and parking is free and close to our building.
- Flexible scheduling and sufficient availability. When you try to sign up for an appointment with larger medical complexes, you often have to wait for months to get an opening. Here, we are able to track your progress frequently and consistently.
- You will appreciate Northwest Therapy Center's intimate setting.
- As a Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility we provide multidisciplinary care under one roof. We provide pulmonary rehabilitation, lymphedema rehabilitation, physical therapy, and social work services all at one office. There is also a clinic that provides chiropractic care and massage therapy connected to our office.
Will all services be covered by my insurance?
- Most or all charges are covered by Medicare or other health insurance.
- Just like doctor's visits, patients are responsible for paying co-payments and deductibles (if any).
- We can call your insurance company to verify your insurance benefits and coverage.
- We also accept Personal Injury claims from car accidents and Labor and Industry claims from a work accident.
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Will my referring doctor know about my progress?
- Yes. Your referring doctor maintains decision-making authority and will receive regular updates about your progress.
How long will my treatment last?
- For pulmonary rehabilitation, sessions are usually 3 times per week for two hours each session and last 8-10 weeks.
- For lymphedema rehabilitation, sessions are usually 3-4 times per week for one hour tapering in number/week over 6-8 weeks.
- For physical therapy, sessions are two to three times a week and last until your physical goals are met, depending on your condition.
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What is lymph?
- Lymph is a fluid in our body, formed in the lymph vessels from the interstitial fluid.
What is lymphedema?
- Lymphedema is a chronic condition; it is a result of insufficiency of the lymphatic system which causes abnormal accumulation of the lymph.
What are the symptoms of lymphedema?
- Localized swelling of a body part, often arm or leg, but it could be in the face, neck or other parts of the body.
Is there a medication to treat lymphedema?
- No medication is proved to treat lymphedema at this time
- Diuretics are often prescribed and even though they might cause some visible decrease initially in the swelling, they actually make the lymphedema worse. They can draw off the water content of the edema, but leave behind the protein molecules, so with time the high concentration of proteins will act like "sponges" to draw more water in, also will cause the tissue to become more fibrotic.
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Is lymphedema curable?
- Lymphedema is treatable but not curable, (similar to Diabetes), there are different treatment approaches.
Is there a surgery to treat lymphedema?
- There are many cases when surgery was recommended to treat lymphedema, but surgeries have not given dependable and long lasting results. However, surgeries usually further decrease the capacity of the already damaged lymphatic system.
Is lymphedema contagious?
- No, lymphedema is not catching; it does not come from a contagion.
May I exercise if I have lymphedema?
- Yes, and you should.
- Your therapist will help you to design an exercise program that would be most beneficial for your affected body part and also to make adjustments with other types of activities (sports and recreational), work out programs to make sure that you avoid activities that might worsen your symptoms.
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