Archive for Featured Articles

Meet the Therapists – Kathy Hess, PT

August 26, 2011 Clear Passage Physical Therapy 2 comments

Kathy is an accomplished equestrian

What is your name?

Kathy Hess

How long have you been a physical therapist?

31 years

How long have you been practicing the Wurn Technique?

I have been certified in the Wurn Technique for six months, but I have been doing most of the hands-on techniques for over 15 yrs.

Which Clear Passage clinic location do you work at?

I am the clinic director for the Northern Virginia location.

How did you first become interested in this work?

I felt like I was missing something with my treatments. I started taking Myofascial Release classes, then became interested in treating women’s health issues. I then started taking additional classes in this area.

Kathy with her family

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in the Philadelphia area, specifically Norristown, PA.

What’s your favorite food?

Potato chips

Where did you receive your education?

Univerisity of Pittsburgh

What is your philosophy on continuing education?

I believe it is very important to expand your knowledge base.   I take about 2-3 continuing education classes every year.

What conditions do you have experience in treating?

I have treated patients with chronic pain, adhesions, women’s health issues, orthopedic issues, neurological issues, and amputees.

Where is your favorite place to go on vacation?

My favorite location is Sedona, Arizonia. Going camping anywhere is great to me. I love being outside in the fresh air.

What is your favorite part about treating patients?

Kathy treating a Clear Passage patient

I enjoy helping patients get there life back without pain or limitations

What do you hear patients say most often after receiving treatment?

“I can’t believe I am feeling better.”

What three words describes you best?

Intense, Motivated, and Caring

What drives you every day?

Knowing that I can help people

Have a question or comment for Kathy? Post a reply below.

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Clear Passage: A Different Kind of Healthcare Clinic

August 23, 2011 Clear Passage Physical Therapy 2 comments

Clear Passage is very different from many healthcare clinics. Our goal is to put our patients first, to treat them with care and respect, and to help them reach their health goals.

So what’s makes Clear Passage different?

  1. We Learn – We take the time to review and understand your entire medical history. This allows us to create a customized treatment plan based on your needs and goals.

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  2. We Listen – We offer free consultations for you to discuss your condition with a therapist who is familiar with your medical history and can offer insight as to how therapy may benefit you.

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  3. We Value – We want you to be a part of the therapy team that is treating you. We value your feedback, thoughts, and feelings throughout each one-on-one therapy session. We will constantly ask you how you are feeling and what changes you are noticing throughout the week to ensure that you are comfortable.

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  4. We Care – We provide each patient with a private therapy room throughout their week of treatment. This allows patients to relax in a beautifully decorated room during and between treatment sessions.

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  5. We Treat – Our treatment program can be completed in just one week of intensive therapy. Patients often begin therapy on Monday and are finished by Friday afternoon. This allows our patients who travel from out of town to complete treatment without the need to return for follow-up visits. This week also allows you to escape from the distractions of home and work and focus on your health and healing.

If you would like to receive a free consultation with a Clear Passage therapist, simply fill out our online medical history form. After we have reviewed your submitted form, we will contact you to set up your free phone consultation with a therapist.

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Video: Reclaiming Life After Surgery and Bowel Obstruction

August 23, 2011 Clear Passage Physical Therapy No comments

This place is saving lives.

I thought, you know, I do have a chance at a quality of life again, and I know that these people have saved my life.

I thought it was very important that I share some of the things that I have gone through in my life that are directly related to many surgeries that I have had that have caused me to have bowel obstructions and many, many surgeries.


At the age of 38, I entered the hospital and was given a 20 percent chance to live in the emergency room. Immediately, I was taken upstairs to the intensive care unit. My mother and my wife sat next to my bed and watched me for 69 days hoping and praying that I would eventually heal.

They were told that the best thing they could do was that I would at best be in a wheel chair and at best I would have brain damage. After the 69 days, I came out of a coma. I was very miserable and weighed about 100 pounds. At that point I looked at myself, at all the tubes, and wondered, how am I going to get through this.

I finally got out of the hospital and little did I know how important physical therapy would become in my life.

One day, I’m sitting on the sofa with my wife and start experiencing some severe pain. She suggested that we go to the hospital so we go to the hospital. They had diagnosed me with a bowel obstruction. I had no idea what a bowel obstruction was or that I could get a bowel obstruction from my first surgery. They repaired the bowel obstruction, and what I mean by repair is they remove nine inches of what they call a twisted bowel and I remained in the hospital for 32 days.

The most annerving thing I ever heard was, “There’s nothing we can do about this, you’re probably going to get another bowel obstruction, and we will see you again.” I was flored at that point and very confused, very hurt. I did not know what I was going to do.

I started my search. I did not know where to start, I did not know what I was doing, and didn’t really know what a bowel obstruction was. Later I found out that actually it is the adhesion that actually closes off the bowel which could cause a partial and sometimes even a complete obstruction. There’s nothing they can do about these adhesions, which once again, was very upsetting.

I started first by looking on the internet. I searched for weeks looking for something. By the grace of God, I clicked on a site that speaks about an incredible system that has been developed by Larry and Belinda Wurn. This process is actually called the Wurn Technique.

You do not have to go through the painful process of the NG tube and the healing and the pain that goes along with that. There is someone out there that can put you in a situation where it will not happen again. This technology is out there, this technique is out here.

This place is saving lives. There’s no other way I can put it. They are saving lives. That is why I am sitting right here, right now, telling my story.

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The Invisible Disease: Chronic Pain

August 4, 2011 Clear Passage Physical Therapy 2 comments

Chronic Pain: The Invisible Disease

You awake in the morning with Pain.

Pain tells your body that it would be easier to stay in bed. You ignore Pain and push back the covers, wincing with the seemingly simple motion. Pain accompanies you as you prepare for the day, tugging and pulling at your joints and muscles with each movement.

Pain travels with you to yet another doctor’s appointment and nods as you describe him with painstaking detail as the doctor scribbles on his notepad.

But when the doctor runs tests, takes x-rays, and orders a CT scan, Pain hides. Despite the doctors attempts to catch a glimpse by prodding and poking, Pain makes no appearance.

The doctor explains that there is nothing there – that Pain is merely in your head like an child’s imaginary friend. You are filled with rage and frustration at Pain as you try to explain his physical presence, but your attempts merely furrow the doctor’s brow as he scribbles a prescription on his notepad. “You’ll just have to learn to live with it,” he says, “But in the meantime, try this.” He hands you the chicken scratched note on his way out the door.

You leave the office defeated, disempowered, and depressed.

Chronic pain leaves thousands of people searching for answers to a pain that seems invisible. Treatments and drug prescriptions often mask the symptoms but provide no relief for the root cause. This pain is given many names: endometriosis, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndrome, to name a few. However, the true cause often goes by the name adhesions.

Adhesions form as a natural part of the healing process. Much like thick nylon ropes, they form wherever the body heals from a trauma, surgery, infection or inflammation. Unfortunately, as these adhesions grow and attach to nearby tissues and organs, they can also cause a myriad of health problems.

Adhesions are often the underlying cause of chronic pain, infertility, endometriosis pain, and bowel obstructions.  Because these thick internal scars are invisible on traditional medical tests, such as x rays and CT scans, they often go undiagnosed by physicians and health care professionals.

The Wurn Technique is a hands-on physical therapy designed specifically to treat adhesions. The therapy feels much like a deep massage as highly skilled therapists use their hands to discover and treat areas that are restricted by adhesions.

Educate and Empower Yourself, Learn More About Adhesions…

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Fourth Times a Charm

July 29, 2011 Clear Passage Physical Therapy No comments

Natural Pregnancy after Three Unsuccessful IVFs – Faith’s Story

After trying to conceive for over a year, I started down the path of infertility treatments. I was 35 years old and the doctors reminded me that I was getting “old.” I started with IUI treatments (two), but when both failed the doctors told me I should start IVF treatments.

I had my first IVF and had three embryos transferred. A few months later, I started experiencing a lot of pain. I went to the hospital and the doctor discovered one of the embryos had implanted in my right tube causing an ectopic pregnancy. He immediately scheduled me for surgery to remove the tube.  After the surgery, the doctor told me I had a lot of scar tissue at my right tube and that I probably had scar tissue surrounding my left tube, as well.

Remarkably, the other two embryos were still alive inside my uterus. However, on a business trip to California, I started getting sick. When they diagnosed that pain, the physicians said that my gallbladder had to be removed. When they then checked on the embryos, we found that they didn’t make it. Crushed, I had to have a D&C as well. After the last round, my doctor again reminded me that I was getting “old” and the only way to get pregnant was to go through another (fourth) round of IVF.

When I returned home, my doctor tried to be positive and said that we should start right away on another round of IVF, but when they checked my uterus, they found that I had remaining tissue and I had to have another D&C before we could start. My second round of IVF began and they transferred two embryos, but with no success.

When my third round of IVF began, the doctors discovered that my uterus lining was not thick enough, so they had to freeze those embryos until my uterus was “ready.” When the third transfer finally occurred; it was also unsuccessful.

After the last round my doctor again reminded me that I was getting “old” and the only way to get pregnant was to go through another (fourth) round of IVF.

I felt that my body had been beat up and I was sick of all the shots. I wanted to try to heal my body and think about next steps, which is when I found Clear Passage Physical Therapy. I found their clinic online and thought it might be the right path for me after what I had experienced. It made sense to me that my body needed to heal and that the therapy was something I needed. I could feel the changes occurring in my body. Even though the IVF doctors told me it would not happen (and I was too old) I have proved them wrong!

I spent one week (20 hours of therapy) at Clear Passage’s Gainesville, FL clinic.  All of the therapists were wonderful and I could feel the changes occurring in my body. I left Clear Passage feeling that my body was in a much better state than when I arrived.

When I returned home, I thought trying another other natural fertility treatment to help heal my body. I started to see a homeopath and began yoga to get my body in shape. I realized that I needed time to heal from all the treatments and surgeries and I wanted to feel stronger.

Then a few months later, I found out that I was pregnant – naturally! I am still a little shocked because I feel great. I think the reason why this worked for me is a combination of everything, but it started at Clear Passage. Even though the IVF doctors told me it would not happen (and that I was too “old”) I have proved them wrong!

Do you have a remarkable story to tell? We’d love to hear it. Leave us a comment below.

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