I followed my therapist Kyle Kurata to Coastherapy from his previous clinic in Seal Beach. I began physical therapy in February working with Kyle. I was suffering from a pretty bad case of GERD (acid reflux) and having frequent heartburn. I was experiencing a lot of referred pains in my neck and down my right arm into my wrist as a result of a. The GERD itself and b. the anxiety and stress I was experiencing as a result of the GERD.
After being up almost all night with severe neck and chest pain from the GERD, I returned to urgent care in Seal Beach the following morning to ask if there was anything I could do in conjunction with taking my prescribed medication. I explained about the referred pains I was having and the doctor who examined me, noticed that I appeared to have a lot of tension, specifically in the neck area. She said I may benefit from seeing a physical therapist.
Fast forward to my first visit with Kyle. Apparently a combination of nerve impingement, stress, poor posture (I am a writer and work from home on my laptop) and poor diet had contributed to many of the symptoms I was experiencing. Although my measurements were embarrassing to say the least on day one, after three months of working with Kyle, I have almost no pain in my neck or down my right arm and I have seen a drastic improvement in my posture. Kyle has zeroed in on my low back which was also pretty tight and lacking in flexibility. He has devised an at-home workout routine for me that has put me in the best shape of my life.
Kyle will no doubt make an awesome director at this new clinic in Orange. I followed him here because he was so helpful when I worked with him in Seal Beach! He is kind, patient, professional, and so positive and encouraging. He genuinely cares about his patients and wants to see them succeed. He always makes me feel like I can learn anything with practice and never once has looked down on me for having difficulty with an exercise. He is just a really nice, decent human being who is super passionate about the work that he does and it shows!
Because of working with Kyle, my chest has opened up, my shoulders have dropped, and I have seen a drastic reduction in my GERD symptoms. I went from having heartburn multiple times a week to now, getting heartburn only once or twice a month. It's amazing what a difference PT has made for my gut health and digestive system. Working with Kyle is almost like having a personal trainer, a massage therapist, and a chiropractor all at once! I love that he is gentle in his approach and doesn't force anything that isn't ready when he works manually with me.
I would also like to mention that when I was experiencing many of the digestive issues mentioned above, I was also in a pretty dark place mentally. I had lost my dad not too long ago and witnessed many of his health challenges while being quarantined together with him in 2020. After seeing everything HE went through, I'd definitely say I had a little PTSD and health anxiety. I also struggle with OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) and tend to ruminate a lot over my own physical symptoms. Coming to PT, I honestly didn't know if my symptoms were posture-related, digestive-related, a combination of both, or worse, cancer, a stroke, or even a heart attack! There was so much anxiety around the way I was feeling that I wasn't eating (not good for acid reflux), losing weight from stress, and having frequent panic attacks. Kyle actually helped pull me out of that really dark place. His whole body approach to physical therapy worked wonders for my gut health, posture, and most of all my mental health! He never looked at me like an anatomy study or seemed overly concerned about my issues. He simply got right to work, treating me with dignity and respect and showing me that simple lifestyle changes would make a huge improvement in my everyday life. I continue to do PT because it helps keep my GERD well managed, and it has given me tools and exercises to help with my stress and anxiety. I highly recommend this physical therapist! read more