Oh! Pain in the Neck?!

Neck pain, at times, can become pain in the neck’ quite literally. People who have experienced neck pain alone know how painful the neck pain can turnout to be.

Neck is one of the most flexible regions of the spine, which consists of vertebrae, seven shock absorbing discs, muscles, and vertebral ligaments to hold them in place. The uppermost cervical disc connects the top of the spinal column to the base of the skull. The spinal cord, which sends nerve impulses to every part of the body, runs through a canal in the cervical vertebrae and continues all the way down the spine.

What Causes neck pain?

Most people experience neck pain at some point in their lives. Neck pain can be acute, lasting for few hours or a few weeks, or it can be chronic. Neck pain that lasts several weeks or longer is considered chronic neck pain.

Neck pain can be caused by an activity or injury or by a medical condition. Your head and neck region is vulnerable to many different stresses. Bad posture can cause misalignment of your neck, head, and spine. Car accidents can cause whiplash. Age and wear and tear can cause arthritis. Even activities such as chewing gum and reading in bed and cause pain. How do we avoid these potential problems? And if we can’t avoid them, how can we recover as quickly as possible.

Non-specific neck pain

Many people develop a stiff and painful neck for no obvious reason. It may happen after a minor twisting injury, for example while gardening. Since the underlying cause for this type of neck pain is not fully understood hence it is called ‘non-specific neck pain’ Having non-specific neck pain does not mean that your neck is damaged. Often it happens in people whose necks would appear completely normal under an x-ray. It is the most common type of neck pain and disappears after a few days.

Activities that cause neck pain

Neck pain mostly is caused by activities that result in repeated or prolonged movements of the neck’s muscles, ligaments, tendons, bones, or joints. This can result in a strain(an overstretched or overused muscle), a sprain (injury to a ligament), a spasm of the neck muscles, or inflammation of the neck joints.

           1. Holding your head in a forward or odd position for long periods of time

               while working, reading, watching TV, or talking on the telephone.

           2. Sleeping on a pillow that is too high or too flat or doesn’t adequately 

               support your head, or sleeping on your stomach with your neck twisted

               or bent.

           3. Spending long periods of time resting your forehead on your upright fist

               or arm.

           4. Work that uses the upper body and arms, such as painting a ceiling or 

               other overhead work.

Injuries that cause neck pain

The Spine consists of interlocking bones(vertebrae) and discs that separate the vertebrae. The portion of the spine that runs through the neck is known as the cervical spine. Muscles and ligaments in the neck hold the cervical spine together. Injury to any of these structures may result in neck pain.

Minor injuries may occur from tripping or from excessive motion of the cervical spine. Severe neck injuries may occur from whiplash in an accident, falls from significant heights, direct blows to the face or the back or top of the head, sports-related injuries , a penetrating injury such as a stab wound, or pressure applied to the outside of the neck, such as strangulation.

Pain from an injury may be sudden and severe. Bruising and swelling may develop soon after the injury. Sudden (acute) injuries can result in strain and pain in the neck, dislocation of the spin, or a ruptured disc.

Medical conditions that cause neck pain 

                  1. Neck pain may be caused by or related to medical conditions such as:

                  2. Cervical Spinal Stenosis

                  3. Cervical Spondylosis

                  4. Illnesses, such as meningitis, which cause inflammation around the

                      tissues of the brain and spinal cord.

                  5.Chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, or

                     ankylosing spondylitis

Torticollis (wryneck): Torticollis is

caused by severe muscle tightness or a shortened muscle on

one side of the neck, causing the head to be tilted to one side.

Referred pain: Referred pain occurs when

a problem in one place in the body causes pain in another

place. For example, a problem with your jaw or your heart can

cause neck pain.

Infection or a tumor in the neck area.

Signs and Symptoms

Neck pain takes many forms. Signs and symptoms of neck pain may include:

           1. Pain in your neck that may be sharp or dull

           2. Stiffness in your neck

           3. Difficulty going about your daily tasks because of pain or stiffness in

               your neck

           4. Shoulder pain in addition to neck pain, in some cases

           5. Back pain in addition to neck pain, in some cases

Help yourself to prevent neck pain

Take frequent breaks: Don’t sit in one place for a long time, such as your car or at your desk.

Arrange some of the items in your office that cause inconvenience. This will force you to get up, stretch or walk around.

Maintain good neck posture:

Adjust the seat of your computer or desk chair so that your hips are slightly higher than your knees. Your head and neck will naturally follow in the correct position. While traveling in a car, airplane or train, place a small pillow or rolled towel between your neck and a head rest to keep the normal curve in your neck.

Avoid too many pillows:

Avoid sleeping with too many pillows or falling asleep in front of the television with your head on the arm of a couch.

Exercise: Treat your body to a consistent regimen of stretching and strengthening to balance your muscle groups. This protects your neck as well as helping your whole body. Walking at any pace is excellent exercise for your neck. The rotation of the spine provides a great natural workout for the neck muscles.

Eat smart and Drink water:

Good nutrition and staying well hydrated are not only important to stay healthy, but vital in the healing process.

For more Health Tips:http://fitnus.blogspot.com/



Butalbital

uld you describe your knee pain problems?

Chronic knee pain can really infringe upon your lifestyle. Simple daily activities become a challenge as you attempt to avoid any type of movement that may aggravate the pain. At this point, chronic knee pain relief becomes a priority, and you just want to get back to living life the way you used to. The good news is, an affordable and low profile brace can help give you the chronic knee pain relief you seek. – No Joke.

The knee joint is one of the largest joints in the human body, and is used in just about ever activity we perform in our lower body. As time goes by, natural wear and tear can cause serious knee pain. Chronic knee discomfort can stem from any number of conditions. Unlike traumatic injuries to the joint (which can cause sharp but temporary knee pain), chronic conditions (such as arthritis, and bursitis) can cause pain that is steady and nearly constant.

Consequently, conventional treatments used for traumatic pain (such as ice therapy and rest) may not give you chronic pain relief in the long run. They can be helpful, of course, but many times they just do not “cut it”. It is always wise to have your chronic knee pain evaluated by a physician to help determine the cause. However, whatever the cause, in many cases, a well designed support may offer some degree of chronic knee pain relief. These braces do not have to be big, ugly, or heavy to be effective. Several different, yet effective knee brace styles exist these days…

Most chronic pain is related in some way to general wear and tear and overuse of the structures within the knee joint. For instance, when the cartilage disc under the knee cap breaks down and wears thin, the friction between the knee cap and the bone underneath can cause chronic knee pain. A brace, when properly used, can help relieve the stress on the joint, thus reducing the wear and tear and friction within the joint. Further, an effective support can help keep your leg in proper alignment, helping to provide chronic knee pain relief from conditions such as Patellofemoral Syndrome (where the patella does not sit properly within the femoral groove).

A knee brace can also help support the muscles, tendons and ligaments surrounding the joint, helping to reduce inflammation caused by conditions such as bursitis, or meniscal tears. Reduced inflammation will help provide relief from chronic knee pain.

Braces come in several different styles offering varying degrees of support, depending upon your particular needs. Do not be left behind, just because your knee pain wants to keep you still. A support for your knee can be the one thing you did to help provide yourself with improved stability.

If your knees had one thing they could say, they might just shout “thank you”, because you gave them the support they needed.

Butalbital Blog

A common problem most active and working people may complain about would be shoulder pain.  Shoulder pains, just like any other muscle pain may cause moderate to extreme discomfort.  This may, in effect, get in the way of people functioning properly in their day to day activities.  Therefore, it is only important that one gets to be acquainted with the various ways by which shoulder pains may be avoided – to avoid activities and other factors, which may potentially cause shoulder pains – and thereafter, to get rid of shoulder pains once experienced.  Since shoulder pain has become almost a common problem among active people, it is essential that people have basic knowledge on how to get rid of shoulder pain.  People should have the minimum knowledge on the different procedures, which may be necessary if ever shoulder pains are not relieved by other simpler and manageable forms of medication or rehabilitation.  This is extremely important in order that one may function in his daily activities without being encumbered by a distressing feeling brought about by shoulder pains.  

There are in fact a number of ways which one may employ in order to relieve shoulder pain.  But what is worth noting is that even before one can go on applying medical procedures or any form of medication to relieve shoulder pain, it is almost always imperative that one must first determine the precise cause for one’s shoulder pain.  This is precisely due to two interrelated reasons.  First is that to be really able to get rid of shoulder pain, the root cause of the problem must be identified and thereafter treated accordingly.  Second, there are a number of possible causes that may give rise to shoulder pain, and one medication or procedure may be more appropriate (or not appropriate or effective – at all) for a kind of shoulder pain that is a result of a particular cause.  Thus, there is always the necessity to determine the causes of shoulder pain if only to be able to ensure effective relief of shoulder pain.  

Although shoulder pain may be due to some causes which may be stress-related, causes of shoulder pain may also include, among others, accidents, shoulder injuries, and/or excessive exercise which results in the muscles, joints, and tendons being overworked.  In the case of excessive exercise or overworked muscles and joints, repetitive movements of the shoulder joint may lead to the deterioration of the joint.  The result would be slight pain which would eventually become more painful.  Accidents may also account for shoulder pain as a result of an injured shoulder blade, trauma inflicted against the tissues or muscles in the shoulder area, or the overstretching of the sinews.  Cold which penetrates the area within or surrounding the shoulder may also be one of the causes of shoulder pain.  Cold has the effect of making the muscles and the sinews contract.  This contraction results in the stiffing of the muscles and thus, the resultant shoulder pain.  Arthritis, which may further be the result of inflamed shoulder joint due to trauma, infection, or autoimmune disease, may also account for a persistent shoulder pain.  The aforementioned are just some of the more common causes of shoulder pain.



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