|
 Neck
Pain Q&A
Neck Pain |
Neck Pain Do's & Don'ts |
Neck Pain Q&A | Headaches & Neck Pain
Q. Do you have any quick tips for preventing neck
pain while sitting at a desk?
A.
Whenever possible, position yourself so that you are looking straight
ahead and so your body is in a fairly straight line with your work.
Avoid leaning and reaching at extreme angles. Take time to organize your
work area so that objects you use most are within easy reach. It is
usually smarter to get up from your chair rather than reach across a
long distance on a repetitive basis.
When using a computer, try to place the monitor directly in front of
you. Your eyes should be level with the screen. Looking too far up or
down for extended periods can cause problems ranging from muscular
tension and spasm to headaches, neck and shoulder pain.
One of the worst things that you can do to your neck is to hold the
telephone on your upraised shoulder while you use the computer, type, or
write.
Phone accessories that raise the telephone to your ear help, but the
muscles are still tensed and the neck is bent at an unnatural angle.
Speakerphones are a much less dangerous option. Telephone headsets are
ideal for someone who uses the phone regularly, and can literally save
you a great deal of headache.
Purchasing an anti-glare filter is usually a good idea, even if your
computer has one built in. Eyestrain from even a small amount of glare
can lead to headaches and neck and shoulder tension.
Q.
Is there anything I can do to prevent
stiff necks?
A.
Don’t sit directly under air conditioning vents for extended periods
when you are experiencing pain in your neck and shoulders. (Excessive
cold air blowing directly on your muscles increases possibility of
spasms and stiff necks.) Keep your neck and shoulders warm when
traveling on an airplane. You might want to travel with a scarf for
this purpose.
Also, avoid sleeping on your stomach.
There is no way to sleep on your stomach without putting some torque or
twisting in your spine, especially in the neck region. This can be
harmful to the spinal column because it puts pressure on the delicate
spinal nerves over an extended period of time, and may result in
stiffness, neck pain, and headaches.
The
ideal position for sleeping is on your back, with a pillow under your
neck to support the cervical curve. If you sleep on your side, try to
switch sides frequently and position your pillow so that your head and
neck are level with the bed and not tilted at an angle. Since there is
less stress on the lower back when your legs are bent, try sleeping with
a pillow under your knees if you are sleeping on your back, or between
your knees if you sleep on your side.
Q.
Dr.
Suzy, do you have any good tips for relieving neck and shoulder pain
naturally?
A.
There are a multitude of reasons why millions of people suffer from
muscle spasms, tension, and pain in the neck area, sometimes on a daily
basis. To find the cause of the problem, it is often necessary to seek
help from a Doctor of Chiropractic or other qualified Health Care
Provider. Fortunately, there are a number of things that you can do on
your own at home or at work to help relieve and possibly eliminate
muscle spasms and tension that lead to neck pain and discomfort.
Quite often the cause of neck pain is closely related to muscle spasms
and painful trigger points in the neck, upper back, and shoulder region.
Seeking out alternative and holistic solutions for neck pain is often
the answer for many individuals. Some effective neck pain relief
solutions include: Massage therapy including many different types of
bodywork therapy such as craniosacral work, assisted stretching, trigger
point therapy tools such as the Backnobber, Biofeedback, nutritional
supplements for neck pain and headaches, stress reduction techniques,
proper body mechanics, quality cervical or neck pillows, proper lifting
and computer usage ergonomics, and a wide variety of other natural and
safe solutions.
It is important to take time to listen to your body and educate yourself
so that you can prevent neck pain and stiffness and related symptoms
such as headaches and tingling, pain, and numbness in the arms. When
stretching the neck muscles, never use quick, jerky motions. Avoid
extreme rotation, flexion, and extension of the head, which can damage
the delicate cervical tissue, including nerves and discs.
Instead, slowly and gently stretch the neck side-to-side by bringing the
ear toward the shoulder. This is much safer and more effective than the
rapid rolling of the head in a circle. I literally cringe every time I
see a boxer, football player, or other athlete quickly jerk their head
from side to side or rapidly roll their head in a circle around their
shoulders.
There are three natural curves in the spine that naturally increase its
strength and flexibility: the cervical curve in the neck, the thoracic
curve in the mid back, and the lower back or lumbar curve. Just as the
curve in a bridge or other structure increases its weight bearing
capacity, so too, do the curves in your spine.
Loss of the cervical curve can be a result of overstretching of the
ligaments, as is often seen after a serious car accident. This loss of
curve can result in decreased weight bearing strength of the neck
supporting the head and can cause pain and stiffness, possibly affecting
vital nerve flow.
Just as there is a continuous flow between the fluids on a cellular
level, there is also a certain flow, similar to electricity, within the
nervous system. Whenever there is an obstruction of the nerve flow, the
part of the body that is supplied by that nerve does not function at its
fullest potential.
One of the things that you can do to stimulate proper nerve flow is to
obtain a sufficient amount of exercise. The lymphatic system and the
digestive system function more efficiently with proper physical
activity, and the nervous system is no exception.
Walking is a surprisingly good exercise for neck muscles, especially
when you swing your arms. Swimming is wonderful because there is no
weight bearing pressure on the joints and discs. Strengthening the
muscles around the neck, including the traps and smaller spinal muscles
also helps stabilize and support the neck and prevent pain and spasm.
Q.
What
kind of pillow should I use?
A.
This is an important question since sleeping on a pillow that does not
properly support your neck or causes it to tilt forward can gradually
decrease the angle of the cervical curve and cause pain, stiffness
and
misalignment of the vertebrae over time. There are three natural curves
in the spine that naturally increase its strength and flexibility: the
cervical curve in the neck, the thoracic curve in the mid back, and the
lower back or lumbar curve. Just as the curve in a bridge or other
structure increases its weight bearing capacity, so too, do the curves
in your spine.
Loss of the cervical curve can be a result of overstretching of the
ligaments, as is often seen after a serious car accident. This loss of
curve can result in decreased weight bearing strength of the neck
supporting the head and can cause pain and stiffness, possibly affecting
vital nerve flow.
Sometimes it seems that I have been researching and searching for the
perfect pillow for most of my adult life. There are a multitude of
different types of cervical or neck pillows available on the market
today. If you are like most people, you have tried at least a few
different types, and hopefully found a pillow that you are comfortable
with.
I personally have a stack of different pillows that I have given a
chance and then thrown in the attic or given away. If you are still
experimenting with different pillows, trying to find the perfect one,
you may find the following information helpful.
As is often the case, the most expensive frequently advertised pillows
aren’t always the best ones. Some people swear by Tempurpedic or memory
foam type pillows that are made of a foam type material that bounces
back after applied pressure is removed. I know many people who are
extremely particular about pillows who say that they can’t sleep on
anything but this type of pillow. A few people that I know prefer
buckwheat filled pillows, but the noise they make as you are sleeping is
annoying to some people.
Others prefer air or water filled pillows. The concept behind water
based pillows is great, but many people find them to heavy or awkward to
use. I’ll probably always experiment with pillows searching for the
ideal one. At present, my favorite pillow is one that wasn’t even
designed for sleeping, but rather for hugging or stress relief. Perhaps
you have seen the lightweight, huggable, small roll shaped pillows
covered in micro fiber type material and filled with tiny micro beads of
polystyrene in drug stores or airport kiosks. I have several and prefer
the more substantial higher quality versions. Since they are
inexpensive, I simply buy a new one when the old one stretches out.
Also, feather pillows are ideal for providing support without being
overly hard, and will conform to the contours of your neck more easily
than a foam pillow. The problem with feather pillows, however, is that,
often, they are simply too flat. If you are industrious, you can
actually open up the seam and adjust the firmness by adding or removing
more feathers until the pillow is more comfortable for you. You may even
want to tie a ribbon around the middle to give it more of a butterfly
shape.
The procedure is a little messy, but many people have found it
very effective.
Whenever possible, do not forget to take your most comfortable pillow
with you when traveling, since hotel pillows are notoriously flat and
hard, and often the cause of torticollis or stiffness in the neck
region. I sometimes take a small pillow with me on extended airline
flights along with a cozy scarf or wrap, since cold drafts (especially
on planes and in hotel rooms) seem to frequently trigger stiff necks.
The bottom line, in my opinion, is to listen to the innate intelligence of your unique body
and take time to take care of your delicate neck. Keep
experimenting until you found the perfect pillow that is just right for
you. |