Neck Strain: Causes and Remedies-NYC

Yesterday we had at least 5 patients come into our NYC physical therapy office office with neck pain caused my sleeping funny, so I felt todays blog post should be about neck pain and ways to prevent it.

There are many activities and triggers that can cause the sudden onset of neck pain due to muscle strain. By definition, a neck strain is not a serious injury. However, the pain and dysfunction that it causes can be significant. This article reviews both first aid approaches to alleviate the pain, as well as signs and symptoms that indicate when to see a doctor.

The anatomy of the cervical spine is a marvelous construct that houses and protects the delicate spinal cord, provides support for the head, and allows for a high degree of mobility and range of motion. But the same engineering that allows this area of the spine to be so flexible also leaves it vulnerable to injury.

Most episodes of neck muscle strain (or other soft tissue strain or sprain, such as ligaments or tendons) result in a stiff neck and/or pain in a shoulder muscle. Symptoms typically include difficulty moving or rotating the head or neck.

Causes of neck strain
Triggers for the onset of neck pain due to muscle strain can be traced to numerous activities, such as:

Too much time in an awkward position, such as hunched over a steering wheel while driving, hunched forward to view a computer monitor, or cradling a phone in the crook of the neck
Sleeping in a position that strains the neck, such as with a pillow that is too high or too firm
Carrying a heavy suitcase or other object on one side of the body
Any form of trauma that impacts the neck, such as from whiplash in a car accident, or from a fall in which one lands on the top of the head

Neck muscle strain remedies
Most minor strains of ligaments, tendons and muscles in the neck heal in a relatively short amount of time (one or two days). Until the symptoms subside, there are many self-care remedies that are effective in alleviating the pain and stiffness, such as:

Applying ice or cold packs. The cold helps reduce inflammation in the area, which in turn allows it to heal. The ice or cold pack should be applied in twenty-minute intervals during the initial 24 hours.

Applying heat. The heat helps bring nutrient-rich blood flow to the area to stimulate a healing response. Some people prefer moist heat, such as from a hot bath or shower. Others find more relief from applying continuous low level heat from a heat wrap (such as brand name Thermacare, or store brand heat wraps)

Over-the-counter medications. Taking anti-inflammatory medicines, such as ibuprofen (e.g. Advil) or naproxen (e.g. Aleve), will reduce the inflammation, which in turn will help reduce the pain. One can also take pain relievers, such as acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol), which reduces the perception of pain.

Massage. A gentle massage will to stimulate blood flow in the area, which helps it heal.
When to see a Doctor
For more severe pain and stiffness, if the symptoms last for more than a day or two, or if the pain is accompanied by arm pain, numbness or tingling, a visit to a health professional, such as a chiropractor or primary care physician, is generally advisable. Also if the symptoms started after any kind of trauma or accident it is a good idea to get a full examination from a health professional to diagnose or rule out any serious problems.

For most episodes of neck pain, self-care and avoiding any additional strain to the neck will usually suffice to manage the symptoms until the strain is healed.

For immediate relief of neck strain, muscle strain in New York City (NYC) see a Chiropractor
Chiropractor NYC
We utulize a combinations of treatments like Cold laser therapy, Ultrasound, Electric stimulation and the Graston technique to reduce your pain.
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Chiropractic and Neck Pain: Conservative Care of Cervical Pain, Injury

Chiropractic and Neck Pain: Conservative Care of Cervical Pain, Injury


Your neck, also called the cervical spine, begins at the base of the skull and contains seven small vertebrae. Incredibly, the cervical spine supports the full weight of your head, which is on average about 12 pounds. While the cervical spine can move your head in nearly every direction, this flexibility makes the neck very susceptible to pain and injury.

The neck’s susceptibility to injury is due in part to biomechanics. Activities and events that affect cervical biomechanics include extended sitting, repetitive movement, accidents, falls and blows to the body or head, normal aging, and everyday wear and tear. Neck pain can be very bothersome, and it can have a variety of causes.

Here are some of the most typical causes of neck pain:

Injury and Accidents: A sudden forced movement of the head or neck in any direction and the resulting “rebound” in the opposite direction is known as whiplash. The sudden “whipping” motion injures the surrounding and supporting tissues of the neck and head. Muscles react by tightening and contracting, creating muscle fatigue, which can result in pain and stiffness. Severe whiplash can also be associated with injury to the intervertebral joints, discs, ligaments, muscles, and nerve roots. Car accidents are the most common cause of whiplash.

Growing Older: Degenerative disorders such as osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, and degenerative disc disease directly affect the spine.

Osteoarthritis, a common joint disorder, causes progressive deterioration of cartilage. The body reacts by forming bone spurs that affect joint motion.
Spinal stenosis causes the small nerve passageways in the vertebrae to narrow, compressing and trapping nerve roots. Stenosis may cause neck, shoulder, and arm pain, as well as numbness, when these nerves are unable to function normally.
Degenerative disc disease can cause reduction in the elasticity and height of intervertebral discs. Over time, a disc may bulge or herniate, causing tingling, numbness, and pain that runs into the arm.

Daily Life: Poor posture, obesity, and weak abdominal muscles often disrupt spinal balance, causing the neck to bend forward to compensate. Stress and emotional tension can cause muscles to tighten and contract, resulting in pain and stiffness. Postural stress can contribute to chronic neck pain with symptoms extending into the upper back and the arms.

Chiropractic Care of Neck Pain
During your visit, your doctor of chiropractic will perform exams to locate the source of your pain and will ask you questions about your current symptoms and remedies you may have already tried. For example:


When did the pain start?
What have you done for your neck pain?
Does the pain radiate or travel to other parts of your body?
Does anything reduce the pain or make it worse?
Your doctor of chiropractic will also do physical and neurological exams. In the physical exam, your doctor will observe your posture, range of motion, and physical condition, noting movement that causes pain. Your doctor will feel your spine, note its curvature and alignment, and feel for muscle spasm. A check of your shoulder area is also in order. During the neurological exam, your doctor will test your reflexes, muscle strength, other nerve changes, and pain spread.

In some instances, your chiropractor might order tests to help diagnose your condition. An x-ray can show narrowed disc space, fractures, bone spurs, or arthritis. A computerized axial tomography scan (a CT or CAT scan) or a magnetic resonance imaging test (an MRI) can show bulging discs and herniations. If nerve damage is suspected, your doctor may order a special test called electromyography (an EMG) to measure how quickly your nerves respond.

Chiropractors are conservative care doctors; their scope of practice does not include the use of drugs or surgery. If your chiropractor diagnoses a condition outside of this conservative scope, such as a neck fracture or an indication of an organic disease, he or she will refer you to the appropriate medical physician or specialist. He or she may also ask for permission to inform your family physician of the care you are receiving to ensure that your chiropractic care and medical care are properly coordinated.

Neck Adjustments

A neck adjustment (also known as a cervical manipulation) is a precise procedure applied to the joints of the neck, usually by hand. A neck adjustment works to improve the mobility of the spine and to restore range of motion; it can also increase movement of the adjoining muscles. Patients typically notice an improved ability to turn and tilt the head, and a reduction of pain, soreness, and stiffness.

Of course, your chiropractor will develop a program of care that may combine more than one type of treatment, depending on your personal needs. In addition to manipulation, the treatment plan may include mobilization, massage or rehabilitative exercises, or something else.

Research Supporting Chiropractic Care
One of the most recent reviews of scientific literature found evidence that patients with chronic neck pain enrolled in clinical trials reported significant improvement following chiropractic spinal manipulation.

As part of the literature review, published in the March/April 2007 issue of the Journal of
Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, the researchers reviewed nine previously published trials and found “high-quality evidence” that patients with chronic neck pain showed significant pain-level improvements following spinal manipulation. No trial group was reported as having remained unchanged, and all groups showed positive changes up to 12 weeks post-treatment.

Your NYC Chiropractor www.drshoshany.com
Conservative care for your cervical spine.
We utulize Chiropractic care, Cervical spinal decompression and cold laser therapy

Neck pain prevention tips

Dealing With A Pain In The Neck
By: Dr. Jasper Sidhu

HAVE YOU TRIED TRAINING YOUR DEEP NECK MUSCLES?
If you’re suffering from chronic neck pain you definitely know it: Chronic neck pain is consistent pain in the neck lasting for more than six months, and an estimated 7 in 10 adults develop it at some point in their lives. The big question, of course, is what can you do about it? Fortunately, neck pain is usually treated effectively by chiropractors. In fact, recent guidelines on neck pain point to spinal manipulation as a recommended treatment option. It’s also important to recognize that another recommendation is exercises, many of which can be performed at home. Let’s take a look at how the neck muscles relate to neck pain and what you can do about it.

What do you think of when I tell you i’m going to give you exercises for your neck pain? Do you expect advice on general stretches or instruction sheets with simple exercises Perhaps you have a vision of weights attached to your head like the weight-lifters you may have seen in an old movies. the reality is that neck exercises can be gentle and easy to do, and don’t usually require a lot of equipment or time. It begins by understanding why exercises are important for relieving neck pain in the first place.
In general, there is no one cause of neck pain that applies to every patient. If you have chronic neck pain, you may have received a diagnosis of disc herniation, whiplash, strain, sprain, or something else. Regardless, most of these conditions have one thin in common: Certain muscles are affected, and these are the muscles we need to target before progressing to more challenging exercises or activities.

There are certain muscles in the neck that are designed to help us maintain our normal and healthy curve of the spine. In addition, these muscles are designed to hold our head up all day. The technical names of these muscles are the longus capitus and longus colli, more commonly known as the deep neck flexors. They are the muscles that attach to the front of your spine. Because they’re located deep in the front of the neck, we often ignore them. As they say, “Out of sight, our of mind,” but they’re important muscles to consider whenever you’re suffering from neck pain.

In people with chronic neck pain, these muscles are often fatigued a lot quicker than in people without neck pain. That means other muscles pick up the slack and begin working harder. the muscles that begin working harder are the ones we generally end up stretching. Have you ever noticed that when you stretch stiff muscles, they feel good for a short period of time, only to get tight again? The thing is, if you don’t address the other muscles, the ones that get fatigued and gradually stop working, then your stretching program will not work as well. All these muscles need to be in “balance”.

the best way to see if your deep neck flexors fatigue is to try and lift your head off the ground when you are lying down. The technique is simple: Just tuck your chin in to your chest and lift your head off the ground, and then attempt to hold it there for 10 seconds. If the neck begins shaking, or your chin is unable to stay tucked in, then your deep flexors are fatigued and need to be addressed.
For most people with chronic neck pain, this can be a difficult exercise. That’s why you can begin your exercise program by doing simple chin tucks while sitting or standing. Simply tucking your chin in and holding in until you fatigue will help reactivate these muscles. You can start with 12 repetitions of this exercise, working your way up to three sets of 12 repetitions each. Ensure you get adequate rest (several minutes) in between each set.

Once you get comfortable with basic sitting/standing chin tucks, you can try doing the exercise lying down. The goal is to be able to do it 12 times, holding each one until you fatigue. The next goal is to work your way up to three sets of 12 repetitions, with rest in between each set. then work your way to three sets of 15 repetitions and then three sets of 20 repetitions. Remember, this is a marathon, not a race. The goal is to increase the endurance of your muscles rather than their strength. Your neck is designed to carry the weight of your head all day, not to lift trains or buses! that why building up endurance should be your first priority.

Remember, the neck muscles are like any other muscle in our body. With long-term pain or injury, the muscles get weak and get tired quicker. By first “balancing” the weak muscles and increasing their endurance, you will be prepared to progress to more challenging strengthening exercises. As a research and guidelines conclude, combining this with your chiropractic care will lead to the best outcomes and improvement in your chronic neck pain.




DO YOU HAVE CHRONIC NECK PAIN?
TEST YOUR NECK MUSCLES

The following exercises are a great way to test if your deep neck muscles are easily fatigued and thus contributing to your neck pain. they’re also a great way to train the muscles so they don’t fatigues as quickly, which can help relieve your chronic pain.

LYING CHIN TUCK :
Gently lift your head off the flow with your chin tucked in. You should be able to hold this position for 10 seconds. If your chin goes up, head tilts back, or your head begins to shake and you are unable to hold the position, this indicated fatigue of the deep neck muscles, which may be contributing to your pain.

SITTING CHIN TUCK :
Simply tuck the chin in. Make sure you don’t tilt your head forward. Keep chin tucked in and head back. This is a good exercise to start with if you’re suffering from chronic neck pain and are unable to perform lying chin tucks for a sustained period of time.



TAKE-HOME POINTS

In most cases, don’t expect anyone to find a single “cause” for your neck pain.
Stay as active as you can; simple exercises and reducing mental stress can help.
A combination of therapies, including chiropractic care, may be needed.

Source: The Bone and Joint Decade
2001-2010 Task Force on Neck Pain
and Its Associated Disorders

Neck pain treatment in NYC contact www.livingwellnewyork.com
We utilize Chiropractic care, Physical therapy and Medical massage
Neck pain treatment in Manhattan-Chiropractic care,Physical therapy.

Low-Level Laser therapy relieves neck pain NYC

Low-Level Laser Therapy Relieves Neck Pain NYC
Review Supports LLLT as Short- and Mid-Term Treatment of Pain in Neck
By: Chris Maynard

Cold laser NYC


Nov 16, 2009 (Spine-Health) -- Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) provides effective pain relief of both acute and chronic neck pain, according to a recent review and analysis of various trials examining the efficacy of using wavelengths of light to treat pain in the neck.


The review headed by researchers in Australia and recently published in The Lancet studied 16 randomized, controlled trials including a total of 820 patients with neck pain that could not be linked to a specific cause. The researchers ultimately concluded that low-level laser therapy provides immediate relief of acute neck pain and mid-term relief of chronic neck pain.

Using a 100-point scale to account for and compare differences in the severity of neck pain after treatment involving either low-level laser therapy or a placebo, researchers found that 70 percent of patients with acute neck pain were more likely to experience reduced pain following LLLT. It should be noted that only 2 trials involving LLLT for acute neck pain were available for review.

The study also found that low-level laser therapy was beneficial for chronic neck pain sufferers, although the effects were not as quick when compared to acute sufferers. According to the review, it took up to 22 weeks for patients with chronic neck pain to experience relief from LLLT, although these patients were 4 times more likely to have reduced neck pain than those treated with a placebo. In the past one noted disadvantage of low-level laser therapy has been the required number of treatments, which can range from 8 to 30 sessions.

Also known as cold laser therapy, low-level laser therapy involves a clinician holding cold lasers over the injured area for 30 seconds to several minutes. These lasers emit photons of light that pass through the skin and are absorbed by the cells with the theoretical goal of reducing inflammation and pain and accelerating the body’s natural healing process. The exact ways in which cold laser therapy treats neck pain is still not fully understood, a point that the review noted as worthy of future study.

Based on their review, the researchers suggested using cold-laser therapy in conjunction with a regular program of exercising and stretching when treating neck pain.

In addition to neck pain, cold laser therapy is used by some chiropractors and pain management professionals to treat back pain, arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, tendonitis and knee pain. When indicated, this procedure may be preferred by patients who have the above symptoms and/or conditions, and want to avoid medication or invasive treatments.

Related Article:
Cold Laser Therapy Pain Management Treatment
Sources: The Lancet, Medical News Today
To learn more about Cold laser therapy/Low-level laser therapy in NYC
visit us online @ http://drshoshany.com/cold_laser_therapy.php