Neck Pain Stress control

 

Neck Pain

What is the difference between chronic and acute neck pain?

Chronic or Acute neck pain is a common issue for people in the workplace, sports, and other activities that are a high impact on the shoulders, such as motorcycling and tennis. The symptoms usually last for 6 weeks to months but may range from mild to severe.

The most common causes of neck pain are tight muscles, stress, injuries, osteoarthritis, infections, and overuse. Common symptoms include:

Pain 

(numbness or aching) in the back or legs

Headaches

Tingling

Swelling in the arms or shoulders

Breathing problems (shortness of breath)

Difficulty moving

Pain in areas where tissue has been compressed or nerve endings have been irritated

There are many different treatment methods

What causes neck pain?

You can get carpal tunnel syndrome or “radiation” neck pain from holding your posture wrong with heavy lifting, sitting at an improper angle, or lifting too much without lifting a single pound. This injury occurs because of the weak wrist, elbow, and hand muscles. If you work with repetitive motions, such as writing or hammering, this type of sprain happens. You can also get a strain related to bad posture at an awkward angle while playing sports, using a computer mouse or keyboard, or doing physical labor. Weak hands and wrists are often a result of constant overuse. These injuries often occur when you sit for long periods, lift objects incorrectly, or do excessive stretching on the back, while performing work like gardening, landscaping, mowing lawns, or shoveling snow. When these things happen frequently, it's called "overuse syndrome." Doctors recommend rest, physical therapy (PT), massage, anti-inflammatory drugs, and exercise as ways to overcome neck pain and help improve your quality of life.

How is my neck sore today?

A sore neck may be due to several reasons, including:

Overuse

Overgrown hair

Sleeping on it

Sleeping with the head resting against a soft pillow

Your doctor may prescribe physical therapy (PT) if you've had problems sitting or sleeping well during the past week. It sometimes helps to take short walks or stretches when you stand up to relieve tension around the spinal cord. A good PT should help stretch and strengthen the muscles of your spine. There are many different techniques and exercises that don't require any equipment. Many online courses of PT in our library offer videos (on mobile phones!) that show various techniques that require no special equipment. Even if you're not able to see your PT therapist in person, we can often find information about how to use some of our products. Find out more below.

Injuries

When your neck or shoulder is strained, your body sends signals to your brain—in two separate systems—to warn you of the problem. Your nervous system then interprets those signals to send messages back to your chest.

If you've sustained an injury, your brain tells the muscles in your neck (your tendons) that something is wrong, causing them to squeeze the muscles around the joints of your fingers, toes, and wrists. And after a few days, they tell the muscles in your lower back that there's a problem and they tighten up. You might even feel stiff or have trouble breathing easily. That way, your ligaments (also known as cartilage) try to keep everything moving—your joints, muscles, and bones—as normally as possible so the muscles can maintain their position.

For some people, this message is ignored. But others may ignore it, thinking less about what they're feeling and more about what they want to achieve (such as getting into an athletic team).

Stress

Stress is another major cause of neck pain and can make the following problems worse. If this sounds like you:

You start to tense your entire body and muscle groups by tensing the muscles and tension in the tendon, which connects the muscles to your bone structure. Sometimes called “bend” or “tension.” High levels of stress can cause a dull ache, called myalgia. Myalgia is also known as “numbness,” or “pain in the neck.”

You wake up in the morning when sore muscles, stiff skin, and low blood pressure indicate that you have a stressful event (be it a fight with your spouse or child, moving across town to meet new friends, having trouble adjusting to a job change, taking care of children, or anything else).

You're irritable and anxious most of the time, and you're looking for a reason to be tired all day. Stress makes you sleepy and tired, making you cranky, and you'll likely experience headaches because of it.

You develop poor sleep habits, usually snoring when you're not supposed to. Sleeping on your neck in the mornings and in bed for the night. Waking up with stiffness, aches, or pain in your neck and shoulders at night.

What causes shoulder pain?

It's important to know that you have your own unique triggers for shoulder pain. For example, some sore shoulders involve squeezing your shoulder blades and are usually caused by increased workload—work-related or otherwise (you've gotten bigger or heavier, your arm is bent awkwardly, etc.).

Other trigger factors for shoulder pain typically involve:

A sudden movement, like lifting (shifting) or turning

A twisting motion, like bending over

A pull (or pulling) over the shoulder

What is sciatica, and why does it cause pain in both sides of the leg and buttocks?

Sciatic nerve compression may be caused by certain disorders involving the nerves in the lower part of the leg. Sciatica pain is generally referred to as sacral radiculopathy. Most patients have some type of slipped disc, herniated discs, degenerative disk disease, pinched nerves (called neuropathy), inflammatory disc disease, bursitis, cystic lesions of the spine, and other forms of neurological damage.

There is a large variety of treatments for sciatica and other sacral radiculopathy disorders that target the underlying conditions. Because so many different treatment options are available, it can be overwhelming for some individuals with these conditions. Fortunately, research is finding new and better treatments every year. Here are the latest details about the best treatment options for sacral radiculopathy:

therapy for hip and/or knee pain

Physical therapy techniques will help reduce joint stiffness and restore muscle function lost through arthritis or surgery. Physical therapists perform exercises to strengthen your muscles and loosen up tight muscles in your neck and back area. They may teach you how to practice proper posture from home or on your office chair; you will have access to our online therapy guides you can access to learn more about the importance of maintaining good leg alignment. Some patients also benefit from training in specific movements, such as a tai chi technique. Also, physical therapists can teach you how to prevent and heal recurring conditions such as osteoarthritis.

Home exercise programs, like yoga and Pilates

Yoga has many benefits. Not only is it relaxing and calming, but it also improves flexibility, strength, balance, coordination, mobility, flexibility, endurance, and mental health (specifically because it increases awareness of emotions). Home exercise programs like Yoga for Stiff Bodies® and BodyPilot™ can help improve circulation and increase flexibility throughout the body. While it may appear impossible to put together, there aren't enough resources to address all of the needs of everyone interested in trying Yoga for Stiff Bodies®, BodyPilot™, and similar physical therapy regimens. We are constantly developing and updating our fitness classes to match your goals and interests, and we are always happy to share this important resource on Facebook. We will provide free memberships to one of our paid subscribers. 

Osteopathic medicine and physical therapy

Osteopathic medicine involves regular touch therapy to treat back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, sciatica—which includes both your right side and left side of the leg—and tendinitis, or inflammation of tendons. Osteopathic doctors may specialize in treating specific conditions (e.g., migraines or sciatica) or may work with a group of general practitioners to create a holistic treatment plan for the patient. For example, maybe you have chronic back pain related to overuse. Instead of waiting until you've already been injured (though it's OK to wait), a qualified osteopathic dentist might recommend acupuncture, chiropractic adjustments, and therapeutic sports. Or maybe you have a recent back injury, especially if you have sciatica pain in the buttock and leg. Maybe osteopathic massage therapy can help relax tense muscles and ease the pain. Then again, osteopathic medicine is often combined 

with rehabilitation or exercise approaches.

Treatment options vary according to the severity of your condition. In addition to traditional osteopathic therapies, you might choose to consult with dietitians and nutritionists who specialize in managing specific nutrient deficiencies or micronutrient imbalances. With this combination of complementary and alternative treatments and medications, your doctor is sure you are getting the right care that will help your symptoms. Of course, if the options aren't working for you, you won't need treatment that often, but it is always wise to check in with your physician with questions or concerns.