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Neck pain and it's causes

Source: Health Link BC

What is neck pain?

Neck pain can occur anywhere in your neck, from the bottom of your head to the top of your shoulders. It can spread to your upper back or arms. It may limit how much you can move your head and neck.

Neck pain is common, especially in people older than 50.

What causes neck pain?

Most neck pain is caused by activities that strain the neck. Slouching, painting a ceiling, or sleeping with your neck twisted are some things that can cause neck pain. These kinds of activities can lead to neck strain, a spasm of the neck muscles, or swelling of the neck joints.

Neck pain can also be caused by an injury. A fall from a ladder or whiplashfrom a car accident can cause neck pain. Some less common medical problems can also lead to neck pain, such as:

• An infection in the neck.
• Narrowing of the spinal canal in the neck (cervical spinal stenosis).
• Rheumatoid arthritis.

What are the symptoms?

You may feel a knot, stiffness, or severe pain in your neck. The pain may spread to your shoulders, upper back, or arms. You may get a headache. You may not be able to move or turn your head and neck easily. If there is pressure on a spinal nerve root, you might have pain that shoots down your arm. You may also have numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arm.

If your neck pain is long-lasting (chronic), you may have trouble coping with daily life. Common side effects of chronic pain include fatigue, depression, and anxiety.

How is neck pain diagnosed?

Your doctor will ask questions about your symptoms and do an examination. He or she may also ask about any injuries, illnesses, or activities that may be causing your neck pain.

During the examination, your doctor will check how well you can move your neck. He or she will also look for tenderness or numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arms or hands.

If your pain started after an injury, or if it doesn't improve after a few weeks, your doctor may want to do more tests. Imaging tests such as an X-ray, anMRI scan, or a CT scan can show the neck muscles and tissues. These tests may be done to check the neck bones, spinal discs, spinal nerve roots, andspinal cord . MRI may only be available at regional medical centres.

How is it treated?

The type of treatment you need will depend on whether your neck pain is caused by activities, an injury, or another medical condition. Most neck pain caused by activities can be treated at home.

For neck pain that occurs suddenly:

• Reduce pain by putting an ice pack on the sore area and taking acetaminophen (such as Tylenol). ASA, ibuprofen, or another anti-inflammatory medicine can also help relieve pain.
• Avoid more injury to your neck by changing activities and habits, such as how you sit or sleep.
• Try exercises or physiotherapy to help you move your head and neck more easily.

To treat chronic neck pain, your doctor may prescribe medicine to relax your neck muscles. Or you may get medicines to relieve pain and help you sleep. You might also try massage or yoga to relieve neck stress.

Surgery is rarely done to treat neck pain. But it may be done if your pain is caused by a medical problem, such as pressure on the spinal nerve roots, a tumour, or narrowing of the spinal canal.

Can you prevent neck pain?

You can avoid neck pain caused by stress or muscle strain with some new habits. Avoid spending a lot of time in positions that stress your neck. This can include sitting at a computer for a long time.

If your neck pain is worse at the end of the day, think about how you sit during the day. Sit straight in your chair with your feet flat on the floor. Take short breaks several times an hour.

If your neck pain is worse in the morning, check your pillow and the position you sleep in. Use a pillow that keeps your neck straight. Avoid sleeping on your stomach with your neck twisted or bent.

Magnetic Therapy with ChiSoftII Neck Traction

The combination of magnet therapy with neck traction is provided with the Chisoft neck traction device with magnet. For a stiff and sore neck, the magnet inside the neck traction device can improve blood flow in the affected area. This can assist in bringing more oxygen, nutrients, and endorphins in the painful area which can reduce inflammation and pain.

The theory behind magnet therapy is that magnets can affect red blood cells. Red blood cells contain iron so these red blood cells will respond to a magnetic field causing the cells to become more active. More active red blood cells use more oxygen thereby causing a more rapid healing.

Although magnet therapy may help relieve pain and discomfort, a medical doctor should always be consulted before using any type of magnet therapy especially if you have a serious condition. If you have a pacemaker, you should not be using the Chisoft neck traction device with magnet.

ChiSoft II Neck Traction with Magnet

$80.00 More Info

History of Magnet Therapy

Magnetic therapy has been a part of Chinese medicine for over 2000 years so the association between magnets and health is not new. Magnet therapy has been mentioned in some of the earliest writings in Egypt, Greece, and India. Studies have shown that magnets can be an effective therapy for the relief of pain by blocking pain sensations. When magnetic fields are applied to an injured area, it can improve blood flow and oxygen to enhance the body’s natural healing process.

How Can Magnet Therapy Help You?

ChiSoft II Neck Traction with Magnet

$80.00 More Info

Magnetic therapy is a complementary and alternative medicine practice involving the use of static magnetic fields. Practitioners claim that subjecting certain parts of the body to magneto static fields provided by magnets has beneficial health effects.

Relief Tight Muscles and Pinched Nerves

The ChiSoft cervical neck traction device is indicated for tight muscles, pinched nerves, neck pain, tension headaches, osteoarthritis, swollen discs, straightening of the neck and for degenerative discs or joints. The user should consult a medical professional if preexisting conditions exist.

ChiSoft Neck Traction is comfortable and can be used anywhere The ChiSoft Cervical Neck Traction devise is an air-inflated neck-stretching device that treats most neck problems. This Air Neck Traction device is made up of lightweight soft rubber and covered with soft textile at the top and bottom, remaining portable and convenient for users on the go.

What is Spinal Traction?

Following article is taken from : about.com Back and Neck Pain

Question: What is Spinal Traction?

Answer:

Traction is a modality (treatment activity) sometimes given by physical therapists, chiropractors and other spine specialists to their patients. The purpose of traction is to apply a force that draws two adjacent bones apart from each other in order to increase their shared joint space. Traction also stretches the soft tissue that surrounds the joint. Traction may be given manually, by means of a device or via positioning.

In the spine, the elongation provided by traction allows facet joints to slide, increases circulation and relieves pressure on the spinal cord, its blood vessels and nerve roots.

Traction is sometimes given to people with spinal stenosis, as it helps to make space around the compressed spinal cord. In any case, the improved circulation has an added, indirect benefit of decreasing chemicals in damaged tissues brought about by inflammation. The movement at the joints may also contribute to the decrease of nervous excitability, which is another source of pain.

Traction may be given continuously for up to 10 minutes at a time or intermittently for up to 15 minutes. When weights are used in providing the force, the practitioner will start light and, over time, move up to 15 pounds. This experience is meant to provide relaxation to the patient, rather than more tension.

Although many people can attest to the fact that traction on the spine feels good, a 2005 review of medical literature by the Cochrane Back Group found that, by itself, traction really isn't effective for lower back pain. After looking at 25 high-quality studies, which investigated a total of more than 1,000 traction patients, researchers concluded that if you are using traction as the only treatment, there's really no difference in results between it and placebo. For certain types of neck problems, though, the use of traction is alive and well in clinical settings, as a complement to other treatment measures.

_{Sources:
Kendall, F.P., McCreary, E., Provance, P.G, Muscles: Testing and Function with Posture and Pain. 4th Edition. Williams & Wilkins. 1993. Baltimore, MD.
Kinser, C., Colby, L.A., Therapeutic Exercise: Foundations and Techniques. 4th Edition. F.A. Davis Company. Philadelphia, PA. 2002.
Clarke, J.A., van Tulder, M.W., Blomberg, S.E.I., deVet, H.C.W., van der Heijden, G.J.M.G., Bronfort, G., Bouter, L.M., Traction for low-back pain with or without sciatica. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2007, Issue 1. Art No: CD003010. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003010.pub4.
Braddock E, Greenlee J, Hammer RE, Johnson SF, Martello MJ, O'Connell MR, Rinzler R, Snider M, Swanson MR, Tain L, Walsh G. Manual medicine guidelines for musculoskeletal injuries. California: Academy for Chiropractic Education; 2007 Apr}