Is a flat or fluffy pillow better for someone who has neck and shoulder pain?

A Flat pillow is not good, and too fluffy is not good either. You want to get a pillow that is going to give you proper support in your cervical spine when you sleep.The best suggestion would be to get a pillow that has a roll on it- that way you can support the head neck properly. Yes, these types of cervical pillows can take a while to get used to, but they are very effective. I am not a big fan of the temper pedic type pillows because they do not give you the proper support in your neck, plus they are temperature sensitive. I have used the cervical traction neck pillow from www.arc4life.com- its a good pillow- read their testimonials to see how people with different neck conditions have been helped.

Part 4: Reducing Whiplash injuries by 90% - just by changing one thing in your car

Whiplash injuries can cause chronic neck pain and discomfort for years after an incident. It may appear to be a simple back and forth motion at the time of the accident, but the symptoms associated with whiplash are very serious and long lasting.

Dr. Brian Stemper, Ph.D., a biomedical engineer at the Medical College of Wisconsin has studied whiplash injuries for over 10 years. He is researching ways to improve the risks associated with whiplash by working directly with car maker to reduce injuries associated with rear end collisions. Dr. Stemper states that the top of
your head restraint should be about even with the top of your head or as high as
you can get it, depending on how tall you are. Ideally, you should have the head
restraint as close to the back of your head as possible.

"You want to set your head restraints so that it's very close to the back of your head," he explained. "Each time drivers and passengers get in a car, they should be sure the head restraint is correctly positioned to minimize injuries."

Dr. Stemper created a mathematical computer model of the head and neck and studied it using simulated rear-end collisions. The computer response was examined in 57 different measures of realistic spinal motion. The model can be used to determine quantifiable data on soft tissue distortions in humans. As Dr. Stemper explains, the model shows that "auto head restraints positioned less than 2.4 inches from the back of the head kept ligament stretch within the physiologic range." Simply going by these guidelines, many acceleration- deceleration (whiplash type accidents) can be could be prevented. It is when the restraint distance goes beyond 2.4 inches that whiplash occurs.

Head rest position is crucial, because when the head rest is too low and far back, injury is more likely to occur.
By placing the rest level with the top of your head and two inches or less from the back of it, head movement is reduced and whiplash prevented.
Next time you get in your car, check the position of your headrest, and don't forget your seatbelt either !
Read more about Whiplash in our Special Whiplash series:
Part 1: Can whiplash cause shoulder pain?
Part 2: How does Whiplash Occur?
Part 3: What Symptoms are associated with a whiplash type injury
Visit us on the web at Arc4life.com

How to reduce the chances of getting a stiff neck...

A Stiff Neck.... Horrible especially when you wake up in the morning and realize that it is going to be one painful day. You are stiff, your neck hurts, you cannot turn your head, even brushing your teeth hurts. We get questions about how to treat a stiff neck all the time. Today, I want to talk about how to reduce the chances of getting a stiff neck. I speak from experience and from emails that i have received from customers in pain...

1. Don't use too many pillows when you sleep - It is not healthy to sleep with 3-4 pillows under your neck. Why would you do that? The goal is not to read in bed, but to SLEEP comfortably in your bed. Plus it puts your neck in an uncomfortable position, creating tension in the muscles and nerve irritation
   
2. Don't sleep on your stomach or in an awkward position - Granted some nights you have had a few extra drinks, maybe your passed out wherever you ended up- Lying on the couch or sprawled out on your bed on your stomach is not healthy for your neck. If you put your neck in that twisted position for 8 hours (maybe longer), you are putting undue pressure on your neck structures and your head. Furthermore, sleeping on your stomach distorts the pelvis and results in excessive strain on the joints, muscles and nerves of your lower back.
   
   
3. Finally, treat sleep as an important part of your day- With proper sleep comes proper rest and healing for your body. Is is worth it for you to take a few extra steps to make sure your body is ready for a good nights sleep? I think so- its better than being in pain all day, not being able to check your blind spot, that's for sure.
   So get a good neck pillow to start. One solution is to get a good neck pillow for sleeping. Try to get a pillow with an indentation in the middle (this is where your head will rest). A good cervical support pillow and will put your neck into the proper position for sleeping, on your side or on your back. Then even if you do toss and turn, your neck will not be sore and stiff in the morning. So first things first, get a good cervical support pillow. Check out the cervical traction neck pillow at http://www.arc4life.com/ for a start. Here is great news article about how to choose the right neck pillow for you. Finally, think about doing some neck stretches in the morning. Cervical exercises are good for posture, keeping your neck flexible, and maintaining good range of motion.
   
   

Part 3: What Symptoms are associated with a whiplash type injury?

A Whiplash injury often occurs in an instant, often in the blink of an eye- but the symptoms associated with whiplash can last for a long time- sometimes many months and even years. Often times, the patient thinks that the symptoms will go away on their own and not do any type of treatment. This can result in chronic pain. As we mentioned in our last blog post (What Causes Whiplash?), many times whiplash occurs with a rear end motor vehicle collision. Symptoms can be neck pain, headaches, dizziness, memory problems, unsteadiness, fatigue and lower back pain, according to the Spine Research Institute of San Diego. Many times, symptoms do not show up immediately after the accident, but 24 to 48 hours later. The primary symptoms of a whiplash injury include stiffness in the neck, muslce spasms, shoulder pain as well a decrease in the range of motion of the neck. More seriously, whiplash can affect something that cannot be seen- the soft tissues of the cervical spine and cause spinal cord injury; it is therefore very important to seek professional treatment and to take the right steps to prevent future whiplash injuries. This one simple quick jerking of your head can cause a lot of unforeseen pain in the future, affecting many aspects of your life.

Read more about Whiplash in our Special Whiplash series:
Part 1: Can whiplash cause shoulder pain?
Part 2: How does Whiplash Occur?
Visit us on the web at arc4life.com
Photo by Flickr: Cayusa

Part 2: How does Whiplash Occur?

Whiplash is also known as Cervical Acceleration Deceleration or (CAD). It often occurs with a rear end collison which causes the vehicle to move forward from the impact. When this occurs the torso is shoved back into the seat, which loads the seatback. As a result, both the neck and head rise upwards, coming in contact with the headrest. Due to the position of the headrest, whiplash can occur. According to Dr. Brian Stemper (a Biomedical engineer at the Medical College of Wisconsin) "Whiplash injuries occur before the head rotates as its moving backward relative to the thorax; the key is the relationship between the head and the chest, Injuries tend to occur in the beginning phases of a car accident, he added, and women are five to percent more susceptible to the injury because of the flexibility in their cervical spines."

Read more about Whiplash in our Special Whiplash series:
Part 1: Can whiplash cause shoulder pain?
Visit us on the web at arc4life.com

How often should I replace my pillow?

Well, at Arc4life we received this frantic phone call last week from Teah, a previous customer who had ordered a cervical traction neck pillow 4 years ago from us- Teah’s question: When should I replace my pillow?

Well your pillow should replaced every 1-2 years- but it really depends on how you take care of it. If you spill liquids on your pillow, or put your damp hair on the pillow - than you will need to replace it sooner. For a pillow that is used every night, hair and natural body oils can soak into the pillow fabric and filling night after night. This can make it more susceptible to odor-causing bacteria and dust mites which can trigger allergies. If your pet chiwawa shares your pillow with you, you will need to replace it sooner.

To protect your pillow, replace your pillow case often and use protectors to double the life of your favorite night time pillow. Wash your pillow according to the manufacturers directions.

Replace your pillow and it will take care of you and your neck. Here is an email we received from Teah one week after she received her new cervical traction neck pillow:

“I just received my second cervical pillow and I am soooooo happy. I was wondering why my neck was starting to hurt again and I finally realized that I needed a new cervical pillow. The last one I purchased was in 2004! Well, I was right, I slept perfectly last night on my new pillow. It is truly amazing and a blessing to all who use it. People look at me like I'm nuts when I tell them about it. People are used to being disappointed by products they try, but not this one. I cannot take painkillers due to another condition and to find something that is just as good and better for you - that truly is a gift from heaven! Thank you so much for all you do!!!!”
T.P, August 6, 2008

Well it’s the 8th day of August, at the 8th hour in the magnificent year of 2008- time to enjoy the opening ceremonies from Beijing !


Visit us at Arc4life.com for the best selection of neck pillows for better sleep and better posture. - NJ

How does a TENS Unit work for Pain Relief?

Pain comes from electroechemical impulses relaying the pain message. A TENS unit interrupts this pathway. T.E.N.S stands for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. It is often used to treat low back pain and neck pain. Tens units use a low voltage electrical current to induce pain relief.
How the Tens Units blocks the pain signal
The Tens unit electrodes are taped to the body part that is in pain. For example, if you are having pain in your neck, specifically in the trapezius muscle- you would place the electrode on the trapezius muscle. The electrodes are hooked up the power unit which is about the size of a pocket radio.
There are two types of nerve fibers that come into play: large nerve fibers, and small nerve fibers. Pain signals travels along small nerve fibers. The large nerve fibers are also knows as the nociceptive fibers because they do not tranmit pain. The electrode tranmits electrical current along these fibers. The tens units works by preventing these small nerve fibers from reaching the brain by stimulating the large nerve fibers. The large nerve fibers "close the gate" in the spinal cord, thus giving pain relief. This is the basis of the "gate control theory of pain" whereby called nonnociceptive fibers can interfere with signals from pain fibers, thereby inhibiting pain.

Some tens units have high and low currents. The high current shuts the pain gate and the low frequency current stimulates the nerve that trigger the release of endorphins, the body's natural pain killers.


Tens units can be used at home by the patient directly and they have minimal side effects. If you wear a pacemaker check with your Dr before using a tens unit as this may interfere with its function. Click here to get more information about TENS Units.

Can Whiplash of the Neck cause shoulder pain?

Whiplash injuries can cause many different symptoms beyond the usual neck pain that most people associate it with. Pain, dizziness, headaches, fatigue are other possible symptoms. Depending on the type and velocity of a collision, other body parts can get injured such as the midback, hips, and even the shoulder. According to one study published in the Journcal of Orthopedic Surgery, out of 220 patients with whiplash, 26% suffered shoulder symptoms- and 5% suffered an impingement syndrome.

An impingement syndrome arises because of referred pain from the neck and nerve injury to the muscles that stabilize the shoulder. These shoulder muscles include the rotator cuff muscles. The rotator cuff is formed by the tendons of 4 muscles: teres minor, subscapularis, supraspinatus and infraspinatus. Direct trauma can also occur from the pressure supplied by a seatbelt during a front end collision. Cartilage damage and muscle sprains can occut. Furthermore, the acromium
can affect the tendons of the rotator cuff muscles and other soft tissues just under this bone. Finally, there are bursa (fluid filled sacs) surrounding the shoulder which can become swelled, causing pain at night. The pressure within the rotator cuff muscles increases, which results in compression and loss of blood flow in the smaller blood vessels. This reduction of blood flow causes the muscle tissue begins to fray like a rope. Activities such as reaching up behind the back and reaching up overhead to put on a shirt can cause pain.

Sometimes whiplash sufferers have shoulder pain which is thought to stem from the neck; therefore an impingement syndrome can often be overlooked. If these muscles are injured for a long period of time, the muscle can actually tear in two, resulting in a rotator cuff tear. This creates a weakness in the shoulder and it is difficult to complete simple tasks as elevating ones shoulder. This can delay proper treatment, thus causing chronic pain, and possibly disability.

You should have a proper history, consultation and phsyical examination to determine if you have an impingement syndrome. One diagnostic tool is via a shoulder MRI. It can show if the labrum (cartilage surrounding the bone) can break way causing pain. Inflammation of the surrounding tendons can also occur.

So when you have whiplash and shoulder pain- think of other things that can be causing the pain in your shoulder.

Source: Subacromial Impingement in Patients with whiplash injury to the cervical spine; Journal of Orthopedic Surgery 2008;3:25, Abbassian A. Giddins GE.