Non Surgical Treatment Solutions for Neck Pain

Today’s blog post about neck pain treatment solutions comes from Dr. Bellinger’s monthly newsletter, In Good Hands.

There are many treatment options for those suffering from neck pain. There is conventional medical care where the family doctor will usually prescribe a muscle relaxant, anti-inflammatory, and/or pain killer to help patients through episodes of acute neck pain. However, many patients with neck pain have been through the process of treatments associated with medications and simply cannot tolerate the adverse side effects of stomach pain common with anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen (Advil, Nuprin, Mediprin, etc.), Aleve (Naproxen), or aspirin. Others don’t like the groggy, drunk-like feelings associated with pain killers or the sleepiness associated with muscle relaxants. Therefore, these patients often turn to complementary / alternative care.


As noted in the May, 2009 issue of Consumer’s Report for low back pain, chiropractic was the most sought after form of treatment, but there has been no extensive review of neck pain regarding evidence-based treatment approaches – at least not until February, 2008. An international “team” representing 9 countries screened over 31,000 titles of articles published between 1980 and 2006, reviewed more than 1200 articles and eventually reported on 552 studies in their final report. Their findings included the following:

• In the US, 54% utilized complementary (alternative) treatment approaches compared to 37% that obtained conventional medical care.
  
• Neck pain was the 2nd most common reason Americans obtained chiropractic care.
  
• Chiropractic was found to be the most frequently reported form of treatment for upper back or neck pain (ahead of massage therapy, relaxation therapy, acupuncture).
  
• Those who obtained complementary AND conventional medical care were much more likely to perceive the complementary/alternative therapy as being helpful (61% vs. 6.4% for neck conditions and 39.1% vs. 19% for headaches).
  
• Women more commonly obtained care than men for neck/shoulder pain (29% vs. 18% men) over a 4-6 year time frame.
  
• Manual therapy (mobilization, manipulation, stretching) was associated with greater pain reduction in the short-term among patients with acute whiplash when compared with usual medical care, soft collars, passive modalities, or general advice.
  
• For non-whiplash neck pain (without arm radiating pain), manipulation or mobilization, exercise, low level laser therapy (LLLT), and “…perhaps acupuncture…” were reported as more effective than no treatment, sham, or other alternative interventions.
  
• For both whiplash and non-traumatic neck pain, supervised exercise with or without manual therapy was favored over usual medical care or no care.
  

As you can see there are alternative treatments for neck pain. If you suffer from neck pain or upper back pain, seek chiropractic treatment. This includes a wide array of neck pain solutions: manipulation, mobilization, exercise training, and activity modifying advice, as these approaches have been found to be more effective than usual medical care! Why waste time with a “wait and watch” with or without drug intervention approach when the evidence favors chiropractic related interventions.


Additional Reading Resources

• Treatment for Neck Pain? FDA issues warning about pain killers: Tylenol, Percocet, & Vicoden
  
• The Top 10 Reasons for Neck Pain and How to Correct Them
  
• Why Posture Is the Window To your Health
  
• The Neck Pain and TMJ Connection
  
• Multiple Car Accidents Can Cause Major Changes in the Neck
  

Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief.

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Arc4life’s Spine-Worx Posture system helps maintain spinal alignment!

Your pillows have helped my neck but I still get some mid and lower back pain, what can I do?

A lot of the time fixing the neck will help the mid and lower back. Our spine all works together; our bodies are one big kinetic chain because. You know – our leg bone connects to our hip bone, our hip bone connects to our… I forget the actual rhyme but basically we are connected from our head to our toes.

It helps to correct the whole spine for faster recovery from pain. Correcting neck posture will often times help fix mid and lower back posture too. But it works in the reverse as well; correct the mid or low back alignment and it will help fix neck alignment issues.

For example, someone with sway back posture or a hyperlordosis (extra curve, individual looks like he or she lead with their belly) in the lumbar spine may develop forward head posture to compensate. Then the anterior head carriage cause the upper and mid back to hunch up.

The spine-worx posture align device is a great tool to help correct the low back and mid back issues that can lead to additional spine misalignments such as forward head. These misalignments are what cause neck and back pain by putting stress on our nerves.

Having optimal posture cannot be overstated- It allows your body to have the proper mobility, function and not to mention that it is healthy for your nervous system. In addition to getting regular chiropractic adjustments, doing exercise and using common sense during physical activity is important to maintain good posture. Arc 4 Life Is proud to introduce another posture tool that you can to realign your spine into its most natural position. Designed by a chiropractor, the Spine Worx Posture Align uses your body's own weight to apply controlled pressure to the spinal bones:

The Spine Worx Posture Align is only for the mid back and lower back area. The postural device works by gently aligning the bones in your midback or lower back into their natural positions. This helps to relieve back pain and improve your range of motion. With this back support system, you simply lie on Spine-Worx™ (see diagram below) your spine is pressed firmly against the length of its two unique padded and contoured rails, injection-molded to fit the natural shape of the thoracic and lumbar spine. Use just for one level or multiple levels.

The vertebrae in the spine are gradually and gently encouraged to realign into their natural positions, which helps to relieve mid back pain and lower back , while improving overall mobility.

Having Optimal Posture is the key to having good health. The Spine Worx Posture Align can help you do that.

Additional Reading Resources

• The Posture Worx Posture Align
  
• The Normal Cervical Curve in the Neck
  
• Why Posture Is the Window to your Health
  
• Why is Slouching so Bad for you
  
• The Dreaded Hunchback: How to Correct the Upper Back Area that pops out and looks funny
  

Visit Arc 4 Life for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products, lower back supports and cushions.



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Stop Progression of Disc Protrusions, Bulges, and Disc Degeneration...

The Cervical Traction Pillow Relieves Pressure in the neck, reduces pain, improves posture, and slows the process of degeneration of the discs in the neck.

By putting the neck back into alignment and taking pressure off the nerves, the neck can work like it should. This means the muscles, neck spinal bones, ligaments, tendons, nerves, and discs.

Visit Arc 4 Life.com for your online selection of all types of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief.


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Poor Neck Posture Puts Pressure On Your Discs

Forward Head Posture is on of the most common misalignments out there, but there are other common neck abnormalities like head tilt and a neck that is shifted laterally. THEY ALL PUT EXTRA PRESSURE ON THE DISCS!

This spine is built in a way that it can withstand various forces on it such as gravity pushing down, turning, jumping, twisting, etc…

Any shift in the spine, whether it’s forward head or another misaligned posture, puts increased pressure on the spine and discs makingyour chance of getting neck pain or problems greater.

Use one of our neck pillows to align your neck preventing pain, poor neck posture, and disc degeneration. Our most popular pillow is the Cervical Linear Traction Neck Pillow. Read what others have said about the Traction Pillow.


Visit Arc4life.com for neck pain solutions: get better sleep and better posture with our products.


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Back Pain and Neck Pain Due to Fibromyalgia: Can Diet Make A Difference?

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a complex condition that includes widespread symptoms of muscle and joint pain, where everything seems to ache and is associated with severe exhaustion and fatigue. It can cause pain in the shoulders, neck, low back, hips, or other areas. Other symptoms such as sleep disturbances, sensitivity to touch, genitourinary symptoms are common as well. It affects up to 4% of the population, woman greater than men, with no known cause or known cure. With these facts, it’s not surprising that many sufferers have turned to diet as a means of trying to improve their quality of life. Unfortunately, there are many conflicting dietary recommendations for FM, some completely contradicting the other, leaving the patient and doctor confused as to who or what to believe.

FM can be primary (of unknown cause) or secondary (caused by a different specific condition). Because many conditions can give rise to FM, it’s not surprising that there is no one diet that works universally for all FM patients. However, many FM sufferers respond from eliminating one or more of several types of foods according to experts interviewed by WebMD, and utilizing these recommendations can prove highly effective. They specifically identified 7 foods to avoid in the management of FM, which include the following:

1. Aspartame (NutraSweet): All of the experts interviewed by WebMD agreed a large majority of FM patients could worsen by eating or drinking foods sweetened by aspartame.
   
2. MSG (monosodium glutamine) and nitrates: MSG is a common additive to enhance flavor in many processed and frozen foods as well as in some Asian (eg., Chinese) foods. Hence, lunchmeats like ham, bologna and bacon should be avoided.
   
3. Sugar, fructose, and simple carbohydrates: Though no study has clearly identified that these foods directly worsen the symptoms in FM patients, eliminating foods like cake, white bread and sugar in general, will decrease the risk of developing secondary conditions such as yeast infections that can give rise to FM. Eliminating foods with high levels of fructose corn syrup has been reported to help some FM patients.
   
4. Caffeine (coffee, tea, colas/soda, chocolate): After a brief stimulating effect (energy boost), there is a longer lasting sedative affect, which is amplified in FM patients. The good news is that most of the caffeine is out of the body within a week of discontinuing use.
   
5. Yeast and glutens: These two are not related but are frequently used together in foods like cake, donuts and bread and both contribute to FM symptoms. Yeast gives rise to yeast fungus where an overgrowth may cause or exacerbate FM symptoms resulting in joint and muscle pain. Glutens can cause stomach and other GI problems, which in turn can give rise to fatigue.
   
6. Dairy: Regardless if its low or high fat, some reports indicate that dairy products, particularly milk can increase the symptoms of FM and avoiding these can help.
   
7. Nightshade plants: Tomatoes, chili and bell peppers, potatoes and eggplant can trigger flare-ups of FM and various forms of arthritis.
   

Some GOOD diet approaches include a heart-healthy diet – that is, one that is low in saturated fat and includes lean meats; poultry, fresh fruits and vegetables. This diet improves one’s overall health, thus reducing the risk of secondary FM and allowing the body to better fight off other disease processes. This diet is also anti-inflammatory, the common link found in many health conditions. A vegetarian diet comprised of mostly whole foods was also reported as helpful. High potency vitamin supplement and specifically Omega 3 fatty acids (main ingredients – EPA & DHA) included in fish oil, flax seed, walnuts, some fortified cereals, and eggs also help reduce inflammation.

Additional Reading Resources

• Choosing the Right Neck Pillow for Sleeping
  
• Exercise for Neck Pain Works, Study Shows
  
• The Emotional Impact of Neck Pain: Study Shows that Depression and Anxiety Play a Role
  
• Chronic Pain Causes Shrinkage in the Brain
  
• Review For the Cervical Traction Neck Pillow (Cervical Traction)
  

Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief.


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10 Problems with your Chair that Can Contribute to Lower Back Pain

If you work with a computer constantly, drive long distances, or are sitting on the telephone talking to your clients all day, this next blog post will be beneficial for you.

There is a technique of sitting, and your chair has a lot to do with it.

When you sit in a chair, your muscles should be relaxed, and you should have good posture while you sit. An ergonomically correct chair will work with you to ensure that you are sitting correctly and are pain free by the end of the day. Sitting in an ill-fitting chair puts added stress to your body. It can cause fatigue and strain to your muscles. A great chair will allow your body to relax and give you support when your posture is not at its best.

1. Not using a Lumbar Support- this causes added stress to the lower bck. A Lumbar Support is often “C”shaped to conform to the curves of your lumbar spine. A Lumbar Support allows you have the correct lumbar lordosis in your back. There are so many lumbar supports out there with a common goal of making sure you have good posture when you sit. For an office chair lumbar support, try the SitBack Rest. It has slight wings that will hold your midback area in place along with giving you a lordosis in the lumbar spine. If you want something that is less bulky, you can try the SlimRest Back Cushion which is ideal for automobiles. You can also get lumbar support cushions for which you control how much pressure and support you want for your lower back: The Inflatable lumbar support cushion. Recently, we introduced our readers to a back rest that provides ice or heat therapies while you sitting. If you suffer from chronic lower back pain, this back rest has a spot for hot or cold therapy pack- This sitback rest PLUS is very convenient and handy.
   Watch Arc4life's YouTube Video about how to use a lumbar cushion here:
   
   
2. The arm rests are not at the right level. If your armrest is too high or too low they can cause discomfort while you are sitting. Your elbows should reach the arm rests, therefore decreasing the stress on your shoulder muscles. Ideally, your arms should be flexed 75-90 degrees for optimal posture.
   
3. Back rest is scooped in the upper portion of the chair. The backrest should be flat in the upper portion. This can cause you to lean forward or slouch, which is not good for back posture. A chair with a flat back will ensure that as the day progresses and you get more tired, your posture stays in good form.
   
4. Back rest is too vertical
   
5. Backrest is too short
   
6. Jack knifing effect at the hips and knees.This position can exaggerate the curve in the lumbar spine which increase pressure on the lower back muscles and ligaments, creating pain and discomfort. Your knees should be even with your knees or slightly elevated for good posture.
   
7. High front edge of the seat. This can decrease circulation to the legs and feet
   
8. Seat Bottom is too soft in the center. This creates a “bucket effect”- this effect places more stress and load on your outer thighs, instead of the bony joints of your buttocks.
   
9. Feet are not in the right position when sitting. Make sure that when you are sitting, your feet are touching the floor flat. If you are uncomfortable with this, use a foot rest or even a phone book to elevate your feet.
   
10. Overall chair size is not right for you. If you are petite person an over size chair is not going to help you or be comfortable.

Making changes to how we sit can be difficult and discomforting at first. It can even cause soreness because your body is not used to changing the way our muscles are being used. However the effort put into making sure you have good posture while sitting is well worth it. You back will thank you in the long term.

Source: Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction, by Travell and Simons

Photo Source: Joanie Malone


Additional Resources:

• How to treat tight muscles in the lower back
  
• Promote proper posture with the posture correction: no more slouching
  
• The Inflatable Lumbar Back Rest
  
• How to Prevent Neck Pain At Your Desk Job
  
• Components of A Comfortable Work Station
  
• How to Properly wear a lumbar Support Belt for Moderate- Severe Lower back pain
  

Visit Arc 4 Life for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products, lower back supports and cushions.



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The Neck Pain and TMJ Connection

Today’s blog post comes from Dr. Matt Bellinger’s Chiropractic newsletter that he mails to his patients monthly. A chiropractor in Glastonbury, Dr. Bellinger is dedicated to treating chronic conditions such as neck pain and lower back pain.

If you have ever suffered with jaw pain, then you also suffered with neck pain as well. The two are structurally related as we shall see.

The jaw (frequently referred to as the TMJ) is associated with neck function, especially the upper cervical vertebrae. The muscles that move the jaw/TMJ are largely innervated by the 5th cranial nerve, also called the trigeminal nerve. Several studies have found that when stimulating structures innervated by the trigeminal nerve, neck and/or jaw pain was created and vise versa.

Similarly, patients with jaw problems (called temporomandibular dysfunction or, TMD) often report neck pain. When we open our mouth wide, head-neck extension always occurs followed by head-flexion when we close the jaw. Hence, the neck is always moving when we chew, yawn, talk, and clench our teeth. In fact, all of these every day activities result in jaw, head, neck motion extending from the base of the skull and first cervical vertebra (occiput-C1) and continues down through the entire cervical spine.

This was investigated in a study where the relationship between neck symptoms, jaw function – specifically active mouth opening, and pressure pain sensitivity in a trigeminal nerve innervated region after a spinal manipulation was applied to the upper neck vertebrae. Here, 37 female patients with neck pain were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups (control and experimental) and, before and after treatment, exams of mouth opening and pressure pain levels were measured. The group receiving the upper neck manipulation showed a significant increase in active mouth opening motion as well as improved pressure pain tolerance compared to the control/non-manipulation group in a sample of woman with neck pain.

This study is very important as many people suffer from neck pain, headaches and TMD. In order to properly treat these patients, one must focus on multiple regions, not just the neck area. It has been demonstrated when we bite down, there is a corresponding tightening of two important muscles in the neck and upper back region.

Similarly, studies show relaxation of muscles in the neck, upper back and TMJ after spinal manipulation to the neck is applied. Injuries to the TMJ are common but often not pursued by patients as often they’ll say, “my jaw clicks and snaps but I don’t think about it much.”

Additional Reading Resources

• More Americans Using Alternative Therapies for Pain Relief
  
• Severe Neck Pain From A Herniated Disc: What are your treatment options
  
• When a Little Car Accident Can Cause A lot of Pain
  
• Studies About Neck Pain
  
  

Photo Source: New England Dental

Visit Arc 4 Life for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products, lower back supports and cushions.


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