Newsletter for Georgialina Physical Therapy
HEALTH & WELLNESS The Newsletter About Your Health and Caring for Your Body
STAY A NECK AHEAD OF YOUR CHRONIC PAIN FIND RELIEF WITH PHYSICAL THERAPY
GEORGIALINAPT.COM
HEALTH & WELLNESS The Newsletter About Your Health and Caring for Your Body INSIDE: Stay a Neck Ahead of Your Chronic Pain • Is Your Neck Pain Caused By Sleep Issues? • Need a Reason for Spring Cleaning? • Your Health In Mind
GEORGIALINAPT.COM 706-993-2260
STAY A NECK AHEAD OF YOUR CHRONIC PAIN
Neck pain can be both debilitating and terrifying. When you experience an injury that leaves your neck in severe pain, the thought of not being able to freely turn your head is overwhelmingly stressful. What’s more, the pain itself is unbearable, and since the neck is so sensitive to injury, it is important to be as careful as possible in finding treatment and solutions for the pain. It is incredible to realize how common neck pain is — especially among American adults! More than two-thirds of U.S. adults will develop neck pain at least once in their life, and the reasons for the neck pain are as varied as the population of the nation itself. Injury, muscle strain and even stress can cause significant pain in the neck and upper back. If you aren’t careful, a neck injury can lead to chronic pain, and it is even possible for chronic headaches like migraines to develop as a result of regular neck pain. There are a lot of different ways that you can relieve neck pain, but the best treatment for your personal needs depends entirely on the type of injury that you’ve experienced.
In some cases, mechanical neck pain can develop as a result of a change in the neck joints. This may develop as a result of a disc collapsing, which causes the space between the bones to become narrow, often causing bones to strike one another, resulting in pain. When this isn’t addressed, mechanical neck pain can spread, causing the pain to become more severe and covering a wider range of the neck. Finally, neck pain is sometimes caused by radiculopathy, which refers to pressure or irritation in the nerves of the neck, which alters the electrical signals in the neck, causing you to feel more pain throughout the day. Physical therapy can help reduce the pressure and irritation surrounding the nerves, often offering immediate relief from pain and discomfort. These are just some of the frequent causes of neck pain. It is important that you never assume that your neck pain is being caused by one or another of these issues, and that you instead always work with a licensed and experienced physical therapist to determine the precise cause of your pain and discomfort.
Here is a quick breakdown of what could be going on to cause your neck pain: If your pain is developing gradually over time and is not the result of any particular injury that comes to mind, then it may be a result of degenerative disc disease. When this develops, you may experience chronic neck pain as a result of fluid-filled sacs that are becoming weakened over time as a result of stress and strain. Physical therapy can help alleviate the pain from degenerative disc disease by helping restore blood circulation and improve range of motion in the neck. This therapy is approached in a careful and deliberate way so as to not cause further pain in the neck region. Sometimes, neck pain develops after a particular injury, such as due to accident or even as a result of a car accident or a slip and fall accident. When this happens, your pain could be a result of a muscle strain or sprain. When this is the case, then using traditional methods like hot and cold therapy and targeted physical therapy treatment can do a lot of good to alleviate the pain. However, attempting exercises on your own could also result in further pain.
EXERC I SE ESSENT I ALS USE THIS EXERCISE TO RELIEVE NECK PAIN Levator Scapulae Stretch (Overpressure) Source Saxbe, DE and Repetti, R. “No place like home: home tours correlate with daily patterns of mood and cortisol.” Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. January 2010. Accessed 4 April 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/pubmed/19934011. DECLUTTER AND DO A GOOD DEED BY DONATING. An essential part of a successful spring cleaning is getting rid of old items that are no longer used or worn. Apply the rule of thumb that if you haven’t made use of something in a year, it’s time for it to go. Fill bags and boxes of things, then donate them to a local charity so they can still be beneficial to someone else. Giving to others is an act that is associatedwith greater self-esteem, lower stress levels, and overall happiness. NEED A REASON FOR SPRING CLEANING? HERE’S THREE! ALLERGYSYMPTOMREDUCTION. A thorough cleaning can greatly reduce the amount of dust in your home, which is helpful considering about 20 million Americans are allergic to dust mites according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. CLEANLINESS PRODUCES HAPPINESS. Maybe you don’t enjoy the process of cleaning, but the end result will leave you smiling. A 2010 study at the University of California, Los Angeles even found that having a clean home can improve your mood and reduce your risk of depression.
IS YOUR NECK PAIN CAUSED BY SLEEP ISSUES?
There is one more factor that often is not spoken about, but it’s a frequent cause of neck pain and discomfort: sleeping issues. Sometimes, sleeping in a certain position or sleeping on a mattress or pillow that is too soft or too hard will lead to neck pain. Oftentimes, this pain will appear to be chronic, as the sleeping issue is likely something that you experience day after day, causing the pain to return regularly.
It may be helpful to rule out sleeping concerns as a reason behind your neck pain by assessing your sleeping conditions and making any changes that you think may be necessary. Adjust how many pillows you sleep on, the position you sleep in or even your mattress! For more support in finding relief from neck pain, talk to your physical therapist.
KEEPING YOUR HEALTH IN MIND Georgialina Physical Therapy is committed to your health and wellbeing. In the wake of the recent spread of COVID-19, we are taking every precaution. Before and after every session, we are asking our clients and staff to wash or sanitize their hands. Additionally, we have increased the number of times per day that we sanitize our equipment and facilities. We ask that if you are demonstrating symptoms of coronavirus—coughing, fever, or trouble breathing—please stay home and contact your physician. If you have been exposed to someone who has a confirmed case of the virus, please notify us immediately, so we can take necessary steps. You can help prevent the spread of coronavirus by:
Sit in a chair with the hand on the side of the neck to be stretched beneath you. (Alternatively, you can grab under the chair.) Use your free hand to gently pull your nose down toward your armpit so as to give your neck an extra stretch. Hold on that position for 10 seconds, or until the pain dissipates. Repeat as needed. Good stretch to use if you sit at a computer all day.
Exercises copyright of
Cleaning Hands Often
Avoid Touching Your Face
Staying Home If You Are Sick
Always consult your physical therapist or physician before starting exercises you are unsure of.
TRY THIS HEALTHY RECIPE Dairy Free Ranch Salad Dressing & Dip
SUCCESS STORIES FROM OUR PATIENTS
My favori te therapist was
Zac. He was really fun to work with and knew all about my injury. ”
– M. V.
Ingredients • 1cup raw, unsaltedcashew pieces • ¼cupplain, unsweetened, almondmilk (or leaveout if youwant a thicker dip) • 1clovegarlic,minced
• 3Tablespoons chives, chopped • 3Tablespoonsparsley, chopped • 3 teaspoons rawapplecider vinegar • Seasalt to taste
Directions Place the cashews in water and soak overnight in the fridge. Drain and rinse the nuts, the place them in a blender or food processor with the almond milk, garlic, and vinegar. Blend 1-2 minutes adding water as needed to get the consistency you want. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend on low another minute. Recipe from: http://ournutritionkitchen.com/salads/dairy-free-ranch- salad-dressing-dip/
Justin and Nichole were very patient and thorough. They helped me improve my movement and strength
without pain. ” – N. D.
WE HAVE MOVED! Our Martinez, GA location has moved just down the street to 415 Fury’s Ferry Rd. This newly constructed state-of-the-art Rehab facility was designed with patient care in mind and will offer specialized services such as Women’s Pelvic Floor Therapy and Aquatic Physical Therapy.
706-993-2260 GEORGIALINAPT.COM
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