CHRONIC NECK PAIN: A WOMAN’S PROBLEM? OUR PTS ARE HERE TO HELP
Did you know that chronic neck pain is more common in women than men, especially older women? The same is true for chronic low back pain. Our team learned about this last year when a study of more than 22,000 people was published in the journal Pain Medicine. It’s fascinating stuff and it definitely backs up what we’ve seen here in our clinic. Neck pain is one of the most common problems we treat. Sometimes it’s chronic, and other times we can point to a cause like whiplash, arthritis, post-surgical fusion, degenerative disc disease (which is 1.38 times more common in women than men), or a pinched nerve. Whatever the cause, physical therapy is one of the best treatment options out there. Unlike other neck pain treatments including drugs, surgery, and epidural infections, PT doesn’t cost an arm and a leg or have nasty side effects. Plus, clinical research has proven that PT is an effective treatment for neck pain — even when it’s chronic.
focus on getting the range of motion you need back in your neck, then we’ll strengthen and stabilize it! A few of our favorite tactics are gentle hands-on techniques (to help you relax), joint mobilization (to decrease stiffness), and ice, heat, and electrical stimulation (to decrease your pain). Researchers aren’t 100% certain why women are more likely to experience chronic neck pain and degenerative disc disease than men. But they do have theories! A popular one is that women are more sensitive to pain because they have more nerve fibers per square centimeter of skin than men do. One study found that women averaged 34 nerve fibers per square centimeter on their faces, for example, while men averaged 17! Another theory is that the hormonal differences between the sexes have something to do with it. Every year, new studies uncover more about our biology that could lead to answers. We’ll keep you in the loop on what we learn! If you’re struggling with neck pain, don’t resign yourself to a new normal. Call us today and let us help you with PT.
If you come to see us with neck pain, our first priority will be to decrease your discomfort. After that, we’ll
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Simple Bok Choy Chicken Soup
Is the chill of winter lingering? A hot bowl of this Asian-inspired soup will warm you right up! Our recipe makes 4–5 servings. DIRECTIONS 1. In a medium saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil. 2. Stir in red pepper flakes, soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlic. 3. Add bok choy leaves and rotisserie chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the bok choy is dark green and tender. 4. Enjoy with slices of your favorite whole-wheat bread!
INGREDIENTS • 3 cups chicken broth • 1 tsp red pepper flakes • 2 tsp soy sauce • 2 tsp sesame oil • 1 garlic clove, chopped • 10 leaves bok choy, thinly sliced • 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
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