GET TO THE SOURCE OF YOUR PAIN WITHOUT MEDICATION Neck pain comes in many different forms. It may be acute or chronic, dull or sharp, but either way, it is frustrating and should be addressed. So why do so many of us ignore it, hoping it will go away on its own? Our bodies use pain as an indicator that there is an underlying disease, injury, problem, or condition. In fact, pain’s basic biological function is to alert you to an injury and keep you from further harm. What Causes Neck Pain? THE NECK, HEADACHE, & SHOULDER CONNECTION
The simple answer to this question is, it depends. In many cases, neck pain can be traced back to a single event or injury. Chronic neck pain can also happen when you sit slumped over your desk, have poor standing posture, drive a car or truck for a living, or repeatedly move your head in a certain motion for work. The Science Behind the Pain There are eight spinal nerves that branch off the spinal cord into the neck forming something called the Cervical Plexus . These nerves then have branches that end in different parts of your head, neck, and shoulders. That is why it is no surprise that someone experiencing neck pain also tends to experience a greater number of headaches that also tend to be severe. For some people, addressing neck pain may resolve many of their headache symptoms. However, this connection is not limited to pain in the neck. In fact, you do not necessarily have to be in a lot of pain in your neck to have more frequent and severe headaches. Your neck’s strength, range
of motion and flexibility can also impact your cervical plexus’ function. If you cannot move your neck from side to side, you tend to hold greater tension in your shoulders which, in turn, can lead to headaches. Likewise, if your neck muscles cannot hold your head in its proper position, you will tend to experience more pain in your head from the strain.
2 SHOULDER EXERCISES TO STAY NECK PAIN-FREE
Position yourself in front of a wall. Begin by lightly pushing forearms into the wall while sliding arms up. Make sure to keep your back flat. Raise your arms as high as you can without pain while keeping your shoulders down. Do the same when bringing them back down. This trains your body to raise the arms without substituting the neck muscles and strengthens the shoulders. 1
Simple shoulder and neck rolls are good starting points for getting your joints moving and muscles relaxed which can help to reduce pain. 2 Of course, self-testing at home just shows you where your body has limited movement, which may be causing your problems. We welcome you to schedule a Free Neck Pain Consultation with us for a more complete evaluation. Call us today at 345-943-8700.
www.thephysiotherapycenter.com
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online