If you really had to narrow down the frustrations that come with dealing with chronic pain, perhaps the single largest frustration would be having to deal with the pain day after day. Chronic pain has a way of interfering with the most basic activities. Getting out of bed and driving to work can become a challenge, as can sitting in a desk chair all day, or attempting to pick up your child when he or she is upset. Some of these tasks are more difficult to get around than are others, and, depending on how the pain is impacting your life, the stress of having to go through extra steps to make basic things happen can really get out of hand.
The Pittman CONNECTION The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body
Finding Relief from Neck Pain and Headaches
Also Inside: Complimentary Workshops • Patient Success Spotlights Are You Hurting Your Neck While You Sleep? • Exercise Essentials
The Pittman CONNECTION The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body
pittmanpt.com
The Ideal Treatment For Headaches and Neck Pain Relief for Radiating Neck Pain and Headaches
If you really had to narrow down the frustrations that come with dealing with chronic pain, perhaps the single largest frustration would be having to deal with the pain day after day. Chronic pain has a way of interfering with the most basic activities. Getting out of bed and driving to work can become a challenge, as can sitting in a desk chair all day, or attempting to pick up your child when he or she is upset. Some of these tasks are more difficult to get around than are others, and, depending on how the pain is impacting your life, the stress of having to go through extra steps to make basic things happen can really get out of hand. Neck pain is one of those types of pain that is difficult to work around. Pain in the neck and back will frequently begin to radiate the longer it hangs around, and that could mean shooting pain up your neck and back, all the way into the base of your skull. Once neck pain begins to turn into headaches, attempting to concentrate at work can become exceedingly difficult. What Causes Neck Pain? There are a large number of culprits that could be behind your experience of neck pain, including accidents, such as a car accident or a slip-and-fall accident, as well as sporting injuries. The reason why neck pain frequently becomes so severe is due to the fact that blood vessels have to pass through your neck to reach the head. A spasm in the neck muscles could lead to constricted blood circulation, and therefore migraine headaches. What’s worse, since the neck is connected to the spinal column and therefore connected to the nervous system, pain in the neck can quickly develop into tingling or numbness in the hands, arms and fingers, which can be uncomfortable and frustrating when you are going about daily tasks. When neck pain develops as a result of a pinched nerve, the radiating neck pain can result in severe headaches, and in some cases, even migraine headaches. The pinched nerve can cause pain to radiate from the neck into the skull and can cause a disruption to typical nerve patterns. Working with a physical therapist can help you address pain caused by a pinched nerve, and therefore can reduce the severity of headaches that develop as a result of neck pain. Look inside to see how we can help relieve your neck pain and headaches through our physical therapy and personal training programs.
How Physical Therapy Can Help Neck Pain The good news is that there is actually a lot that you can do to support the healthy operation of your neck, thereby reducing the severity or frequency of your neck pain. Working with a physical therapist is the best way to address neck pain.
During physical therapy, your neck pain will be addressed holistically, taking into consideration the initial injury that may have caused the pain to develop, but also any other habits, movements or compensations that may be contributing to the discomfort. Physical therapy takes advantage of strategies like massage, stretching and muscle training to reduce neck pain, and many of these strategies can be adopted in part at home or on the-go to help you address your neck pain when it is bothering you the most. Adopting healthier habits can have a big impact on your management of neck pain. These include: • Practicing improved posture • Wearing recommended footwear • Using lumbar support in your desk chair or car • Exercising regularly • Engaging in regular stretching, like yoga One of the primary goals of physical therapy is to address whole-body well-being by encouraging improved overall health. In many situations, this includes improved flexibility and range-of-motion training, muscle building and strength training, and even in some cases, encouragement with cardiovascular activities and weight loss.
At the end of the day, the best way to be free of neck pain is to prevent neck pain fromdeveloping, and working with a physical therapist can help you in this regard, as well. The tasks that you do every day can build up over time and cause a lot of stress on your body, and the neck and shoulders are some of the most common places to carry that stress. You may not even realize the impact that simple tasks that you do every day have on your body and your experience of pain. Things like driving, lifting heavy objects — like packages at the
front door or even your groceries — and repetative movements like hunching over a keyboard at work can all seriously impact your neck pain. The longer you let neck pain linger and disrupt your life, the more difficult it becomes to treat. If you experience an injury, the smart thing to do is to consult a physical therapist soon after the pain develops. Call us at 901-850-5246 and learn more about how we can help you with your neck pain.
Do you want a natural solution to your pain? Gain your freedom from pain medication and avoid costly surgery with physical therapy!
We can help you: Naturally relieve aches and pain. Increase your strength. Be more active with your friends and family.
FREE PAIN ANALYSIS We can help you feel better naturally with a
• Cost Effective • Non-invasive • Safe & Natural • State-of-the-art facilities Features of Physical Therapy:
Have more energy. Feel better at work.
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Patient Success Spotlights
“They made sure I don’t have any more pain.” “Helen and Mitch were a wonderful team and helped decrease the pain in my hip. They gave me strategies and stretches to complete at home to continue my recovery and assure I don’t have any more pain. Helen made sure to look at everything that may have been contributing to my pain in order to pinpoint the problem. Thanks!!.” – L.G.
“Hands down – the PT for me!” “I came in with a tear in my shoulder. After several weeks here with Laura and Mitch they have helped me in so many ways. I would like to thank them so much for all the hard work they put into me. Hands down this will be the only therapy place for me. Thanks again!” – B.M.
Are You Hurting Your Neck While You Sleep?
We spend one third of our lives sleeping. Therefore, how you sleep and the bed you sleep on can have a dramatic effect on the support of your body. When you sleep you need to be aware of how your neck and spine are supported. There are many different types of beds on the market today which can be very confusing for consumers. The best type of bed is the one that you try out and feel most comfortable using. Typically, a bed that is firm underneath, with a softer top helps to provide support as well as contour your body. If your mattress is old, then think about investing in a new one so that your neck and spine are supported well. The best positions to sleep in for your spine are on your back or sides. Avoid sleeping on your stomach since your spine ends up twisted, especially your neck. Over the hours
of repetitive sleeping on your stomach, you can damage the joints of your spine and compress the nerves exiting your spine. Use a pillow to help support your body and take the weight of your legs off your spine. If you like to sleep on your back, place a pillow under the backs of your thighs and knees. This should place your knees in a slight, supported bend which takes pressure off your lower back. If you sleep on your side, be sure to put a pillow between your knees. This helps keep the alignment of your spine, and takes the pressure of your upper leg off the spine. Have 1-2 pillows under your head to keep your neck in proper alignment. If you need 2 pillows stagger them so that one pillow overlaps the other by one half. The lower half goes under the shoulders, while the upper half supports the neck.
Exercise Essentials Try these exercises to help maintain a healthy body
Relieves Neck Pain
Helps Stretch Neck
CHIN TUCK SUPINE Lie with roll under neck. Without lifting head, tuck chin gently. Keep the large muscles in the neck relaxed.
LEVATOR SCAPULAE STRETCH Grasp your arm on the affected side and tilt your head downward into the armpit. Use your opposite hand to guide your head further into the stretch.
Always consult your physical therapist or physician before starting exercises you are unsure of doing.
Exercises copyright of
Not all exercises are appropriate for every person. Please consult with a healthcare provider before starting.
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Who do you know that needs our help?
Refer a Friend Do You Have Friends or Family Unable to Do The Following? 9 Move without pain 9 Bend and move freely 9 Balance confidently and securely 9 Sit for long periods comfortably 9 Walk for long distances 9 Live an active and healthy lifestyle WIN A $20 GIFT CARD If you know someone suffering with aches and pains, give the gift of health. Refer them to Pittman Physical Therapy today. Pass along this newsletter or have them call us directly to schedule an evaluation! You will get your name in our next newsletter and you could win a $20 gift card!
Referral Club: Thanks to our patients for referring a friend or family member!
Marissa Wiley Lisa Carter
Molly Henderson Derek Allen
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