Can we help Neck Pain?

Yes

see https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/neck-pain Neck pain is created when a nerve is compressed by tissue up against something harder e.g. “between a Rock and a Hard Plate” – is an old saying. In your neck it is a bone, a cervical vertebrae the nerves get compressed so the neck gets pains. As the compression changes on the nerve so does the feeling so you get a pinch, a throb, a stab, a grate, a pain. Some nerves give pain when the compression moves, so turning into a certain position increases compression and makes a fast pain, almost electric. Most people now walk with their head forward to stop the pain.

How?

By using our fingers to palpate and feel the problem, by measuring neck x-ray angles, by measuring neck movement angles, visual sight of the tissue standing, sitting and laying, temperature, pressure, resistance, pulse are all part to “Map” the problems, plus the medical tests.

Is it safe?

YES. Many years at University make us the safest carers of neck pain. We have about 9 different ways to treat neck pain. Fast to slow, Gentle and soft thru to high velocity high speed, clicking the neck, gentle release, deep pressure release, stretch techniques, plus the medical and physical therapy ways.

Is Your ‘Neck Pain’ Serious- if so we can refer you or work with your other carers?

When is a pain in the neck more than just a pain in the neck? When is it the sign that something more serious may be involved?

Dr Steve is here to asses each individual patient. All cases are not the same.

Typically, neck pain is caused by a muscle strain, and one side of the neck may experience more pain more than the other. But when neck pain is accompanied by other symptoms, it may be cause for concern.

For example, neck pain with vomiting and a stiff neck may indicate meningitis. If you cannot touch your chin to your chest and experience drowsiness, confusion and/or sensitivity to bright lights – call a medical doctor right away.

Neck pain with weakness in the arms and tingling in the fingers may indicate a herniated disc, which is pressure on a nerve root due to a narrowing of the spinal cord canal. Call our office immediately.

Neck pain do you have trouble moving your head without pain? This could signal fibromyalgia, a condition that causes pain in your muscles, joints, ligaments and tendons. It could also be a symptom of rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder that affects your joints, particularly those in your feet, knees and hands.

Most people experience neck pain at some time in their lives. We’ve received training that helps me to locate the causes of your neck pain, restoring normal mobility in your neck and other affected body parts.

In addition, we determine whether you have a relatively minor issue, or whether you require a more intense treatment plan. Please advise us regarding any neck pain you are experiencing, whether or not the pain is severe. Your pain may start out SMALL, but it can get really bad, and this usually happens late at night or on the weekends, so CALL if you have pain or some of the symptoms we mentioned.

Pain is something that you never want to cover up before you find out what’s causing it.

Disc lesions are serious. If you have neck pain or any other types of pain, call our office now. Chiropractors able to distinguish different types of neck problems, so make that call or give this to a friend that needs assistance. We are here for one thing to help you.

How is neck pain treated?

The best way to treat most neck pain is to keep moving your neck, stay active and adapt any activities that might be causing your pain. Over-the-counter painkillers might be recommended.

If your neck pain doesn’t go away, your doctor will investigate the cause. Serious, long-term neck pain is sometimes treated with steroid injections or, very rarely, surgery.

It might be helpful to rest your neck at first, but don’t rest it for too long. If you don’t move, the muscles will get stiffer and it will take longer for the pain to go away. It’s better to gently stretch the neck muscles. Your doctor or physiotherapist can show you how to do this gently and safely.

There are ways you can manage your neck pain:

• You can use a heat pad or an ice pack, whichever helps to relieve your neck stiffness and pain.
• You can buy anti-inflammatory analgesic cream or gel from your pharmacist.
• Make sure you have a comfortable, supportive pillow. Try sleeping with one firm support pillow rather than softer pillows to avoid stretching your neck muscles.
• Ensure your working environment is adjusted to your needs. You may need a footstool to ensure your hips and knees are level. Ask for a telephone headset if you spend a lot of time on the phone to avoid bending your neck to one side constantly. You may also need to adjust the height of your computer screen to avoid stretching your neck. Hold reading materials at eye level to avoid hunching over.
• Work on your posture — exercises such as those found in yoga or Pilates all work to improve your posture.
• Neck supports (braces and collars) are not generally recommended, unless your healthcare professional has advised you to wear one.
• Avoid activities such as lifting, pulling, punching, and repetitive bending and twisting for a few days as they can make your neck pain worse. Try not to overdo it.
• If you cannot fully move your neck left and right, you should not drive until you have regained full movement in your neck. If you can safely drive, adjust your headrest so that your head and neck are properly supported.
• Manipulating or massaging your neck can help in the short-term. You may find some physical therapies such as chiropractic, of use.

What is whiplash?

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/whiplash  Whiplash is an injury to the muscles, tendons and other soft tissues of the neck. It is caused by a sudden and vigorous movement of the head, sideways, backwards or forwards.

When the neck is moved beyond its usual range of movement, the soft tissues of the neck (tendons, muscles and ligaments) may be overstretched or sprained. This causes pain and discomfort in the neck and shoulders and may also cause back pain.

What symptoms relate to whiplash?

Sometimes there are no symptoms of whiplash, but sometimes the symptoms can be severe.

Pain from a whiplash injury often begins 6 to 12 hours after the injury. Many people feel uncomfortable on the day of the injury or accident and find that pain, swelling and bruising increase over the following days.

Common symptoms of whiplash include:

• neck pain and stiffness
• swelling and tenderness in the neck
• temporary loss of movement, or reduced movement, in the neck
• headaches
• muscle spasms
• pain in the shoulders or arms
• dizziness
• weakness
• pins and needles, numbness or pain in the arms and hands
• difficulty concentrating
• difficulties swallowing
• blurred vision
• vertigo (a feeling you are moving or spinning) and dizziness
• tinnitus (ringing in the ears)

The symptoms often greatly improve or disappear within a few days to weeks. It may take longer for symptoms to completely disappear and some people experience some pain and neck stiffness for months after a whiplash injury.

What causes whiplash?

Whiplash injuries are commonly caused by motor vehicle accidents. The neck is quickly accelerated and decelerated due to rear-end or side impact.

It can also be caused by a sudden blow to the head from contact sports such as rugby or boxing, being hit on the head by a heavy object, or a slip or fall where the head is jolted or jarred.

When should I see my doctor?

You should see a doctor if you have had a motor vehicle accident or an injury that’s causing pain and stiffness in your neck.

How is whiplash diagnosed?

Your doctor will examine you, feel your neck and see how well your neck moves in different directions. They may order a neck x-ray to rule out a bone fracture or dislocation. However, whiplash symptoms are caused by injury to the soft tissue, which won’t show up on an x-ray.

How is whiplash treated?

The best thing you can do to recover from whiplash is to stay active and do some gentle neck exercises. People who drastically change or reduce their activity level after a whiplash injury tend to take longer to recover.

At first you may need to adapt how you move to take care of your neck. Then gradually build up to your normal activities as your neck improves.

It may be necessary to adapt some work or recreational activities for a while to avoid unnecessary strain on your neck. For example, you could make more trips so you don’t have to carry too much shopping at once, cut down on housework or gardening, or lift the handlebars on your bike so you can change your posture.

An ice pack can relieve swelling and pain. You should apply this as soon as possible after the injury, for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. You can make an ice pack from a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel to prevent cold burns, which you can re-freeze time and again. If you are in pain, get advice from your healthcare professional on suitable pain relief medicines.

Correct posture is important after a whiplash injury. Keep your back straight when you are sitting, standing or walking to help prevent stiffness and pain developing. If you spend a lot of time sitting at a desk, take regular breaks to stand up and move your body so that your neck and back do not become stiff. You may need to ask for a special back support for your chair while you are recovering from an injury. You should speak to your HR department for more information about ways they may be able to help you if you have neck or back pain.

Avoid heavy lifting, punching or pulling, or contact sports like rugby and boxing, until your symptoms improve and your doctor or healthcare professional is happy for you to start these activities again. Take care when lifting, bending or carrying out repetitive twisting movements. Make sure that you take regular breaks and move your body position.

You may find it helpful to sleep using a firm support pillow and to only use one pillow when you sleep.

may help you to regain movement in your neck use gentle exercises, manipulation to help restore the body’s maximum range of movements after an injury or illness.

Resting, taking time off work or wearing a collar are not likely to help you recover from whiplash.

Symptoms[edit | edit source]Symptoms of craniocervical instability include occipital headache, neck pain and neurological abnormalities such as numbness, motor weakness, dizziness, and gait instability. Patients sometimes describe the feeling that their head is too heavy for their neck to support (“bobble-head”).

How do you fix cervical instability?

What are the treatment options for cervical instability?

1. Injection therapy.
2. Physical manipulation.
3. Joint stabilization.
4. Physical therapy.
5. Fusion surgery.
6. Medical therapy.

9 July 2020

Craniocervical instability (CCI) – MEpedia

Abstract

Cervical whiplash injuries result in the cranial cervical syndrome (CCS); a complex of symptoms which include disabling intractable migraine headaches, neck pain, radiculomyelopathies, concentration and memory problems, visual disturbances, ataxia, nausea, autonomic disturbances and chronic pain. Utilizing new analytic modalities, including digital motion X-ray and upright positional MRI, correlated with clinical findings, we were able to clearly define the syndrome in 39 patients. C₁-C₂ transarticular fixation/fusion and suboccipital craniectomy resulted in near total resolution of the disabling headaches and associated symptoms. We hypothesize that lateral C₁-C₂ instability-induced transient vertebral artery compression explains the CCS, and that fixation resolves the syndrome.

© 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel

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