Print this Page|
For more info contact James at Molford House Surgery on |
Are you getting on with all those jobs, or are they just a pain in the neck?
by James Wilson BSc (Hons) Ost Med. DO - find out more about James.
The neck has a hard old job: it protects vital arteries and the spinal cord and provides a large range of movement so that we can see and hear effectively. Yet, whilst doing all of this, the neck supports the weight of the head which weighs approximately 10lbs!
Via a complex system of vertebrae, ligaments and muscles the head all but balances on top of the neck so that the weight of the head is dispersed down through the neck and into the rest of the spine. When we are in this neutral position the effect of gravity on the joints, muscles and ligaments is minimal.
Now imagine you have a 10lb bowling ball in your hand (there is a point to this!). Held with both hands a little under the ball and close to the chest, most people would find it a perfectly manageable weight. Now take both hands gradually straight out in front of you and the ball rapidly feels heavier and heavier – how long could you hold the ball with outstretched arms?!! The same would be true when moving the ball in any direction away from our bodies (or neutral.)
So back to the point which is that the exact same is true for our necks – imagine the force exerted on the joints, ligaments and muscles of the neck and upper back each time we bend, tip or turn our heads; even more if we lean or bend over. Unsurprisingly, problems and pain around the neck are all too common.
Common Causes of Neck Pain
Most frequently neck pain is caused by strain or irritation of the muscle tissues or of the joints of the spine. Many of us have woken up with that nasty and painful “cricked neck” feeling where one or more of the joints have become stuck and caused local muscles to react.
Slightly less commonly there can be sprains (tears) of the ligamentous structures. This can happen in two main ways i) by acute trauma such as whiplash type injuries and ii) by chronic trauma (causing micro-tears) such as poor postural habits and repetitive strain type injuries.
The discs of the neck can also become problematic and can often lead to pain referred into the arm(s) or shoulder blade(s).
Once we all hit about 50 years of age our necks, especially the lower two vertebrae, are likely to show signs of wear and tear. In some the degenerative process will be more advanced and actual osteoarthritis is not uncommon.
As a guide, any neck pain lasting over five days in duration or one that is particularly acute or reoccurring should be looked at by a health care professional.
Common Complications Associated with Neck Pain
Should you experience any of the following you MUST seek a healthcare professional’s opinion.
Headache
Especially if you do not normally suffer from headache or if the normal headache has changed.
Arm symptoms
Any sensation of pain, pins and needles, numbness or weakness in the arm(s) is indicative of nerve involvement and must be investigated as soon as possible. Arm symptoms accompanied by breathing difficulty or chest pain could be of cardiac (heart) origin.
Visual changes and balance problems
Symptoms such as dizziness, vertigo and blurred or double vision can be related to problems in the neck but could also be of much more serious origin.
Preventing Neck Pain
So many cases of neck pain that we see are due solely to poor posture - think of the bowling ball analogy. Many of us spend hours on end with our heads away from our neutral position, thus really stressing the soft tissues and joints.
The key to prevention is in altering the head and neck position in relation to our bodies: by thinking about our mid-back and shoulder posture we are able to change the relative position of our head and neck without actually moving our head at all.
Try this:
Sit in a relaxed but upright posture so that (when you look at the side of you) your shoulders are over your hips and your head and neck are over your shoulders. This should be easily maintained and is your neutral position (this is a good posture.) Note that your head and most importantly your eyes will be looking forward. Now without moving anything else allow your mid-back to “slump” as so many of us do when we’ve sat down for a while. Your head will end up pointing down towards the floor, so the only way of bringing your eyes back up to level is to activate the muscles of your lower neck and pull the head up by extending the neck. If we could all avoid the latter posture for as much of our day as possible there will be far less of us feeling neck pain.
Any occupation or activity where we sit for long periods will cause the above posture to occur. The key is to change position as regularly as possible and keep reminding yourself to keep that mid back more upright.
A few examples:
Office work
Think about your desk layout. The height of your chair in relation to the desk. Can you sit in a good posture and comfortably reach the phone, the mouse and keyboard etc? Are you twisting to look at the monitor, and is it high enough? Where possible get somebody proficient in desk based ergonomics to give you a hand.
Tractor / machinery work
We’re into a time of year involving many hours in the cab; rolling, harrowing, cultivating and soon silage-making. Think about your actual seated position as above but also try not to always turn the same way when looking behind you. I know this isn’t always feasible with the position of certain controls but it can be improved for much of the time. Some drivers will use a differently placed mirror for covering some of the checks behind.
DIY
Working above your head and on ceilings are the main culprits for causing neck pain. When painting a ceiling, for example, use a long handled roller and don’t let yourself look up with just your neck, keep your chin down and try to get some extension in the mid back. Again really avoid doing these activities for more than about 45 minutes at a time.
Remember that the same is true when we are standing – there’s much to be said for the old “stand up tall” – if you allow the front of your shoulders to open out, keep your mid back loose and keep the head tall there will be much less strain on your neck.
Three simple but effective exercises!
- Sit or stand and pull your shoulders up toward your ears. Now roll your shoulders back and let them drop down again. Repeat several times, all through the day.
- After doing the above, tuck your chin in (but don’t pull it back) and try to make the top of your head as tall as possible so that you lengthen the back of the neck. Gently roll your head forward whist keeping your chin in. Repeat at least 3 times, several times per day.
- As above but once flexed forward with the neck gently tip your head to the right, hold for 10 seconds and then return slowly to neutral. Repeat on the left, completing at least 4 each side.
Should any of the above exercises when done even gently cause the pain to increase or to move into the arm or mid-back stop and seek help.
These exercises will be helpful for many, but if your problems persist past five days, a visit to your local osteopath may well be the solution.
Further information is available on our website www.molfordhousesurgery.co.uk. Alternatively I am always pleased to answer any questions you may have. You can call me at Molford House Surgery on 01769 574830.
The information provided on these pages is intended as a general guide only and in no way constitutes a complete service for diagnosis or treatment. You must not rely solely on this information and it is therefore your responsibility to seek a professional opinion should you be concerned about your particular case.
For website enquiries and online orders phone 
