Neck Pain Support Blog

What Can I Learn From My Neck Posture?

Have you ever stood inside an elevator with mirrors on all sides and looked at yourself from the side- ie your side profile? Taker a more detailed look next time and observe your neck posture.

If you notice one shoulder is lower than the other, then often times your neck is shifted to that side. This applies the same to the hips. If your pelvis or low back shifts to the left, then the left hip will drop.

If you see that your chin is more to one side or you can see one ear more than the other then your neck may be rotated slightly.

If one ear is lower than the other or you can’t imagine a straight line across connecting through both eyes or ears you may have a slight head tilt.

All of these observations make you aware that there are most likely those same shifts inside you of your cervical spine.

Another thing to look for is forward neck posture. This is when the head juts forward compared to the shoulder. In severe cases you will notice this when looking in the mirror; simply turn a bit to try to see yourself from the side. If you have any of the above postural misalignments especially forward head posture, I would start using a neck pillow at night, and do specific neck exercises to correct your posture.

Additional Reading Resources

• How to Check Your Own Neck Posture
• Forward Neck Posture and How it will affect you
• Using Cervical Traction to get the Curve Back into your Cervical Spine
• Neck Exercises
• Neck Pain resulting from a C5, C6, C7, or C8 Radiculopathy

One Solution for Neck Pain - Traction

The first method of neck traction is something that gives a stretch to the neck, but also helps to restore the alignment- that’s the “C” curvature in the cervical spine. There are a few ways to do this, the first being a traction unit, like the pronex or posture pump. These devices do a great job and are so easy to use- lay back on it, Velcro a strap and pump it up. The pronex is the Cadillac of traction units and is a little more expensive, but the posture pump is a great traction device also. You can also buy a roll cushion to lay on with a weight strapped to the head. This option is not as easy to use, but it is a lot cheaper and does work. There are also other varieties of neck traction products. This type, that works with curvature in the neck while stretching the neck, is what I call true neck traction.

The next method of neck traction is one that just stretches the neck upward. This is more for immediate pain relief. By stretching the neck, you open up the holes between each vertebrae where the nerves come out. Taking pressure off of these nerves is what gives pain relief. A couple options for this are the over-the-door traction or the TracCollar. The TracCollar is a little easier to use because you literally hook up a couple straps and pump it up whereas the other one you have to hook it up, fill up a bag of water and so on.

Both kinds of devices will help. The neck stretch only will often times help to mobilize the spine so things fall into better alignment. It will also relieve pain directly by opening up the spine and discs. The true neck traction will do this and also help give more long-term relief by stretching ligaments as well, which will help the spine stay in good alignment.

Additional Reading Resources:

• Cervical Neck Traction To Get the Curve Back into your Neck
• End Neck Pain By Improving Your Posture
• How to Use the Traction Side of the Cervical Linear Traction Neck Pillow for maximum pain relief and the better sleep
• The Neck Pain Relief Kit- Natural Solutions to End your Neck Pain
• True Neck Traction With the Pronex Pneumatic Cervical Traction Unit

Neck brace to Stabilize the Neck after Trauma Can be Harmful, study shows

You may think that after a car accident or slip and fall where you have injured your neck, the next course of action maybe to wear a cervical collar. Not so, shows a recent January article published in the Journal Trauma. In fact, wearing a cervical collar after an accident can cause more harm than good.

In fact, the application of a neck brace after a trauma is standard procedure, and has been for many years. Houston researchers have shown that a cervical collar can worsen the injury and lead to severe paralysis or death.

Baylor College of Medicine doctors used cadavers to confirm that so-called cervical collars can be counterproductive, a finding that could upturn the way emergency medical personnel and doctors act to stabilize and protect the upper spine in potentially fatal neck injuries, such as those that commonly occur in bad automobile accidents.

According to the lead author, Dr. Peleg Ben-Galim, a professor of orthopedic surgery,  "This study is a proof of concept that in cases of severely unstable neck injuries, cervical collars are not only not helpful, but harmful in many situations," He further states that  "More research needs to be done, but it might be that we can prevent some of the deaths and quadriplegia that occur in these injuries."

Dr. David Persse, medical director of Houston's Emergency Management Services, called the study "compelling" and "concerning" and said it will come up for discussion at the annual meeting of the nation's 30 largest EMS departments in Dallas next month. But he also said he doesn't want to overreact.

Continue to Read the Rest of the Story here

Source: Baylor study doubts neck brace standard

Addtional Reading Resources:

• Cervical Neck Collars Are Not the Best Treatment for Whiplash, according to Study
• Part I: Can whiplash cause shoulder pain?
• Part II: How does Whiplash Occur?
• Strengthening exercises for the cervical spine
• Pain in the Neck for DWTS' Debi Mazar...

-Common Neck Conditions and the Nerve Level that Controls Them-

A spinal nerve chart can be a valuable tool in understanding where your neck pain, headaches and other symptoms can be coming from. Pressure on the C1 nerve root, for example, may cause migraine headaches, insomnia, or dizziness.  If it’s the C2 nerve, then sinus problems, allergies, and earaches are common.  If it’s the third cervical nerve, then visual problems and neuralgia may be your problem.  C4 can cause hearing problems, and common colds.

   C5- sore throat, laryngitis, or hoarseness.  C6 is associated with neck pain or arm pain as well as C7 which may cause symptoms such as hand and finger numbness and tingling and bursitis. 

    Again, this is a very short and condensed list, but you get the idea.  Higher up in the spine is often more powerful because it’s closer to the brain where many nervous system impulses are present every second.  The lower neck tends to supply more of the arms, shoulders, and hand functions and therefore symptoms.  Keeping the lower neck in healthy position often eliminates neck and shoulder pain as well as symptoms into the arms. 

Additional Reading Resources

• I Can’t Stress the Importance of Good Neck Posture Enough!
• Neck Pain resulting from a C5, C6, C7, or C8 Radiculopathy
• Are Your Severe Neck Pain Symptoms the Result of a Cervical Radiculopathy?
• Cervical Radiculopathy?? How Your Doctor Will Determine the Nature of your Neck and Arm Pain
• Natural Treatments for Headache and Neck Pain

I Can’t Stress the Importance of Good Neck Posture Enough!

Good posture in the neck means that our neck bones inside of us are in good alignment; and that means the nerves are free from any unwanted pressure. All of this equals a body functioning at its best and without health problems like neck pain, headaches, or something worse.
Here is a list of the cervical nerves and what they control:

• C1- Blood supply to the head, brain functions, inner ear.
• C2- Eyes, sinuses, tongue
• C3- Outer ear, facial bones, base of the skull
• C4- Neck muscles, mouth, nose
• C5- Neck muscles, vocal cords, neck glands
• C6- Neck muscles, shoulders, elbows, arms
• C7- Shoulders, wrists, hands, arms

So just from this very short, abbreviated list you get an idea of the problems that may arise from pressure on these specific cervical nerves. Keep in mind that this is only the first seven nerves; there is a C8 nerve that exits below the 7th neck vertebrae, as well as thoracic and lumbar nerve roots. Due to the power of this nervous system we have it is vital to keep our spine healthy, and the biggest part of that is to keep it in alignment (good neck posture).

Picture Source: Little Collins St Chiropractic



Additional Reading Resources:

• What Should be the Proper Position Of Your Neck
• 6 Ways To Improve Your Neck Posture
• Stop the Neck Pain Naturally
• I’ve Got: Spondylosis, Spondylolithesis, Subluxation, Kyphosis, etc… What Can I Do To Get Rid Of It?
• Neck Exercises for pain relief | Neck Stretches | Exercises for a Stronger Neck

Stages of Breakdown in the Neck

Your body tends to breakdown over time.  Not taking care of yourself along with previous injuries, stress, and harmful daily activities will speed the breakdown process.

   

In the neck, the first stage of deterioration is a loss of the neck curve as well as other misalignments of the neck bones.  This will cause some changes in the muscles and ligaments in this part of the body or vice versa.  At this point the discs and bone are still normal.

   

As you progress in the breakdown process (stage 2) we then start to see joint and bone changes along with more severe muscle, ligament, and tendon changes.  By the way, in stage I neck pain may be occasional, but then at this stage it will be happening more often and becoming chronic. 

   

At stage 3 we now start to see major neck degeneration and loss of bone mass.  You may even have the beginnings of neck fusion.  Your health problems at this phase of degeneration will be severe and chronic.

   

The last stage of neck degeneration or arthritis is stage 4.  Here we will have severe breakdown with actual fusion and collapsing of the neck vertebrae.  Misalignments will now become permanent as well as the health problems. 

   

At stage 1 and 2 we can still repair a lot of the problems or symptoms, but as we move into stage 3 or 4 they become very difficult, if not impossible, to change.  That being said, do whatever you can do to keep your spine healthy or it can cause permanent health problems. 

Additional Reading Resources:

• Dissecting Spinal Degeneration in the Cervical Spine
• How to Limit Degeneration in Your Neck and Other Joints
• Neck Exercises for A Healthy Neck
• Get Pain Relief Now in the Neck: No Surgery, No Medications
• Learn How To Eliminate The Pain Associated With Arthritis In As Little As 3 To 5 Days