Neck Pain Support Blog

Can my Hand and Arm Problems Stem from my Neck?

Shoulder, arm, or hand problems may stem from the neck. Nerve roots in the cervical spine branch out, form into a group called your brachial plexus, and nerve branches supply your hand and arm. For example, your radial nerve eventually innervates your first three fingers while the ulnar nerve typically innervates the pinky and ring fingers.

            Before this occurs, nerve roots originate form the spinal cord in the neck. These nerve roots branch into smaller nerves that eventually supply other areas of the body.

            What does this mean?

            This essentially means if we have hand weakness, for example, the problem may be in a more distal area or it could be all the way up in the neck. Really, it can be anywhere in the nerve pathway.

            How can we tell where the problem starts?

            Most times, the problem does typically start from the spine. An x-ray can show us neck alignment and spinal degeneration. Tests done by your chiropractor, orthopedist, or neurologist can also help pinpoint the starting problem area as well. Lastly, a nerve conduction test can specify the area of lost innervation.

            Whatever you find, the best thing is to look to the spine. Correcting any problems at the source often helps correct issues out distally. So, one of the first lines of defense is to correct spinal alignment. I would start with using a neck pillow and move to using a home traction device. 

Additional Reading Resources:

• Herniated Disc In the Neck
• Neck Pain Resulting From C5, C6, C7, or C8 Radiculopathy
• Using Traction when You have a Herniated Disc
• Two Common Postural Misalignments Created from Forward head posture
• Choosing the Right neck Pillow for your Neck Pain

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"I wake up with sore and stiff shoulders everyday"

Recently, i talked to a patient about this issue. Waking up with a stiff neck, stiff and sore shoulders is not ideal because you are starting your day with pain. You should be waking up feeling refreshed, ready to go and tackle the day ahead. So what some of the possible reasons for this? More importantly, What the solutions to getting rid of neck and shoulder pain?

• You may be using too many pillows at night. This creates forward head posture, stretching your neck muscles and ligaments too much. It may be comfortable while you are reading, but if you fall asleep like this, this can be cause of a stiff neck in the mornings.  -Solution: Use one cervical support pillow at night. Choose a contoured neck pillow, one side a little softer, one side a little firmer. Sleeping with a neck roll can really help the alignment in the cervical spine. I would recommend the arc4life linear gravity pillow. Not to firm, not to soft, just the support you need in your neck. Plus it comes in 3 sizes. 

 

• You may be sleeping with a bad neck position at night- for example sleeping on your stomach. This sleeping position is not good for your head, neck, shoulders and upper back area. You are putting unnecessary stress on all your muscles. Other positions that are not great for your body are sleeping on the sofa or in a recliner -Solution: Train yourself to stop sleeping on your stomach. It is not recommended at all. Use a tear drop pillow to help you adjust to sleeping on your side. 

 

• Your pillow does not give you enough neck support at night - Solution: Change your pillow if this the case. A flat limp pillow is not going to give your neck the support that it needs. Remember we have a C Curve in our neck. A cervical support pillow should make provisions for this natural neck curve. 

 

• Check the positions of your arms as well. Some people sleep with thier arms above their head. This can also be the cause of soreness in the morning -Solution: Be cognizant of how you fall asleep. Be in the most relaxed natural position as possible.  

 

• Your mattress sags in the middle- this is just not ideal for comfortable sleeping at night. -Solution: Change your mattress. It does not have to be expensive. Your back and neck will thank you for a decent mattress.  Spend 15 minutes on the bed in your usual sleep positions when you try out the right mattress for you. You don't have to buy the most expensive mattress on the market either. 

 

• You worked out the day before, particularly your trapezius or your shoulders Solution: Don't forget to warm up before and after a workout. This can make a big difference in how you feel after your workout. Also, a heating pad for your upper back can do wonders as well.   

 

• You have misalignments in your neck. This can be due to having bad posture during the day: a poorly set up workstation, poor studying habits, or doing repitious tasks during the day -Solution: See your local chiropractor. This is what they specialize in. Particularly if you have been involved in an accident or an injury. Best to get therapy asap. Also they can give you postural exercises for your neck and upper back and help you make improvements to your daily activities of daily living. With regular chiropractic adjustments, traction, and therapy you will be pain free sooner than later. 

Additonal Reading Resources:

1. Optimal Posture For Your Neck
2. Neck pain Resulting from a C5, C6, C7 or C8 Radiculopathy
3. Sleeping on your Side with a cervical support neck pillow
4. Neck Pain Relief: Neck Traction Units that Really Work to Stop Neck Pain
5. Positioning Products for Better Sleep: Getting into the right position makes all the difference

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B12 Deficiency, Treatment, What Foods to Eat?

In the last few weeks, I had a patient question me about B12 deficiency. This vital vitamin, if deficient in our bodies, can cause many changes including mood changes, numbness and tingling, muscle weakness and other symptoms. 

1. What is B12 ?
2. How does B12 Play a Role in Our body?
3. What are the symptoms associated with a deficiency of B12?
4. What Foods are rich in B12?
5. What are the treatment options for B12 deficiency?

What is B12 ?

B12 is a vitamin, also known as cobalamin.

In order for B12 to be absorbed by the body (which happens in the small intestine), the stomach secretes intrinsic factor which is a special digestive secretion that increases the absorption of vitamin. Low levels of stomach acid or an inadequate amount of intrinsic factor (both of these things can occur with age), can lead to deficiency in B12. Because the body as reserves, it can take 5-6 years for a deficiency to develop.

This vitamin is stored in the liver, kidney and other body tissues.

It has been found that with age, B12 decreases in the body, and this deficiency is noted in 3 to 42 % of persons over age 65. It is easily treatable if the deficiency is caught early. If left untreated, it can lead to impaired neurological and cognitive function.

Who is more at risk? Patients with ulcers, crohns disease, other gastrointestinal disorders, those taking prescription medication for seizures, chronic heartburn, and gout. Too much consumption of alcohol can also hinder vitamin b12.

Vitamin B12 is necessary in small quantities: the RDA is 2 micrograms.

How does B12 Play a Role in Our body?

Vitamin B12 works with folic acid in many body processes such as:

• Making DNA and RNA
• Making red blood cells
• Making the insulation sheath aka myelin sheath that surrounds nerve  cells and speeds up the conduction of nerve cells.
• Assists in converting food to energy

What are the symptoms associated with a B12 Deficiency?

A deficiency of Vitamin B12 can take up to 5-6 years to show up, because the body does have large reserves for it.  The classic deficiency symptom is pernicious anemia. However, the first area to be affected with B12 deficiency is the brain and nervous system.  As a result it can result in fatigue, muscle weakness, numbness, pins and needles sensations,  or a burning type of sensation. It can also cause impaired mental function including memory loss and confusion. Finally, it can be the cause of depression.

What Foods are rich in B12?

Vitamin B12 is found in large quantities in animal foods ( beef, pork, halibut, hamburger, lamb, salmon, and veal). The richest sources are liver and kidney, followed by eggs, fish, cheese and meat.  Eggs, Milk and milk products are high in B12. Oysters, sardines, brewers yeast are also rich in b12. Some breakfast cereals are fortified with B12 vitamin as well.

What are the treatment options for B12 deficiency?

A general dose of 1000 micrograms of B12/ day is useful for heart disease prevention, pernicious anemia, numbness and tingling, tinnitus, multiple sclerosis and rosacea. **

Correction of B12 deficiency improves mental function and quality of life in patients significantly.

Fortunately, B12 vitamin is available in a few forms:

1. Methycobalamin, available in tablet form
2. B12 shots
3. Prescription nasal spray

**  it is beneficial to take B12 along with 400 mcg of folic acid.

Ways to determine B12 deficiency:

1. Measure the level in the blood (serum cobalamine)
2. Measure the level in methylmalonic acid in the urine *** This is the best test because it is sensitive, non invasive and convenient for the patient.
3. Measure the level of plasma homocysteine  (looks at both B12 and folate)
4. Schilling Test : measures whether there is a proper secretion of intrinsic factor. Intrinsic factor is needed for B12 to be absorbed by the body. 

 Additional Reading Resources:

• Choose the Right Neck Pillow For Better Sleep and Better Posture
• What is the Best Sleep Position?
• Neck Muscle Spasm: How it Happens, and How to Get Rid of Them
• More on Vitamin D and Your Health
• Treatment for Pinched nerve in the Neck

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Neck Alignment: How Does It Effect Our Neck Muscles?

Let’s think about this one. We have a 10-20 lb bowling ball resting on our neck spine. As a matter of fact, for every inch the head moves into forward neck posture, it is equivalent to 10 lbs of extra weight and pressure on your neck and upper back spine, and all the parts that go along with it (Kapandji, Physiology of the Joints, Vol. 3).

Forward head posture is one of the most common postural neck misalignments, so you can imagine how hard muscles in the back of the neck have to work to maintain neck posture and alignment.

Misalignments cause certain muscles to be constantly contracted and others to be constantly stretched. This will often more easily contribute to a muscle strain or neck muscle spasm.

This is just an example of forward head posture, let’s imagine a scoliosis posture. With scoliosis we have maybe an “S” shaped curve or a “C” shaped curve when looking at the spine from the front or back. On the one side, muscles will be constantly elongated and tensioned, on the other side they will be shortened and tightened.

These are just two examples, but with any misalignments or abnormal spinal alignments you will affect the muscles.

Additional Reading Resources:

• Neck Posture
• Neck Surgery, Your Last Resort
• How to Choose the Right neck Pillow
• How to Use the Posture Pump 1000 cervical traction unit for forward head posture: Video
• Herniated Disc in the Neck