The lower neck sends nerves out to your hands and arms. The root cause of the nerve pressure is typically at the spine. Your main control center of the body is the brain. The spinal cord comes off of that and off of that come nerves.
The nerves exit out a hole or foramen created by the joining of two spinal bones or vertebrae. In this video you will see the vertebral foramen and the uncoverteral joints were they are connected.
The vertebral bodies are joined with a disc pad between them. In the video you can see how bone spurring from an arthritic spine can easily lead to nerve pressure. Add to this, a bulged disc, inflammation, and already crooked spine, and you can easily imagine symptoms being worse.
Now, depending exactly where that nerve pressure is will determine what and where symptoms will be present. As you can imagine, you may start out with some neck stiffness. But as pressure accumulates and we are compressing more of the nerve, you can easily get more and worse symptoms.
If you have been diagnosed with a disc problem, stenosis, or nerve impingement, your doctor may prescribe or recommend neck traction.
There are a few ways to do this traction and a couple different devices to do it. If you see a chiropractor or therapist he/she may do what is called "manual traction". That is literally where he/she pulls on your head, manually stretching you. There may also be a traction table at their office; the doctor or therapist puts you on and harnesses you for tractioning the neck. Then there are home devices you can use on your own. Read more here:
First thing to talk about is prescription versus non prescription drugs. Non-prescription are over the counter ones you can get anywhere. These might include: aspirin, tylenol, or ibruprofen. All can help with reducing inflammation and reducing pain.
Now, let's say those don't seem to work. Then you want to call your doctor. Your medical doctor can prescribe you something. These may be slightly stronger, and need to be taken with more caution, and why your medical doctor has to "prescribe it.
Prescriptions for neck pain typically include muscle relaxers and narcotics. Common muscle relaxers are Flexeril and Valium. Common narcotics used are: Vicodin, Percocet, and Oxycodone.
I thought we would also mention pain injections. Typically you medical doctor wil refer you to a specialist who does this. It often can be done by an orthopedic doctor. It is usually in the form of a steroid that is injected in the region of pain or where the pain may be originating. Only a specified recommended number of shots can be administered over a certain amount of time. The reason I mention this is because if one shot doesn't appear to work, they may try another. This is like one big blast of anti-inflammatory to take down inflammation and relieve nerve pressure.
Next, let's review the forms of medicine. We just talked about injections; that's literally the liquid med injected where ever the doctor feels necessary. Then there are topical gels or creams. A lot of these are over the counter that you apply and re-apply directly to the region that is in pain. Then there are tablets - which is where the medication is molded into a pill shape for easy swallowing. There are also tablets which is usually a capsule with medication inside, also typically swallowed.
All that being said, you should try any and all natural methods of pain relief you can. And, keep in mind, if you do chose medications, follow you doctors recommendations and contact him/her with any questions you may have.
Here is a great acupuncture point for neck pain: UB12 or Bladder 12, along the bladder meridian also know as Fengmen.
In Acupuncture there are 12 meridian pathways of the body. The Bladder Meridian is one of them. Pain is often caused by a stagnation within Meridian pathway. These pathways circulate "chi or energy" throughout your body. Using acupuncture on these points frees up the pathways. Fengmen or bladder 12 function is to strengthen immunity and clear mucous from the throat/sinuses.
Where is it located? UB 12 is located on the back an inch and a half from the spine, at the lower border of the second thoracic vertebra.
This acupuncture point, UB12 treats other conditions as well, namely:
treats urinary conditions and pain of the neck and back
cold and fever
nasal congestion
sneezing
excess nasal discharge
cough with chest or back pain
An acupuncturist can needle this location for you along with other acupuncture points. You can also do this at home. Have someone use the thumb or index finger to press firmly and hold the pressure for 10 seconds.
You probably remember me saying once or twice how everything in the body works together; well, it’s more than just – your cervical spine connects to your thoracic spine, etc. If you treat your body poorly, it will treat you poorly. You know if you put junk in, you get junk out.
Let’s look at some things you should be eating and not eating to combat, not just neck pain but other conditions also:
Decrease your sugar intake. Sugar is linked to so many poor health conditions I don’t even have time to go into it. Don’t forget most processed thing may break down into sugar!
Drink more Water. Water not only helps to hydrate the discs between your spinal bones but also flush out body toxins and wastes.
Eat more Green Vegetables. You really need to get all your vitamins and minerals. Your body actually makes vitamins but not minerals. Not to mention fiber and other healthy plant based components that are needed.
Add Turmeric – a natural anti inflammatory and universal health food. It’s been used for centuries in Indian cooking. Many have just realized the valuable health benefits. One Tip: To enhance the body's ability to use turmeric curcumin (the main active ingredient) combine the turmeric with black pepper.
Get rid of anything that says “diet”. These things will be loaded with other kinds of sugars, “fake sugars if you will”.
This leads me to my next thing to eliminate. Diet or not, try eliminating soda from the diet. Soda contains something called phosphoric acid which actually leaches minerals out of bone... Important things like calcium and magnesium that keep our bones healthy and strong.
Use a good sea salt rich in minerals. I actually use Himalayan salt. The fact is, you can’t necessarily get all the nutrients you need from just eating your veggies.
All that being said, keep your stress levels in check and exercise regularly. I only mention this too because you can eat great but you need to think of these other factors to get healthy as soon as possible.
