Neck Pain Support Blog

Why Do We Snore?

Can our neck alignment be the issue? It partly can...Sure if your sinuse are all clogged up, it's not going to help but a normal, natural C-curve in the neck keeps all the passage-way as patent as can be.



You see tissue that flaps back and forth can actually cause the noise but keeping the air passage-ways clear and wide open will allow for proper breathing. The video will explain it all. By the way, a neck pillow which is a pilow designed to help maintain or improve that normal necl alignment, can help. In fact, one of the benefits of the cervical traction pillow is that it helps reduce snoring.

Examining The Spinal Nerve Chart

This is a poster I used to have hanging in my office.  I put it up because of how valuable and important it is.  Numerous times I'd catch patient's reading it. There's, of course, nothing wrong with that, and it's a good conversation starter.

 

I recall someone telling me how the came in for upper back pain.  As we treated that, and got it better, he mentioned how his heart-burn had gotten better.

 

Sure, it could have been coincidence, in fact, that's fine with me.  I was just happy that he was feeling better.  This kind of thing happened a number of times: "Doc, I came in for neck pain, and not only did that get better but so did my headaches..."

 

In the chart you can see the spinal level, which nerve is there, what it goes to (or innervates), abd so symptoms we'll often get if there is a problem at that level.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional Resources:

1) Looking specifically at the Neck...

2) The most poular neck pillow -

3) Posture Plays A Role?

Stretching Can Help Stop The Neck Pain

Stretching not only feels good but will have lasting results.  We've learned that doing dynamic stretching is good before a work-out and sustained stretching is good post work-out.  You may not specifically work the neck but your neck gets hit doing many other muscle groups.  Some weight lifters do a neck routine but that's subject for another blog.

The bottom line is that we want to stretch before to loosen up and increase mobility and after to lengthen the muscle and maintain mobility.  You see, when a muscle gets shortened and tightened it will cause an imbalance.  Not only that, it can cause misalignments.  Let's just take the trapezius muscle for example.  If it get imbalanced from side to side, it will cause the spine to shift.  That vertebral shift means pressure to a nerve or nerves, and that can spell NECK PAIN, or maybe something worse.  The nerves are the communication system for the body and relay pain responses but basically tell the body how to work.

Nerve fibers travel throughout muscle too!  So you can imagine hoe an imbalance like a tightened, shortened muscle will put pressure on that area.  Also remember two more things: 1) Those tight muscle can build up adhesions or knots easier, and 2) Inflammation more easily will accumulate here and has a more difficult time dissipating. 

 Those tight spots or knots we call trigger points.  Theses nasty guys are responsible for a lot of problems and many therapies and treatments have be developed specifically to rid us of those adhesions.  Inflammation is really at the heart of the issue and can be solely responsible for nerve pressure.

A couple things can be done to help with the stretching relief.  One is muscle massage, another is using heat or ice to help mobilize and reduce that inflammation.

Heat in the morning will often also help to move and loosen the muscle.  Ice tends to work better at the end of the day when inflammation is at it's greatest amount.  Trigger point massage can also help do these things.  Another point is to do that massage while stretching; you can even do a stretch, and muscle massage, all while taking a hot shower.

Keep in mind that if you are very stressed at work or maybe are on the computer all day, it can be a little like a work-out.  So do some of those stretches before and after work!

Additional Reading:

•  Home Massager Tool Works Wonders on All Areas of the Body in Pain
• How much range of motion should I have in my Neck?
• What is a muscle sprain and a muscle sprain?
• A hot and cold pack for the neck and upper back
• Neck and Shoulder Pain...what Helps