Neck and shoulder help
- josephplatt1979
- Jul 16, 2021
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 5, 2022
Sometime in our lives we all get a neck or shoulder problems that could either be pain or a niggle, these problems could be caused from simple day to day tasks like pushing, pulling, lifting and even to a slight movement. Neck and shoulder pain can result in significant discomfort for people, which affects their quality of life, can decrease work productivity, and have emotional and financial burden on peoples lives.
It can be hard to know if its your shoulder or neck is the problem as In your neck some of the nerves travel to your shoulders and upper back. When those nerves are irritated, you can feel pain and other symptoms in your shoulders, even though the source of the irritation is in your neck.
With a neck and shoulder pain combination the underlying causes can be a wide variety of things, including some that originate in the neck and others that originate in the shoulders. Some of the more common ones include:
Cervical radiculopathy - Pain comes from compression or irritation of spinal nerve roots. These nerves travel between the neck vertebrae, through the shoulder, and down the arm.
Broken collarbone - This is a break of the bone that extends from the top of the sternum to the outer tip of the shoulder blade.
Shoulder bursitis - Bursitis is inflammation of the bursa which is a small sac of fluid in the joints that cushions and prevents excessive friction between bone and soft tissues.
Shoulder blade injury - The scapula, or shoulder blade, is a large triangular-shaped bone that lies in the upper back. The bone is surrounded and supported by a complex system of muscles that work together to help you move your arm.
Rotator cuff injury - rotator cuff is made up of the muscles and connective tissues surrounding your shoulder. They keep your arm in the shoulder socket
Shoulder impingement syndrome - Compression of the tendons of the shoulder against the acromion, a bony prominence in the shoulder. The compression occurs with repeated overhead movements. The muscles and tendons of the rotator cuff are located in this area as well.
Soft tissue damage - includes muscles, ligaments, tendons, and fascia (a thin covering around muscles, organs, and many other structures). These naturally pliable structures can be involved in pain relating to bones and joints, or they can be the entire cause of pain.
Poor posture - Failing to sit up straight, especially if you're at a desk all day, can take a toll on the health of your neck and shoulders. People who sit at desks all day may be prone to a rounding of the back and shoulders that slump forward.
Even though the neck and shoulder are closely connected, there are ways to figure out where your pain is coming from. Pain that originates in your shoulder typically Radiates into your upper arm, gets worse when you stretch your arms over your head or reach behind your back, can feel worse when lifting objects, is worse at night, especially when lying on your side, is more of a dull, persistent ache or Feels better after resting your arm. Pain that starts in your neck often causes symptoms like a pain that feels like an electrical shock, sometimes radiating down your arm, pain that gets worse when you twist or move your neck, pain that’s not relieved by rest and pain close to the side or base of your neck.
It’s very important you see a doctor or a specialist to take a look at whatever problem you have with a neck or shoulder to find out exactly were the problem is. They may do X-rays of the affected areas, as well as an MRI. This allows a more complete view. The MRI also makes pictures of soft tissues such as ligaments, tendons, and blood vessels. Over-the-counter medicines such as paracetamol or ibuprofen may also help with the discomfort. Physiotherapy can help to alleviate your neck pain or shoulder pain and promote movement in your spine. A structured program of exercises, stretching and strengthening to build endurance in your neck, shoulders and core muscles can help to improve your pain levels and functional capabilities. Without a doctor’s or physios care, your symptoms can become a lot worse.
There are things we can do in our lives to help us avoid getting neck or shoulder pain and they could include things like: Maintain supportive posture - Poor posture can cause neck pain by straining muscles and ligaments that support the neck, resulting in injury over time.
The head-and-shoulders-forward posture is the most common example of poor posture that contributes to neck pain. This occurs when the neck slants forward, placing the head in front of the shoulders. Exercise and stretch - Keep your neck muscles strong by doing short sets of strengthening and stretching exercises throughout the day. You can build strength in your neck by performing safe strengthening exercises on a regular basis. Stretching is essential for improving your range of motion and increasing shoulder flexibility. Stretching is as crucial for people who work at desks as it is for athletes. As you sit at a desk, your head and shoulders can be pulled forward, increasing the risk of a shoulder impingement. Shoulder workouts will strengthen up those muscles of the shoulders and around the shoulders.
Avoid neck strain from texting - Texting or looking down at your cell phone or mobile device for any length of time puts excessive strain on your neck. Over time, the added stress on the joints, ligaments, and discs in your neck can lead to premature degenerative changes in your neck. Reduce your stress and tension - Tense muscles in the neck and shoulder can lead to neck pain. Find a few effective ways to reduce your stress. maintain a healthy weight -This is a good "life health" tip, but since your spine is responsible for carrying the weight of your body, being at a healthy weight will help you take good care of your spine and not overstrain it. This will help the overall health of the shoulders and neck also.
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