What Causes Bad Neck And Shoulder Pain

What Causes Bad Neck And Shoulder Pain

What Causes Bad Neck And Shoulder Pain

Leading With Your Head

How to relieve Neck Pain, Headaches and Shoulder Pain

Leading with your head is another common thing I see people do. By leading with your head, it shifts the weight of the head, ten to twelve pounds, out in front of your chest. Every inch your head is out in front of your chest, the pressure on your neck increases by ten pounds. Not only does this affect your neck, it also shifts more pressure on the calves which can lead to plantar fasciitis, pain in the heel, or Achilles tendinitis.

Walking like you are in a hurry can be very stressful, emotionally, and physically. Try leading with your belly button when you walk. This can be difficult if your calves are tight, and your ankles cannot bend properly. I have posted the calf stretch again to help you stretch the calves correctly. This is the most important stretch you can do. Leading with your nose is like walking uphill all the time. The quads can become tight which will lead to low back stiffness.

Try this. Stand on your bare feet. Now shift your body forward slightly. Feel your weight shift from your heels to your toes? Walking while leading with your nose places you in this state all the time. The arch of your foot will tighten causing arch pain. The calves will tighten causing heel pain. The quads tighten causing back pain. Finally, all of these together cause neck pain. Not a great place to be.

Treatment And Medication Options For Neck Pain

Recommended treatments for neck pain vary with the cause of your pain. In general, the goals of treatment are to relieve pain and improve function.

Self-care options that may help resolve neck pain include:

• Taking over-the-counter pain relievers
• Using heat or ice packs, or alternating between both
• Gentle stretches and neck exercises
• Rest

Slumping Over At Work

Many of us spend our workdays hunched over computer desks, sitting for extended periods of time and bending our necks to read mobile devices, all of which can wreak havoc with neck and shoulder muscles. Many of these habits are caused by a poorly organized and inadequate workstation.

Proper office ergonomicsincluding correct chair height, adequate equipment spacing and good desk posture can help you and your joints stay comfortable at work.

Here are some tips for creating a healthy workspace:

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Is It Better To Sleep Without A Pillow To Avoid Neck Pain

Is it better to sleep without a pillow to avoid neck pain? Or, does sleeping without a pillow actually lead to neck pain? There are a few advantages of sleeping without a pillow to consider, especially for your posture.

Sleeping without a pillow will actually help extend your back and help you rest in a more natural position, possibly without any aches or pains. At the same time, using a pillow that is too soft will strain your neck muscles and reduce the flow of blood to the head.

Overall, sleeping without or with a pillow is a personal choice. That being said, here are some sleeping without a pillow benefits that you need to know:

What Can Cause Sharp Pain In Your Neck And Shoulder When Breathing

A couple of conditions can cause pain in the neck and/or shoulder when you take a deep breath, including:

• Pleurisy : Symptoms include sudden chest pain that may be felt only while coughing or breathing deeply, fever, cough, and shortness of breath.
• Pericarditis : Symptoms include rapid-onset stabbing chest pain, possibly pain in the shoulder, fever, weakness, and trouble breathing. It gets worse if you lie down or breathe deeply.

Pleurisy and pericarditis aren’t usually medical emergencies but you should treat any chest pain or breathing difficulty as an emergency until you know for sure what’s causing it.

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Causes Of Neck Pain With Headache

As cervicogenic headaches shoot from troubles in the neck, varied conditions may trigger this kind of pain. These conditions consist of degenerative health problems such as osteoarthritis, a whiplash injury, or a troubled disc in the neck. Some kinds of sports and a fall can even lead to injuries of the neck and lead to such headaches.

Neck pain with headaches may even happen based on the position of how you stand or sit. A driver, hairstylist, carpenter, or someone who is seated at a table may unintentionally push the chin frontward which also moves the head out in front of the body and this forward movement is termed as cervical protraction. Standing or sitting in this stature for long durations can pressurize or lead to stress on the neck and skulls base leading to a headache with neck pain.

Sleeping in a discomfited posture like with your head too far away to the back or front and off to one particular side can even trigger these kinds of headaches. It can also happen when one sleeps in a chair or sits in bed.

A pinched or compressed nerve near or in the neck is also one cause of this type of headache.

What To Consider When Purchasing A Pillow For Neck Pain

Most people dont give much thought to their pillow, beyond choosing a pillow thats nice and squishy for immediate comfort. This means that when we do realize our pillow may be contributing to our neck pain, we may not know how to go about choosing a proper one. Shoppers in this position may be susceptible to misleading marketing and end up choosing a pillow thats ill-suited for their needs.

To help you get started, weve made a list of the most important factors. Focusing on these factors and having a basic understanding of how pillows work can help you find the pillow that works best for you.

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How Can I Prevent Shoulder And Neck Pain

• To prevent injuries, examine your home for potential hazards and correct them to reduce the chance of accidental injury.
• Proper exercise of the shoulders and neck can reduce the risk of injury.
• When performing hazardous tasks, have someone present to reduce the likelihood of injury. For example, when climbing a ladder, have someone hold the base of the ladder to keep it from sliding to either side.
• Know your limitations. Do not perform activities that you do not have the training, skills, tools, or strength to accomplish.
• Wear seat belts and use other safety equipment to reduce injuries.

Desk Setup For Improved Neck Comfort

Poor Posture Causes Neck, Back and Shoulder Pain

Your desk is a critical component of your workstation, but it can contribute to your neck pain if it isnt adjusted properly. If you have a standard sitting desk, the height of the work surface should allow you to type naturally on a computer keyboard. Otherwise, you should consider a keyboard tray or drawer.

If the desk is too high, you will compensate by shrugging your shoulders slightly to elevate your forearms, wrists, and hands to the appropriate level. After a while, your neck muscles will fatigue and begin to spasm. When the neck muscles become tight, the tension often translates to the smaller suboccipital muscles at the base of your skull. This can lead to a headache that starts at the base of your skull and progresses to the front as your symptoms worsen.

If the desk is too low, youll be forced to flex your trunk to use the keyboard. Working with your trunk flexed forward requires you to extend the neck more than usual to allow you to see the computer monitor. This position is usually called a forward head posture. Sitting this way shortens the suboccipital muscles at the base of your skull leading to muscles spasms, neck pain, and headaches.

How-To Fix Your Desk Setup

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What Are The Symptoms Of Back And Neck Pain

Symptoms linked to back pain may include:

• Dull, burning, or sharp pain in your back. The pain can be limited to a single spot or cover a large area.
• Leg numbness or tingling above or below your knee
• Stiffness or aching that occurs anywhere along your spine from your neck to your tailbone
• Sharp, shooting pain that spreads from your low back to your buttocks, down the back of your thigh, and into your calf and toes
• Consistent ache in the middle or lower part of your back, especially after standing or sitting for a long period

Loss of bladder and bowel control with weakness in both legs are symptoms of a serious condition that needs medical attention right away.

Symptoms linked to neck pain can be:

• Arm numbness or tingling
• Shoulder pain
• Sharp shooting pain or a dull ache in your neck

Pain that occurs suddenly in your back or neck from an injury is acute pain. Acute pain comes on quickly and may leave sooner than chronic back or neck pain. This type of pain should not last more than 6 weeks.

Pain that may come on quickly or slowly and lingers for 3 months or more is chronic pain. Chronic pain is less common than acute pain.

Treatment Of Neck Pain On The Left Side

Most of the treatments depend on the severity and diagnosis. For mild pain, take a hot bath or shower. You can also try using a hot water bottle, neck massage, use of a neck pillow. It will relax neck muscles and give you relief.

If recommended by a doctor, you can seek a physiotherapist’s help. He will give you tips for better posture, movement through various exercises.

If neck pain is prolonged, doctors might give corticosteroid injections to you. These lessen the pain and inflammation in the neck.

When the neck bones are fractured, or nerve cords are severely compressed, surgery is usually the answer. However, minor fractures usually only need a neck collar as treatment.

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What Are Neck Pain Symptoms

Other than neck pain itself, you may notice other symptoms that accompany the pain. Some of the more common symptoms of neck pain include:

• Neck muscle stiffness: Tight muscles in the back of the head or a muscle knot in the neck. This may spread to your shoulders, upper back and arms.
• Headache: Experiencing headaches in the occipital region is very common but can also extend to the top of the head, causing “tension” headaches from muscle tightness.
• Pain and/or weakness that shoots down the arm: This may be caused by muscle fatigue or nerve compression. Very often along specific nerve roots .
• Loss of neck mobility: Inability to turn your head and neck easily.
• Paraesthesias: A sensation of numbness and/or tingling in the arms, most often caused by nerve compression at the level of the spine, or as the branching nerves pass through tight, inflamed muscles.

If your neck pain is caused by nerve compression, you may experience the following symptoms:

• Weakness in the shoulder, arm or hand
• A feeling of numbness or pins and needles in arm, fingers or hand
• Sharp, burning pain near the pinched nerve that radiates outward

Some conditions, such as coronary artery disease or even lung tumors may mimic these conditions, notes Stewart G. Eidelson, MD. It is best to have a skilled physician perform a thorough physical examination when the symptoms described are present, he says.

What Is Back And Neck Pain

Back pain can range from a mild, dull, annoying ache to persistent, severe, disabling pain. Pain in your back can limit your ability to move. It can interfere with normal functioning and quality of life. Always talk with your healthcare provider if you have persistent pain.

Neck pain occurs in the area of the cervical vertebrae in your neck. Because of its location and range of motion, your neck is often left unprotected and at risk for injury.

Pain in your back or neck area can come on suddenly and intensely. Chronic pain lasts for weeks, months, or even years. The pain can be constant or come and go.

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Ways To Relieve Pain From A Shoulder Problem

• Resting from activities that aggravate pain.
• Icing the shoulder, especially at night.
• Anti-inflammatory medications.
• Cortisone injections to reduce inflammation in the shoulder.

• If these measures fail to bring relief, you may need an MRI of your shoulder. If that shows a torn rotator cuff, then shoulder surgery may be necessary, says Dr. Ricchetti. If the physical exam and imaging indicate arthritis or a nerve-related pain in your neck, he recommends referral to a spine specialist. Spine specialists will conduct a thorough neurological examination, and do imaging and other tests. They will also begin with conservative care.

  Is Right Or Left Neck Pain Significant

  Its surprising how often folks find this article because they are searching for information on neck pain left side or oddly much less often neck pain right side. People wonder if the side their pain is clinically significant.

  Its not.

  Average neck anatomy is almost perfectly symmetrical.10 There are, of course, many individual anatomical variations, so anyone could have an asymmetric neck but those are unpredictable quirks that dont help diagnose anything. In many cases, we dont even have any way of knowing they exist at all.

  And of course something can go wrong on one side and not the other even when you are perfectly symmetrical.

  But you could tell the worlds greatest neck pain diagnostician which side your pain is on, and that wouldnt get her any closer to the answer. Revealing the side of the pain wouldnt give Dr. Gregory House a diagnostic a-ha! moment.

  Please dont worry about the side of your pain its not an important detail.

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  How Neck Pain Is Treated

  You doctor will perform a physical exam and take your complete medical history. Be prepared to tell your doctor about the specifics of your symptoms. You should also let them know about all prescription and over-the-counter medications and supplements youve been taking.

  Even if it doesnt seem related, you should also let your doctor know about any recent injuries or accidents youve had.

  Treatment for neck pain depends on the diagnosis. In addition to a thorough history and physical exam by your doctor, you may also need one or more of the following imaging studies and tests to help your doctor determine the cause of your neck pain:

  • blood tests

  When To Seek Help

  How Your Shoulder Causes Neck Pain & Headaches

  Continual pain that doesn’t improve on its means it’s time to consult with a professional.

  Visit the doctor immediately if you feel that your neck pain started running to your arms or you started getting numbness with tingling.

  Doctors will first physically examine you and ask for your medical history. If they didn’t get to the actual cause from there, they would recommend you to go through X-rays, CT scans, and MRI.

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  What Is The Outlook For Pain In The Right Side Of The Neck

  Experiencing pain on the right side of your neck is not unusual and most likely not something to be concerned about. Neck pain often will go away on its own after a few days or weeks, particularly if you engage in self-care treatments and do not strain your neck further.

  Severe neck pain that occurs after an accident or seemingly out of nowhere should be seen by a doctor, as well as neck pain linked to other serious symptoms.

  Neck Shoulder And Upper Arm Pain

  g37travelguy264052 over a year ago

  I’m 47yo male, I’ve been having really bad neck pain and and pain in my right shoulder and upper arm. Feels like a very sore muscle after a hard workout. Within a couple weeks the same pain was in my left arm. My neck is still sore, like a crick in my neck and both arms are hurting very badly. The pain is only in my shoulders & mainly upper arms. No pain in lower arms or hands. I’ve been going to a chiropractor for about a month, getting adjustments, he says I have a little bit of scoliosis and says that may be causing my arm pain and also possibly a pinched nerve in my neck. Chiropractor has helped some with the neck pain but not the shoulder and arm pain. I just think it’s really weird that it’s the same pain in both arms and it’s been lasting for nearly 3 months now. Ibuprofen and Aleve help it some. I’ve tried sleeping on a new pillow but that hasn’t helped either. I just don’t know what my next course of action should be. Neurologist? MRI? Orthopedic? Thanks!!

  Loading…

  jdenton270375 over a year ago

  So, what have you done since you posted this? I just posted something similar so I was wondering what you did.

  over a year ago

  In reply to Lou on 2013-01-19 – click to read

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  General Neck Pain And Anxiety

  For similar reasons, those with anxiety may be more prone to having greater degrees of neck discomfort than those without anxiety. Mild to moderate neck pain is common without having any health problems it can be the result of sitting in chairs all day, sleeping in uncomfortable positions, looking down too long , not stretching, etc.

  If you do not have anxiety, you might pass this off as a normal ache or pain that commonly occurs to everyone. However, if you have anxiety you might be more sensitive to physical sensations and unable to focus on anything else. Those of you who have panic attacks can have more heightened discomfort. The degree of mental energy you place on your neck may increase the pain and possibly worsen anxiety.

  Other Tips For Neck Pain Sufferers

  

  In addition to choosing the right pillow, you can reduce neck pain through lifestyle changes like adopting proper posture, taking stretching breaks, and generally being more active. People who suffer from neck pain should avoid shoulder bags, slouching, and long periods of sitting at the computer.

  • Choose the Right Mattress: Your bodys overall position is influenced not only by your pillow, but also your mattress. Plusher mattresses allow your body to sink down further, meaning youll need a lower-loft pillow. The opposite holds true for firmer mattresses, which will require a higher pillow to maintain proper alignment of the neck and spine.
  • Engage in Physical Therapy: From daily habits to more serious regimens, there are plenty of exercises you can do to relax your neck muscles and relieve strain on the neck, shoulders, and upper back. A certified massage therapist or chiropractor may also be able to help. Always consult a health professional before starting any kind of treatment.
  • Use Ice or Heat: Many neck pain sufferers receive instant relief from a hot or cold compress, or from taking a warm shower. This may not cure your neck problems, but it can be a helpful short term solution.

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