Neck Pain
The head, being the heaviest part of our body places immense weight on the structures in our neck on a daily basis. For the neck must move with precision, in any day, it must hold it’s position statically for extended periods in awkward angles (plumbers under sinks) and it may be called upon to rapidly swivel and look over the shoulder at lightning speed (looking for the blind spot while driving a car).
We Take Our Neck for Granted
As with many things we take for granted, our neck’s get enormous levels of trauma thrown at them and we expect them to function optimally each day regardless of their workload. Think for a moment about some of the movements you asked your neck to do you yesterday, were you sitting at the desk all day looking down at the keyboard? Were you playing a sport requiring rapid or awkward neck movements?
The chances are you may needn’t have been doing “anything” but may still have neck pain. That’s because neck pain can build up over time, slowly simmering and bubbling away like a pan of hot oil until it get’s too hot and can’t be contained any more, manifesting in an acute episode of muscle spasm and joint pain.
How to Spot the Warning Signs of Neck Pain
Without a doubt the most sensible choice many patients make about their health is to have a Chiropractic check up. A Chiropractic follow up after a break for maintenance care often helps individual patients stave off any neck discomfort that may build up without them knowing. This is because pain may be “silent” while its preparing to attack, it’s clever like mosquito’s, always adapting to the environment.
As Perth chiropractors we use special palpation detection techniques to uncover early signs of joint restriction that could lead to pain if left unattended. Often a monthly Chiropractic check up for patients on maintenance care is all that is needed to prevent further neck pain manifesting.
What to Do to Help Reduce the Occurrence of Neck Pain
Commonly, most people know a stretch or two to perform on their neck or shoulders, this is a start. However Exercise Physiologists are expertly trained to demonstrate, design and supervise stretching, strength and conditioning programs for neck pain, back pain, and other areas. It is prudent to seek professional help and advice from an Exercise Physiologist before commencing any new physical activity program. (08) 9383 7882
When in Pain – Look to the Pillow
Take some time to weigh up this: We live and die, that’s a certainty right? In fact it’s the only certainty we’ve got that’s irrespective of beliefs and values and is factually true to every person on the planet. When we’re born we may have a shaky passage up the birth canal, could this have some baring on neck pain in later years?
We sleep for near on one third of our lives, another well accepted fact and so doesn’t using a decent pillow make sense? Think of it another way, eight hours each night, seven days a week, all year, every year we sleep more often than not on pillows. The new idea with pillows is to have one that contours around the head and supports the neck.
Memory foam pillows, water pillows and rubber tree plant (latex pillows) are current pillows of informed choice. Ask the Perth Chiropractors at Perth Sports Injury Clinic for a demonstration and explanation about the best pillows we know about today on (08) 9383 7882.
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