TREATMENT FOR NECK PAIN AND NECK STIFFNESS
Chronic neck pain and the efficacy of traditional acupuncture to cure it!
Your neck has a tough job, since it holds up an equivalent weight as a bowling ball all day long. The bones at the highest of your spine, alongside your muscles and ligaments, support your head, which weighs about 11 pounds.It is often a fragile balance. Things like sleeping wrong and bad posture can cause neck pain.Your neck is made up of vertebrae that extend from the skull to the upper torso. Cervical discs absorb shock between the bones.The bones, ligaments, and muscles of your neck support your head and permit for motion. Any abnormalities, inflammation, or injury can cause neck pain or stiffness. Neck pain is also referred to as cervical pain.
Neck pain is an ache that starts in the neck and can be associated with radiating pain down one or both of the arms.Many people experience neck pain or stiffness occasionally. In most of the cases, it’s due to poor posture or overuse. Sometimes, neck pain is caused by injury from a fall, contact sports or whiplash.Predominantly, neck pain isn’t a significant condition and may be relieved within a couple of days.But in some cases, neck pain can indicate serious injury or illness and need a doctor’s care.
Causes of neck pain and neck stiffness:
Your neck is flexible, hence it is vulnerable to injuries and conditions that cause pain and restrict motion. Sometimes, it can have causes that aren't due to underlying disease. Neck pain or stiffness can happen for a variety of reasons which include,
- Muscle tension and strain : Overuse, like too many hours hunched over your computer or smartphone, performing at a desk for too long without changing position often triggers muscle strains. Even minor things, such as poor posture, Carrying a heavy shoulder bag or purse reading in bed or gritting your teeth, sleeping with your neck in a bad position, jerking your neck during exercise can strain neck muscles
- Worn joints : Just like the rest of the joints in your body, your neck joints tend to deteriorate with age. Osteoarthritis makes the cushions (cartilage) between your bones (vertebrae) to deteriorate. Your body then tend to form bone spurs that affect joint motion and cause pain
- Nerve compression : Herniated disks or bone spurs in the vertebrae of your neck can press on the nerves branching out from the spinal cord or a pinched nerve (cervical radiculopathy) When a disk protrudes, as from a trauma or injury, it's going to add pressure on the medulla spinalis or nerve roots. This is called a herniated cervical disk, also known as a ruptured or slipped disk
- Injuries : The neck is especially susceptible to injury, especially in falls, car accidents, and sports, where the muscles and ligaments of the neck are forced to maneuver outside of their normal range.If the neck bones (cervical vertebrae) are fractured, the medulla spinalis can also be damaged. Neck injury thanks to sudden jerking of the top is usually called whiplash. Rear-end auto collisions often end in whiplash , which occurs when the highest is jerked backward then forward, straining the soft tissues of the neck
- Diseases : Neck pain can come from common infections, like viral infection of the throat, resulting in lymph gland (gland) swelling and neck pain. Neck pain also can come from rare infections, like tuberculosis of the neck. Certain diseases, such as degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis, cervical spondylosis, spinal stenosis (Narrowed spaces within your spine), cancer, can cause neck pain
- Heart attack : Neck pain also can be a symbol of an attack , but it often presents with other symptoms of an attack , such as, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, vomiting, arm or jaw pain. If your neck hurts and you've got other symptoms of attack , call an ambulance or attend the ER immediately
- Meningitis : Meningitis is an inflammation of the skinny tissue that surrounds the brain and medulla spinalis . In people that have meningitis, a fever and a headache often occur with a stiff neck. Meningitis are often fatal and may be a medical emergency
- Rheumatoid arthritis : It can cause pain, swelling of the joints and also bone spurs. When these occur within the neck area, it may result in neck pain
- Osteoporosis : It weakens the bones and tends to cause small fractures. This condition often happens in hands or knees, but it also can occur within the neck. A fractured or collapsed vertebra can be related to osteoporosis.
- Fibromyalgia : It is a condition that causes muscle pain throughout the body, especially in the neck and shoulder region and polymyalgia rheumatica is a condition affecting the muscles of the neck
- Spondylosis : As you age, the cervical discs can degenerate. This is known as spondylosis or osteoarthritis of the neck. This can narrow the space between the vertebrae. It also adds stress to your joints
- Spinal stenosis : It occurs when the vertebral column narrows and causes pressure on the medulla spinalis or the nerve roots because it exits the vertebrae. This can flow from to long-term inflammation caused by arthritis or other conditions
- In rare instances, neck stiffness or pain occurs due to: Congenital abnormalities and abscesses
Types of neck pain:
- Axial pain is usually felt within the a part of the spine that belongs to the neck (cervical spine) and sometimes spreads to the shoulders
- Radicular pain shoots and radiates along the nerves, for instance it stems up from the back of your head or down into one of your arms. This type of pain is usually caused by irritated nerves, because one of the spinal disks in the neck area has changed and is pushing against a nerve. It could also affect your arm reflexes and muscle strength or result in a tingling feeling (Pins and needles)
Symptoms of neck pain:
If your neck hurts, you'll notice symptoms including:
- Pain that gets worse once you hold your head a particular way while performing on a computer, driving, or doing other tasks
- Muscle tightness or spasms
- Trouble moving your neck or head
- Headache
- Neck pain is only very rarely a sign of a more serious condition or an emergency, but urgent medical attention is important if any of the following occur:
- Severe symptoms that arise after an accident
- Stiff neck
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
- Headache along side nausea, vomiting, dizziness or sensitivity to light
- Pain that stays an equivalent , whether you're at rest or moving
- Unexplained weight loss, fever or chills
- Nerve problems and signs of paralysis like tingling or difficulties moving your arm or fingers
- Other symptoms of neck pain and neck stiffness that need medical attention include persistent "pins and needles”, frequent "falling asleep" of your hands or legs, leg weakness and trouble keeping your balance when walking.
Neck Pain Diagnosis:
The best treatment for neck pain and stiffness in Chennai can be initiated only after proper diagnosis.If symptoms persist for more than a week and if your neck pain is severe, it doesn’t respond to treatment, gets worse over time, consult with your doctor and seek medical assistance if you have,
- Severe neck pain without apparent cause
- Lump in your neck
- Fever
- Headache
- Swollen glands
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Trouble swallowing or breathing
- Weakness
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Shooting pain that radiates down your arms or legs
- Inability to move your arms or hands
- Inability to touch your chin to your chest
- Bladder or bowel dysfunction
- If you have been in an accident or had a fall and your neck starts to hurt
Your doctor would perform a physical exam and take your complete medical record, also make sure to inform your doctor about the specifics of your symptoms.So that best treatment plan can be executed. You should also allow them to realize all prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications and supplements you’ve been taking.Even if it doesn’t seem related, you ought to also let your doctor realize any recent injuries or accidents you’ve had.
Treatment for neck pain and neck stiffness depends on the proper diagnosis. In addition to a radical history and physical exam by your doctor, you'll also need one or more of the subsequent imaging studies and tests to assist your doctor determine the cause of your neck pain and neck stiffness.Some of the tests include,
- Blood tests
- X-rays
- CT scans
- MRI scans
- Electromyography, which allows your doctor to check the health of your muscles and the nerves that control your muscles
- Lumbar puncture (spinal tap)
For non-specific neck pain, there isn't enough research on the effectiveness of most treatments. Based on the results, your doctor may refer you to a specialist.
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Treatment of Neck Pain:
Treatment for neck pain may include,
1. Non-Surgical Treatments:
Most causes of neck pain aren't life threatening and resolve with time and conservative medical treatment. Determining a treatment strategy depends mainly on identifying the situation and explanation for the pain. Although neck pain are often quite debilitating and painful, nonsurgical management can alleviate many symptoms.To name a few as follows,
- Ice and heat therapy, applying heat or ice with hot water bottles or cushions
- Stretching, strengthening exercises and physical therapy
- (OTC) Over-the-counter pain medication
- Administration of trigger point injections, including corticosteroids, can temporarily relieve pain. Occasionally, epidural steroids may be recommended.
- Muscle relaxants
- Padded neck collar or cervical collar may help provide support for the spine, reduce mobility and decrease pain and irritation
- Traction
- Antibiotics if you have an infection
- Hospital treatment if a condition like meningitis or attack is that the cause of surgery, which is rarely necessary
- If the patient has had any trauma and is now experiencing neck pain with weakness or numbness, urgent consultation with a neurosurgeon is suggested
- In rare circumstances, you may need shots of cortisone or even surgery.
- You could also pay a visit to a chiropractor or get a neck massage for short-term relief
2. Surgical Methods:
When conservative treatment for neck pain doesn't provide relief, surgery could also be needed. Patients may be a candidate for surgery if,
- Conservative therapy is not helping
- The patient experiences a decrease in function due to persistent pain and progressive neurological symptoms involving the arms and legs
- The patient experiences difficulty with balance or walking
- The patient is in otherwise good health
There are several different surgical procedures which may be utilized, the selection of which is influenced by the specifics of every case. Also, there are options for approaches from the front of the neck or the rear of the neck.
In many cases, fusion is performed, though in some cases, simple decompression or artificial disc replacement could also be employed. Spinal fusion is an operation that makes a solid union between two or more vertebrae. Various devices (like screws or plates) could also be wont to enhance fusion and support unstable areas of the cervical spine. This procedure may assist in strengthening and stabilizing the spine and should thereby help to alleviate severe and chronic neck pain. Factors that help determine the sort of surgery include the specifics of the disc disease and therefore the presence or absence of pressure on the medulla spinalis or nervus spinalis roots. Other factors include age of the patient, how long they’ve had the disorder, presence of certain medical conditions and if there has been previous cervical spine surgery. Acupuncture is preferred as the best remedy over surgical treatments because there are no side effects and the chance of recurrence is almost nil.
Alternative therapies include:
- Acupuncture
- Massage
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)
Make sure you’re seeing a licensed professional while choosing these methods.
Acupuncture for treating Neck Pain:
Research and studies have suggested that acupuncture can help improve neck function and reduce pain. Chronic neck pain may be a challenging condition to treat in clinical practice and features a considerable impact on quality of life and disability. According to the thought of traditional Chinese medicine, acupoints and tender points may become sensitised when the body is during a diseased state. Stimulation of such sensitive points may give the best remedy for neck pain and neck stiffness and improve the clinical efficacy. These researches and studies aim to gauge the efficacy and safety of needling at sensitive acupoints in providing relief of neck pain and neck stiffness and improve the cervical vertebral function and quality of life in patients with chronic neck pain.Acupuncture is widespread in the world. Conventional treatments and medicines are said to be wonderful and successful, but in many chronic conditions there happens to be a lack of success, and acupuncture may be the best remedy to cure them. Studies prove that acupuncture is more effective than most of the customary treatments for chronic neck pain.Get the Best way to remove neck stiffness and reduce neck pain through acupuncture and get better.
Mechanism of Acupuncture:
Acupuncture is considered as a physical intervention which involves placement of small needles within the skin at different acupoints, has been practiced for 2000 years and is typically used for several types of chronic pain.
- It is firmly believed that acupuncture helps to relieve pain by preventing or modifying peripheral, spinal and supraspinal mechanisms. Even when symptoms of pain and stiffness are only within the neck area, the needles could also be placed in other areas of the body additionally to the neck.
- Acupuncture works to stimulate the nervous system to unblock Qi, the body’s life force or vital energy. Qi (pronounced chee) flows through channels within the body called meridians. Within meridian channels are many points or acupoints on the body that correspond to specific body systems. A basic principle of TCM is when Qi is disrupted or blocked, symptoms of physical illness and/or mental distress can develop.
- Inserting a needle sends a sign through the systema nervosum to the brain, where chemicals like endorphins, norepinephrine, and enkephalin are released. Some of these substances are 10 to 200 times more potent than the drugs available in the market.
Benefits of Acupuncture:
Time and time again, acupuncture has shown its worth in scientific studies for chronic pain relief, during the likes of these tiny (barely noticeable) needles that are believed to activate the body's natural pain-fighting defenses. Those treated with acupuncture had a greater improvement in motion related neck pain compared with those treated with massage or other treatment methods.
Acupuncture helps relieve neck pain by,
- Stimulating the nerves located in muscles and other tissues, which results in release of endorphins and other neurohumoral factors
- Changes the processing of pain within the brain and medulla spinalis reducing inflammation
- Promotes release of vascular and immunomodulatory factors improving muscle stiffness and joint mobility by increasing local microcirculation, which aids dispersal of swelling.
Reviews and studies have expressed promise that acupuncture could be better than most pain medications.
Best Cure for Neck pain and Neck stiffness
Looking for a best solution to treat chronic neck pain, here’s why you should reach out to the expert Acupuncturist. A. Shaji Bharath from Dr.Bharath’s Acu Heal. He is currently treating patients for a wide range of conditions. As a certified acupuncture practitioner with 15 years of experience, with vast knowledge on orthopaedics and neurological conditions, having worked with several Orthopedists and neurologists, Acupuncturist. A. Shaji Bharath has seen Acupuncture doing wonders on people suffering from neck pain and gives the best remedy. The effectiveness rate increases several times just with one course of Acupuncture and it can help alleviate the symptoms, reduce pain and address various conditions with different degrees of problems associated with a bone, spine or disc abnormality including other types of neck pain caused by injury to nerves. He has an expertise in treating patients with acupuncture and helps them get back to their normal routine at the earliest, by evaluating the condition and offering best treatment. Most of the people swear by acupuncture, citing it as a ‘miracle’ to improving their quality of life, that focuses on injuries and conditions of your body's musculoskeletal system, which allows you to move, work, and be active.
Dial: +91 9884746916 or Visit: drbharathsacuheal.com for more details on treating Neck pain and neck stiffness using Acupuncture.
Treatment for Neck pain and Neck stiffness without surgery
It is surprising to know that very few people need surgery for Neck pain and neck stiffness and that treatment without surgery is very much possible. Most people can treat the problem with home care and medicines but the better option for immediate results for non surgical treatment for neck pain and neck stiffness is acupuncture.
Though surgery can give the result, people do look for alternatives to treat neck pain and neck stiffness. To be sure that surgery is a good choice, you need to have a CT scan of your sinuses. This test will be done after you have followed what's called "maximum medical treatment" for 4 to 6 weeks. This means that you take medicines and follow home treatment to reduce infection and swelling. That helps your doctor see what's causing your pain. Due to some of the below complications, people opt for treatment for neck pain and neck stiffness without surgery.
- You may need more than one surgery to fix your pain.
- After surgery, you still may need to take medicines, such as antibiotics, and follow home treatment for a long time.
- You will have better results from surgery if you use medicine and home treatment after surgery to help to keep that problem under control.
BEST ACUPUNCTURE DOCTOR NEAR ME
To choose the Best doctor for Acupuncture, it's important that the Acupuncturist should have a decade of experience and treated at least 1000 to 2000 patients.
You can also search for the Best Acupuncture Doctor near me or ask your primary care physician to refer an experienced Acupuncturist nearby. Once you find the Best Acupuncture Doctor in Chennai, you may go through their google reviews first and then fix an appointment with the doctor only when you are satisfied with the reviews.
The Best Acupuncture Doctor should address your concerns and help you feel more comfortable before your first session. Acupuncture usually takes numerous sessions or several weeks to get a complete cure in any ailment but within 3 or 4 sessions the patients will experience positive differences.
Best Acupuncture Clinic near me
Owing to the demand for the treatment, there are numerous clinics popping up and it is sometimes skeptical to choose the best or even the safe one. To address such concerns, you can look into the following points to choose the best acupuncture clinic for neck pain and neck stiffness. Acupuncture is also offered in hospital pain clinics and by healthcare organizations but it is ideal to visit the best Acupuncture Clinic for neck pain and neck stiffness. If you are not sure, it would be a good idea to contact your local doctor to see if they would be prepared to refer to the best rated acupuncture clinics. For example in cases where a patient specifically requests acupuncture for neck pain and neck stiffness, or where it is felt that acupuncture would complement conventional treatment. In some cases acupuncture is offered in top rated acupuncture clinics near me because conventional treatment has failed or produces unacceptable side effects.
Most of the best acupuncture clinics for neck pain and neck stiffness will spell out very clearly
- what type of acupuncture they practice
- how much they charge
- how professional they are - at present anyone can set themselves up as an acupuncturist but reputable practitioners will belong to an organization
- whether the premises are hygienic and smart
- what other therapies they offer
So while you are filtering the best clinics for acupuncture that treats neck pain and neck stiffness, you can look out for these factors.
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The bottom line
If you have recurring neck pain and neck stiffness or are looking to try alternative treatments acupuncture may be worth a shot. Just make sure you see a licensed acupuncturist and keep up with any prescribed neck pain and neck stiffness treatments.
Scientific References:
- Cohen SP, Hooten WM. Advances in the diagnosis and management of neck pain. BMJ 2017; 358: j3221.
- Walton DM, Carroll LJ, Kasch H, Sterling M, Verhagen AP, Macdermid JC et al. An Overview of Systematic Reviews on Prognostic Factors in Neck Pain: Results from the International Collaboration on Neck Pain (ICON) Project. Open Orthop J 2013; 7: 494-505.
- Medical news today - Mechanisms of Acupuncture for neck pain - Medically reviewed by Yamini Ranchod, Ph.D., M.S. — Written by Yvette Brazier on December 21, 2017.
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FAQ:
What are the services provided for neck pain by Dr. Bharath’s Acu Heal?
With acupuncture, one can completely get rid of neck pain. The Acupuncturist can understand the condition of the disease only after a thorough investigation by pulse and tongue diagnosis. In the first few sessions, there will be a positive change in the symptoms and after several sessions, there will be a 90% to 100% chance that the patient will get cured of the Neck Pain. In most cases, patients with neck pain / cervical spondylitis will also receive treatment for gastritis. If needed, few exercises and dietary restrictions are also recommended.
What are the benefits of acupuncture for neck pain?
This is a drugless therapy and there are no adverse effects. Moreover, the results are permanent. After completing the course of treatment any form of medication can be stopped.
How many acupuncture sessions will be required for treating neck pain?
Depending on the severity, the sessions can range from 10 to 40 with a length of 2 to 4 months.
Is acupuncture safe for neck pain?
Yes, acupuncture is 100% safe when it is performed by an experienced Acupuncturist and some people get immediate relief after few sessions itself.
Is acupuncture good for neck pain problems & can it cure them?
For neck aches, acupuncture is one of the best & reliable modes of therapy. Many people opt for Acupuncture in Europe & the US because of its huge popularity.