disease
Definition, causes and symptoms of neck pain
Neck pain is common. According to a survey conducted by the Robert Koch Institute, 62 percent of women suffer from severe neck pain in the upper back at least once a year. Nature has created our body for a life in motion. But few people think about that today. Most of the time we spend sitting in the office or lying in bed . But this often causes damage to the back and neck, which inevitably leads to neck pain. Often it's because we do not know what we're doing wrong.
In addition to bad posture, it is also stress, overstraining physical or mental problems that increase overall muscle tension Reason for neck pain. People who work sitting down, for example on the computer, as taxi drivers, at the cash register in the supermarket or on the production line, are susceptible to neck pain. A defective vision or glasses can also cause neck pain. You should definitely take the neck pain seriously. If they exude in the arms or tingling sensations occur, urgently an orthopedist should be visited. It could be a nerve root irritated or a herniated disc occurred.
Treatment of neck pain
For chronic neck pain, heat is a good remedy for treatment. It causes increased blood circulation and relaxation of the muscles. Good to do warm compresses, an infrared heater or a hot water bottle. In the pharmacy there are special heat packs or patches that are placed on the neck pain or glued. Also very suitable are warm full baths with circulation-enhancing additives such as rosemary or lavender . Rubbing with Klosterfrau Melissengeist, mountain pine Franzbranntwein and creams with capsaicin, comfrey root extract or essential oils also increase blood circulation and help with neck pain. Acute neck pain can be relieved well by cold or rubbing with menthol or arnica. This reduces the sensitivity of the receptors and thus the sensitivity to pain.
In order to break the vicious circle of neck pain, short-term use of analgesics with naproxen, ibuprofen, paracetamol or diclofenac may be useful. Sometimes only one intervention helps. The natural wear of the intervertebral discs - it begins around the age of twenty - can lead to a herniated disc, which in certain cases (for example, paralysis symptoms) makes an OP necessary. The aim of the procedure is to relieve the constricted nerve root and spinal cord and to introduce a placeholder. This usually involves minimally invasive surgery. The surgeon makes a small incision on the side of the neck, usually in a cervical fold. The advantage of this new surgical technique is that hardly any muscles need to be cut, and the spinal cord is not affected. After three to four days of hospital, the patients are again pain-free.
Prevention and self-help with neck pain
According to the latest findings there is a direct connection between neck pain and eye and head movements. This control mechanism is referred to in English as a head-eye mover (literally: head-eye mover). As a child, all people are "head movers". They actively move their heads in the direction they are looking. Over time, many become the eye movers. They move their heads less, their eyes all the more. Nevertheless, the body continues to send signals to the neck muscles. As a result, a muscle tension builds up, which ultimately leads to neck pain. Research by the Weimar scientists showed that 85 percent of patients with neck pain are eye-movers. Those who want to eliminate this cause of pain, should work specifically to "take" the head with each movement again.
7 more tips to prevent neck pain :
- 1. Anatomically shaped neck support pillows are ideal for side sleepers. A great complement to this is a mattress with shoulder comfort zone. For back sleepers, a less tall pillow is better for the thoracic spine to lie flat.
- 2. In winter you should wear a warm scarf . Because when it's cold outside, we pull up the shoulders involuntarily, so that the wind does not drive into the collar. This tightens the neck and causes neck pain.
- 3. When cycling, the handlebar should be adjusted so that you sit as upright as possible. So the neck muscles remain loose and there is less neck pain.
- 4. Good exercise for the cervical spine: You put a few books on your head and run around in the room. Then roll the head back and forth over the side several times.
- 5. Learn relaxation exercises to reduce stress and neck pain. For example, the muscle relaxation according to Jacobson. Courses offer community colleges. The technique can also be learned by books.
- 6. Make sure that the workplace is ergonomically designed. This includes a good chair, the "right" desk height and a screen that stands right in front of you.
- 7. At work, take short breaks and install small movements in the office routine. For example, you can put your water bottle aside to get up to reach it. Even standing up to phone is helpful.
