Shoulder and Neck Pain Prevention

Timely follow-up visits to your doctor plus following his or her recommendations will enable you to recover faster. The preventions from shoulder and neck pains are:

• 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.

Shoulder and Neck Pain Treatment

Minor injuries that have only slight pain can be treated at home. If the source of the pain and the cause of the pain are not known, or if symptoms suggest you might have a more serious condition, you should contact your doctor while initiating basic care measures.

• Rest: Use the injured area as little as possible for the first two to three days, then slowly begin to exercise the injured area. This speeds recovery.
• Ice: Place the ice in a plastic bag, wrap the bag with a towel, and then apply to the injured area for 15-20 minutes every hour. Directly applying ice can damage the skin.
• Elevation: Elevation of the injured area above your heart helps the swelling go down. This reduces your pain. Use pillows to prop yourself up.
• Pain control: Acetaminophen (Tylenol) oribuprofen (Advil, Motrin) can help control swelling and pain.
• Heat: Do not apply heat in the first week because it can increase the swelling in the injured area and worsen your pain.

Top 7 Tips To Ease Neck Pain

There is no question that the human body is one amazing machine. But sometimes you have to wonder why nature could not come up with a better way of attaching your head to your shoulders. With such a delicate design, your neck is exceptionally vulnerable to sprains, strains, and other injuries. Probably the best - known condition is whiplash, which occurs when your neck is abruptly thrust forward or snapped backward. But neck pain can also result from a ruptured disk, overuse, or even poor posture. Nearly everyone can expect to have neck pain at some point in their lives. The good news is that between 70 to 80 percent of all aching necks get better on their own within a few hours or days. To keep your pain from coming back, here are some tips that you can consider to adopt.

1. Avoid Sedatives

While you are sound asleep, your body turns continuously to make itself more comfortable. Sedatives diminish this self-adjusting ability, so your body does not move around as much. As a result, you may stay in an awkward position for a long period of time and wake up with an aching neck.

2. Exercise

You can do this simple exercise to relieve your muscle tension. Sit up straight and bend your head forward so that your chin rests against your chest. Slowly turn your head to the left. Look up as far as you can, as though you were trying to see directly above your head. Return to your chin to your chest, then turn your head to the right. Again, look up as far as you can. Do a repetition of three whenever you feel tension in your neck.

3. Move Around

It is recommended not to sit in the same position for too long. Looking down at the desk or staring at a computer screen all day puts a great amount of stress on your neck. Suggest changing positions from time to time and taking a stretch break at least every 30 minutes.

4. Drive Using The Right Way

Adjust your car seat so that you can see over the steering wheel without straining. You should not have to thrust your neck forward for a clear view of the road. In addition, you need to adjust your headrest so that your neck will not snap forward if you stop suddenly or are involved in an accident.

5. Try Aspirin

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be effective in the treatment of neck pain. However, none has proved to work better than aspirin. No matter which product you choose, it is recommended to take the smallest does needed to control your pain.

6. Ask For A Raise

Your desk can give you a pain in the neck. And not because your In box is piled high with papers. It should be the desk that comes to you and not the other way round. If it is too low, then find a way either to raise it or bring your work closer to eye level. Do not lean forward all day. If you must lean forward, do it from your hips rather than from your back or neck.

7. Button Up Your Overcoat

Cold can stiffen your muscles, including those in your neck. Therefore, when you head outside in a frigid weather, try to keep your neck warm. Just by wearing a turtle-neck or a scarf can make a difference.

Neck Pain

Neck pain can occur anywhere in your neck, from the bottom of your head to the top of your shoulders. It can spread to your upper back or arms. It may limit how much you can move your head and neck.

Neck pain is common, especially in people older than 50.

What causes neck pain?

Most neck pain is caused by activities that strain the neck. Slouching, painting a ceiling, or sleeping with your neck twisted are some things that can cause neck pain. These kinds of activities can lead to neck strain, a spasm of the neck muscles, or swelling of the neck joints.

Neck pain can also be caused by an injury. A fall from a ladder or whiplash from a car accident can cause neck pain. Some less common medical problems can also lead to neck pain, such as:

• An infection in the neck.
• Narrowing of the spinal canal  in the neck (cervical spinal stenosis).
• Rheumatoid arthritis.

What are the symptoms?

You may feel a knot, stiffness, or severe pain in your neck. The pain may spread to your shoulders, upper back, or arms. You may get a headache. You may not be able to move or turn your head and neck easily. If there is pressure on a spinal nerve root, you might have pain that shoots down your arm. You may also have numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arm.

If your neck pain is long-lasting (chronic), you may have trouble coping with daily life. Common side effects of chronic pain include fatigue, depression, and anxiety.

How is neck pain diagnosed?

Your doctor will ask questions about your symptoms and do a physical exam. He or she may also ask about any injuries, illnesses, or activities that may be causing your neck pain.

During the physical exam, your doctor will check how well you can move your neck. He or she will also look for tenderness or numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arms or hands.

If your pain started after an injury, or if it doesn't improve after a few weeks, your doctor may want to do more tests. Imaging tests such as an X-ray, an MRI scan, or a CT scan can show the neck muscles and tissues. These tests may be done to check the neck bones, spinal discs, spinal nerve roots, and spinal cord .

How is it treated?

The type of treatment you need will depend on whether your neck pain is caused by activities, an injury, or another medical condition. Most neck pain caused by activities can be treated at home.

For neck pain that occurs suddenly:

• Reduce pain by putting an ice pack on the sore area and taking acetaminophen(such as Tylenol). Aspirin, ibuprofen, or another anti-inflammatory medicine can also help relieve pain.
• Avoid more injury to your neck by changing activities and habits, such as how you sit or sleep.
• Try exercises or physical therapy to help you move your head and neck more easily.

To treat chronic neck pain, your doctor may prescribe medicine to relax your neck muscles. Or you may get medicines to relieve pain and help you sleep. You might also try massage or yoga to relieve neck stress.

Surgery is rarely done to treat neck pain. But it may be done if your pain is caused by a medical problem, such as pressure on the spinal nerve roots, a tumor, or narrowing of the spinal canal.

Can you prevent neck pain?

You can avoid neck pain caused by stress or muscle strain with some new habits. Avoid spending a lot of time in positions that stress your neck. This can include sitting at a computer for a long time.

If your neck pain is worse at the end of the day, think about how you sit during the day. Sit straight in your chair with your feet flat on the floor. Take short breaks several times an hour.

If your neck pain is worse in the morning, check your pillow and the position you sleep in. Use a pillow that keeps your neck straight. Avoid sleeping on your stomach with your neck twisted or bent.