Archive for neck pain
Your Cincinnati Chiropractor, Dr. Kimberly Wells, agrees with the majority of people that sometimes life can be a pain in the neck! Unfortunately, though circumstances in our life may change quickly, neck pain can linger and, often, get much worse. Neck problems, in addition to causing pain in the immediate area of the neck, can cause pain, tingling, numbness, and weakness down the arm and into the fingers. Neck conditions can contribute to both tension headaches and head pain. Finding the reason for your particular neck pain will require a thorough examination and evaluation by a proficient chiropractor, like Dr. Wells.
Why do so many people suffer from neck problems? There are many causes for neck pain and associated symptoms. The neck might sustain trauma from an accident causing strained muscles, sprained ligaments, and spinal joint injuries. Postural stress can occur from sitting at a computer for long periods and/or performing repetitive tasks. Such stress creates muscular tension and inflammation in the neck and upper back. Poor spinal mechanics and weak or overdeveloped muscles can add to postural stress. Other causes of neck problems are “slipped,” herniated, or ruptured cervical discs, and general aging that produces degeneration of the spinal joints and discs creating inflammation of soft tissues leading to chronic pain.
A chiropractic approach offers a natural and unique mechanical approach to a wide range of cervical problems. Chiropractic treatment results in pain relief, decrease in tension, and increase in motion.
Dr. Kimberly Wells, your Chiropractor in Cincinnati, is an expert when it comes to knowledge of the spine and musculoskeletal system. She will be able to determine the reason for your neck pain and treat it at its source. Chiropractic care can give you the neck pain relief you’ve been looking for. Give Dr. Wells a call today!
8035 Hamilton Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45231 Cincinnati, OH, 45231 USA
dr.kimberlywells@gmail.com • 513-522-3600
Your Cincinnati Chiropractor: Don’t Let Neck Pain Make You One of the “Typing Wounded”
Posted by: | CommentsYour Cincinnati Chiropractor, Dr. Kimberly Wells, knows all too well that if you sit for extended periods at a computer, you may be experiencing neck pain, as well as lower back pain, upper back pain, and pain that radiates down one or both of your arms with accompanying pins and needles or numbness. neck pain and shoulder pain are, in fact, the most common upper-extremity musculoskeletal problems among computer users. In a 2002 study tracking 632 computer users newly hired at major Atlanta companies, Dr. Fredric E. Gerr, an occupational medicine physician and ergonomics investigator at the University of Iowa, and colleagues observed that roughly 60 percent developed neck or shoulder pain in the first year, though the study did not track how long symptoms persisted.
Younger generations growing up in the current digital age are also joining the ranks of the “typing wounded.” The problem is, in a word, epidemic! Surveys at two universities found that 40 to 50 percent of undergraduates experienced upper-extremity pain from using their computers. Colleges don’t provide dormitory furniture that is ergonomically adjustable, said Dr. Benjamin Amick, scientific director of the Institute for Work and Health in Toronto, who was a co-author of those studies. “They want something that is indestructible.”
In addition to repetitive stress problems, sitting at your computer too long forces your upper back in a sustained, stressful posture, especially if you tend to lean forward when you’re working. This also puts your neck at an unnatural and strained angle. Lower back pain, in addition to being generated by simply sitting for long periods of time without getting up and moving around, is aggravated by bad posture.
Problems caused by extended computer use can not only lead to an inability to perform your work duties, but can keep you from enjoying the rest of your life, too. Dr. Wells can assist in eliminating your neck pain, lower back pain and/or upper back pain quickly and effectively. After that, it is important for you to become mindful of your body as you sit at your computer and to give your body what it naturally needs. You can cultivate the habit of both sitting straight in your chair (as opposed to slouching) and relaxing your shoulders. This will help to relieve tension in your lower and upper back and neck. Take time to stretch periodically to ease muscle tension and encourage healthy blood flow. If your work station permits, sitting on an exercise ball will not only aide in keeping you in a healthy posture, but can help to strengthen your core muscles as well. (Make sure that the ball is the right size so that when you are seated on it your arms are at a ninety-degree angle to your keyboard.)
Dr. Wells, your Chiropractor in Cincinnati, offers these tips for pain-free computer activity: good posture for ease of movement, variety in the motions that you do, and short breaks to relax and stretch. These will go a long way in keeping your computer work (or play) pain-free.
Partial source: The New York Times, Health Review, June 22, 2009
