Avoid a Pain in the Neck this Holiday Season
11/20/2017
By: Dawn Tartaglione, D.O.,FACOS, Neurosurgeon, AllianceHealth Midwest
It’s already that time of year again – with turkey, shopping and a lot of family time. It is very easy with the hustle and bustle to ignore our personal health care. New issues can easily crop up like neck pain, headaches and shoulder pain from shopping, carrying more than we are used to, driving more than usual, sleeping less and extra housework.
What causes a pain in the neck? The head sits on a thin column of seven bones with cushions that wear out as we age. Small joints become chunky and arthritic and we lose smooth edges of the joints. The junction of the neck onto the body has many muscles that become imbalanced and have injuries through the years, which causes the muscle strain. Fascia, which is a thin sheath of fibrous tissue enclosing a muscle or other organ, can add to neck pain by becoming scarred or inflamed due to use or overuse.
What can you do to treat neck pain? First, start with home remedies.
- Rest the affected area, but not too long.
- Use an ice pack when the pain is new, for short bursts (20 minutes) up to six times a day.
- Use a heating pad, when pain has been present for two-three days, and for long withstanding pain treatment.
- Both of the above options are safe as long as you don’t freeze or burn your skin.
- If you are able to take anti-inflammatory medications, those can be helpful.
- Take Acetaminophen on a recommended schedule.
- Gradually restart activities as you start to feel better.
- Consider changing activities or behaviors that worsen pain.
- Think about your posture, all day, every day. For example, texting and typing on a mobile device creates problems for your neck from leaning over in a hunched position. Holding your phone at eye level can help.
If the home remedies do not help, you will want to get advice from a professional – family physician and/or physical therapist. A physical therapist can design a plan for you that will help your range of motion and give you specific exercises that will help. If your pain lasts more than 6 weeks without improvement, your family physician may want to run diagnostic tests, (x-ray, CT, MRI) to get a better look. Depending on what they find, you can either be referred to a surgeon or pain medicine specialist.
Always remember to take care of yourself, even during a busy holiday season. I tell my patients frequently to walk and exercise when you can, try to maintain a healthy weight and do not smoke!
Dr. Dawn Tartaglione is a Neurosurgeon at AllianceHealth Medical Group and AllianceHealth Midwest. To learn more about her and her practice, or to make an appointment, visit myallianceneurosurgery.com or call (405) 737-2486.
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