Cervical Spondylosis is a Pain in the Neck

The neck is often taken for granted by most of us. It is just the support brackets or pillars that the head sits on for our entire life. I guess that as time goes by and we become too "big-headed" our necks just can't take the weight of our arrogant heads.

Our necks are made up of muscles, nerves, arteries, veins , bones and ligaments. These connect the neck to our head (cranium (skull), shoulders (humerus), clavicle (collar bones) and scapula (shoulder blades) and sternum (breast bone).

Therefore, the neck provides a supportive function through its connection to all these structures.Injury to the neck or these connected areas will also affect the neck. There is the regular issues of overuse over time, degeneration from wear and tear, poor posture and lack of preventive maintenance that affect the health and wellbeing of necks.

As a younger person, I was very involved in sports and very fond of gymnastics. I clearly recall several improper landings from the woodrn house during gym periods, resulting in ankle pain and swelling, and head and neck pain back more than thirty years ago. Of course, the body is very resilient and in its youth is very forgiving, but fast forward, we need to monitor our youth as they participate in all types of exercises that may pose painful challenges for their future.

Back in high school, there was not physiotherapy to provide any educational assistance or skills to remedy these injuries. So what happens to old injuries? They come back and may haunt us later.

Then there are some from accidents over the years, plash,falls and collisions and jabs with hockey sticks and weights in the gym that were way too heavy but we pushed ourselves to the point of injury because we were told "no pain, no gain".

When we choose our careers, we seldomly think of long term injuries that may result. The administrator / secretary is required to spend up to 60% of his / her work day typing while seated at a desk. As a part of Occupational Safey and Health  regulations, employers are now required to facilitate the prevention of work related injuries with ergonomically correct positioning of keyboards, keyboard drawers, desk and chair heights and chair contours to support the lumbar and sacral vertebrae.The monitor must be also located at the best angle and height to prevent hyper extension of the neck and over reach of the arms.

For occupations involving lengthy periods of standing in one place, for example in packaging plants and in some areas of sorting and cooking or food preparation, stools that are high enough to reach the counters and cushioned ergonomic floor mats are examples of aids to prevent strain and ankle swelling.

Drivers who must handle large steering wheels and drive long distances may succomb to injuries like back and neck strain as well as difficulty maintaining focus and may be required to stop at "rest stops" to not only re fuel their vehicles, but to readjust their bodies.

Policemen, Firefighters, Nurses, Doctors and other professionals are often in a position to receive injuries inflicted on them physically while attempting to control an offender or an injured or ill person. Sometimes they are required to lift or drag someone much heavier than thier own weight or have someone collapse in their arms, resulting in unintended injuries.  The soldier is always at risk for occupational injuries or death.

For many professionals, awaremenss is important, while one can not prevent or avoid all potential injuries. We are all not going to wear bullet proof vests or fire retardant overalls but we all need to think and prepre our selves for potential injuries.

Eye protection is imperative for those who are working in construction, cutting metals or in labs handling blood and body fluids or chemicals that could irritate the eyes.

Ear and deafness prevention is encouraged even in those workers around heavy machineries or in the music industry.

Some of the common causes of neck pain are whiplash, bursitis, or arthritis of the cervical (neck) spine. Other causes may be related to problems occuring in or with the lungs, heart or abdominal organs or even with the spinal Cord resulting in referred pain.

A broken or bruised collar bone,ribs, sternum or scapula (shoulder bone) may also display symptoms of neck pain.One of the signs of a heart attack is pain, weakness or discomfort about the neck ( especially in females), Gall bladder disease may send symptoms of neck pain particularly on the right side.

Shoulder and rotator cuff injuries which are often found in weight lifters,Lawn Tennis athletes among others may also have pain in the neck.

Description of the Pain

The neck pain may be as a result of injury to the muscle, nerves, ligaments or soft tissue like blood vessels. The description of the pain is usually determined by the site or structures injured.

Sharp pain, crampy, shock like pain with diminished or increased sensation to temperature and sensation is more than likely nerve injury. Pain related to movement, strength or power of the area has muscle involvement. Swelling and deformity also suggests joint involvement.

Neck pain which is worsening, accompanied by severe headache, fever and immobility must be treated as an emergency.

Chronic pain may need to be investigated using xrays, MRI or ultra sounds to diagnose cause or primary location. Then treatment is based on the cause if arthritic ar bursitis the physician may utilise non steroidal anti inflammatory (NSAIDS), muscle relaxants or narcotics; in addition to occupational therapy, physio therapy, massages, or holistics/ alternative therapeutics. Braces, collars, traction, ultrasound treatments and,splints,Rest,Ice, or the use of deep heat rubs,or the use of the TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) accupuncture, accupressure and reflexology have also been found to be useful in the management of pain related to head and neck injuries and pain.

Pain is a very debilitating problem for too many people, it renders many unable to work, maintain them selves and families and one of the leading causes of depression (pain reduces the dopamine receptors in the brain and affects the mood) and suicide. Pain is also a very lucrative business for the pharmaceutical industry and pain management is now a thriving medical practice and specialty.

Thanks for reading this article and I hope that you have become more aware of the risks and dangers to your health and the potential for long term or chronic pain.