Neck Pain, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Oral Contraceptives

oral contraceptives neck pain rheumatoid arthritisA study published this summer in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism looking at the use of oral contraceptives and improvements in Rheumatoid Arthritis symptoms adds to the evidence suggesting a connection between female hormones and this possible cause of neck pain. Around two-thirds of RA patients suffer from problems in the cervical spine, with the thoracic and lumbar spine usually less affected. Researchers at the University of Manchester in England used data from women with recent onset of inflammatory polyarthritis and assessed the number who had and had not used oral contraceptives since the diagnosis. Read more

Neck Pain Awareness – Can Spinal Health Month Help?

Chronic Neck PainOctober is Spinal Health Month and recent statistics show that neck pain is a significant contributor to a growing pain problem affecting millions of people each year. In a National Center of Health Statistics survey low back pain was the most common pain reported (27%) with neck pain suffered by 15% of people, the same percentage who experience severe headaches or migraine. Facial ache or pain was another common finding with 4% of people experiencing this phenomenon that is sometimes connected to cervical spinal problems. Read more

Neck Pain and Cycling

neck pain cyclingDo you cycle to work each day? Is that pain in your neck and shoulders starting to make you look longingly at the car? With the rain, cold weather, and windy conditions setting in, neck pain from cycling might just be the final straw for your healthy planet, healthy you resolution. It need not be that way however as most neck and shoulder problems in cyclists are connected to poor cycling posture, bad habits, or the bike itself , sometimes neck pain is actually connected to an ill-fitting helmet of all things! Read more

Cyclobenzaprine may Help Neck Pain from Fibromyalgia

Flexeril for fibromyalgia

Could low-dose Flexeril (cyclobenzaprine) be approved for use in fibromyalgia?

A study published in The Journal of Rheumatology last month looked at the effects of cyclobenzaprine for fibromyalgia, a cause of neck pain in some patients. This drug, a muscle relaxant, is already widely used ‘off-label’ by fibromyalgia sufferers. Although this study is relatively small, with just eighteen patients treated, it does appear to show that cyclobenzaprine is safe and effective for the condition which causes fatigue, muscle tenderness and pain, and cognitive symptoms in patients. Read more