Surfers and Spinal Cord Injury

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surfer spinal cord injury dangers and neck pain from surfing

Dr Chang recommends avoiding hyperextending the spine by lying in wait for waves when surfing.

At PainNeck.com we have noted before that lifelong surfers may be at increased risk of spine degeneration, bone spur growth and neck pain but a new study reveals that younger surfers are also at risk. Hawaiian physician Cherylee Chang, MD, describes symptoms of acute myelopathy in surfers likely due to ischaemia of the spinal cord. This worrying occurrence was noted in surfers as young as fifteen who felt a pop or crack in their back and rapidly experienced weakness and paralysis. Although the phenomenon is still being investigated it does appear that the risk of so-called ‘surfers’ myelopathy’ may be reduced simply by changing a common novice surfing habit. Read more

What a Spinal Stenosis Diagnosis Means for You

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Spinal Stenosis DiagnosisThat neck pain you’ve experienced for far too long is no longer a mystery – the cervical spinal stenosis diagnosis you received from your primary care physician or spine specialist has finally given the condition a name. Yet, now that you know what is causing those excruciating symptoms, what can you do about it? Chances are, that is the very question you asked your doctor (or some variation) once you found out that the spinal cord or other neural openings in the cervical (neck) region of your spine were being restricted by some sort of anatomical abnormality. And while you might be well into a conservative treatment plan designed to manage your symptoms, some lingering questions might still remain. Chief among them: What happens if the conservative treatment doesn’t work?

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Chronic Pain in Parents Linked to Pain in Adolescents

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parental pain associated with chronic pain in adolescents

When both parents have chronic pain the chances their child has pain may double.

Suffering from chronic pain? Blame your parents. According to a new study from Norway, pain reported by parents is associated with chronic pain in their children. When both parents have chronic pain their children experience substantially more pain so is the link genetic, environmental, or a learnt behavior? Could a child’s own neck pain be a result of their parent’s neck pain? Read more

Jaw Dislocation and Neck Pain

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jaw dislocation and neck pain

It's not just a punch to the face that can cause jaw dislocation, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and othe conditions can affect the jaw.

Neck and jaw pain are often connected, be it through teeth grinding, bone abnormalities or worn discs in the jaw and subsequent pinched nerves. Sometimes, neck and jaw pain is due to a dislocation of the mandible and, while most such dislocations can be remedied in the emergency department, some are more complicated. Read more

Getting Through the Holidays with a Herniated Disc

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Herniated discIf you suffer from neck pain and other symptoms related to a herniated disc, getting through daily life can be a huge challenge. Throw in the added demands of the holidays, and you almost begin to dread even waking up in the morning. And that’s too bad, because the holidays were made for memories, not for suffering. With a doctor’s help, you can push past the pain and other symptoms and be more than just a bystander as your family and friends celebrate.
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FDA Approves Tofacitinib for Rheumatoid Arthritis

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first oral rheumatoid arthritis medication approved neck pain causes

Xelijanz from Pfizer is the first approved oral medication for RA, but it has some serious side-effects.

A new drug, tofacitinib, is the first oral medication for Rheumatoid arthritis to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Tofacitinib will offer another option for those with moderate to severe active RA that has not responded to methotrexate treatment. Two new studies of the drug appear to show that the oral medication is helpful in quelling the immune system response that causes joint damage in the disease and which can cause neck pain, pinched nerves, cervical spine subluxation and spinal cord compression where severe. Read more