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

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

Neck Pain and Posture – What's Triggering Your Neck Pain?

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neck posture and pain

Neck pain at work is often due to poor posture... not just bending over backwards for your boss.

Whenever neck pain strikes it is common to think that there is a terrifying underlying cause but, most often, poor posture is the cause of neck pain. Slipping into bad postural habits is all too easy. If you checked your posture right now, chances are you are slouching, hunched over, twisted or otherwise putting excess strain on your neck. Avoiding neck pain is as much about planning and organization as it is avoiding outright injury. Set yourself up for success by taking a good long look at your workplace, living room, and your car, bike, or transit situation and minimize your neck pain triggers now. Read more

Neck Pain and Golf

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golf neck pain lee westwood

Golfer Lee Westwood is plagued by neck pain during this year's Abu Dhabi Championship.

Padraig Harrington, three-time major winner, admitted that he nearly pulled out of The Masters last year because of neck pain from golfing. During his warm up he felt his neck click and then he found he could no longer turn to the right. He went on to play but had a disastrous first round and, whilst Masters success is not a consideration for most, many fellow golfers with neck pain will understand his plight.

Even regular golfers, however, may not realize that there are simple things that can drastically reduce the risk of neck pain when golfing. This year’s Abu Dhabi Championship is also raising concerns about neck pain in golfers as Lee Westwood reveals his agony from neck pain and radiating pain in his arms. Physical therapy is key according to Westwood who is determined to loosen up his neck and get back on course to win another title. Read more

Kids and Trampolines – Risk of Neck Injury

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neck injury trampoline aap warning

Somersaults and multiple users increase risk of serious neck injury on trampolines.

In a policy statement published this week, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) reaffirmed its position against the recreational use of trampolines, citing statistics highlighting the risk of head and neck injuries from trampolines, as well as other problems. Although the rate of trampoline-related injuries has declined in recent years there is still concern that safety advice is not being heeded, putting very small children at risk of permanent neurological damage, neck pain, back pain and other symptoms. Read more

Neck Pain After Sleeping

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neck pain after sleeping pillow choice

Proper pillow selection is just one way of reducing the risk of neck pain after sleeping.

Many cases of cervicalgia occur after sleeping and waking with neck pain can really put you in a bad mood and lead to further stress and neck pain. Breaking the vicious cycle means working out the cause of your neck pain, be it your pillow, the open window in the bedroom, alcohol consumption or a spine condition, infection or other physical illness. Read more

Neck Pain and Nausea

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neck pain nausea

Neck pain and nausea can be signs of meningitis, or one may be caused by the other...

Neck pain and nausea can be connected for a variety of reasons and it is important to rule out potentially life-threatening illness such as meningitis before resorting to painkillers and ginger tea. In some cases severe neck pain can be a trigger for nausea, or may cause dizziness that induces sickness. There are other ways in which nausea and neck pain are related, however, so read on to shed light on these symptoms. Read more