Managing Facet Joint Disease Treatment at Work

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Facet joint disease treatmentIf you are adhering to a facet joint disease treatment regimen prescribed by your doctor, you may be trying a wide range of therapies aimed at reducing back or neck pain and increasing spinal mobility. Some treatments, like applying hot/cold compresses or stretching, can be done at home, while others, like physical therapy or corticosteroid injections, require the supervision of a medical professional.

Although home remedies and those administered by a doctor can help, many struggle to manage facet joint disease treatment at work and experience exacerbated symptoms of back or neck pain in the workplace. Read more

Neck Pain and Gum Disease – Are They Connected?

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gum disease neck pain causes rheumatoid arthritis

Neck and jaw pain? It could be rheumatoid arthritis.

It might not seem an obvious association but many patients with rheumatoid arthritis suffer both with Neck pain and gum disease, and a new study adds to the weight of evidence supporting a link between the two. The research, published this month in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases, found that RA patients were four times more likely to have gum disease than the non-smokers they studied. Whilst isolated neck and jaw pain may result from a tooth infection or gum disease causing acute inflammation, this association between rheumatoid arthritis and gum disease has consequence for all of the joints in the body as well as the general health of patients.

The theory is that RA may be triggered in genetically susceptible people by an immune response to a major pathogen involved in gum disease, Porphyromonas gingivalis. What does this mean in terms of reducing the risk of RA or coping with an existing condition, and why might those with gum disease and neck pain wish to see their doctor straight away? Read more

Neck Pain Relief for Children

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neck pain relief in children chiropractic

Chiropractic treatment may be useful for neck pain relief in children.


Seeing your child in pain is one of the most difficult things in the world but what are your options for neck pain relief in children? When neck pain, headaches, shoulder pain, and other health issues arise in kids it can be difficult to work out the cause, especially if a younger child is unable to really tell you where it hurts and what kind of pain they have. Often, the same treatments helpful for neck pain relief in adults are good for kids too but sometimes treatments differ so make sure you know what to do if your kid has neck pain. Read more

Is Your Smartphone Causing Your Neck Pain?

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smartphone neck pain

Smartphones, tablets, and other handheld devices may be to blame for your neck pain.

Your smartphone could be causing your neck pain, according to the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists, a British physiotherapy group who are concerned about the health of office-workers’ spines. Long hours, poor posture, taking work home, and using handheld devices on the daily commute are all contributing to a nation of back and neck pain sufferers according to Dr Helena Johnson, Chairwoman of the society.

Are work stress, poor posture, and sleep deprivation issues for you? Is your smartphone causing your neck pain? Read more

Neck Pain When Swimming

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neck pain and swimming posture

Keeping your head in line can help reduce the risk of neck pain when swimming.

Many people experience neck pain when swimming and, for some, the pain is bad enough to prevent them from engaging in this popular exercise. There are a variety of reasons that the neck can hurt when swimming and the pain is not always simply due to muscle fatigue or strain. For some, such symptoms of neck pain could indicate an issue such as spinal stenosis, disc herniation, cervical arthritis, or even a condition such as fibromyalgia. Swimming can be such a great exercise to keep both mind and body healthy so working out why you have neck pain when swimming is important as simple changes could get you back in the water this summer. Read more

Is Rheumatoid Arthritis Triggered by Gut Bacteria?

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rheumatoid-arthritis symptoms

Could probiotics help reduce symptoms of neck pain and RA?

What does your gut have to do with neck pain? New research suggests a link between Rheumatoid Arthritis and bacteria in the digestive tract. Could gut flora be an environmental trigger for patients with a genetic predisposition for the autoimmune joint disease? Mayo Clinic researchers seem to think so. Read more

How an Office Worker Can Handle Neck Pain Related to a Herniated Disc

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Herniated discOffice workers generally don’t have to do much heavy lifting, or operate complicated machinery, or climb to perilous heights supported only by a rope and carabiner. Yet, even though a serious  injury is not typically a major concern in an office setting, neck pain experienced while sitting at a desk can be every bit as disruptive as an ankle sprained on a construction job. In fact, neck pain related to a herniated disc or similar spinal condition could be far more serious and difficult to manage over the long term than an acute injury such as a sprain or muscle strain. There are, however, several ways an office worker can mitigate the symptoms related to a herniation of an intervertebral disc in the neck. Read more

Neck Pain, Depression, and CBT

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neck pain depression cbt

Could CBT break the vicious cycle of chronic neck pain and depression?

Neck Pain and depression are often interlinked with some studies showing a four-fold increase in the risk of depression in those with chronic pain. The connection between the two conditions is often extremely complex, involving the immune system, endocrine system, and neurotransmitters, as well as psychosocial factors and other problems that may go unrecognized and, therefore, unaddressed. Many patients feel that their doctor has simply given up on identifying the cause of their pain if they suggest that it has a psychological root but oftentimes this is the case and may provide the answer where countless medications, physical therapies, and even neck surgery have failed to resolve the chronic neck pain. Read more

Spinal Manipulation More Effective than Medication for Neck Pain

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spinal manipulation therapy for neck painA new study carried out by researchers at Northwestern Health Sciences University has found spinal manipulation therapy better for neck pain relief than medication. Publishing their results in the Annals of Internal Medicine’s January 2012 edition, the researchers have stressed the findings are not applicable to all patients and that individual treatment protocols are always warranted. The big surprise from the study was that home exercises for neck pain were also more effective than neck pain medication, meaning that many patients could treat themselves without the side-effects of popular drugs. Read more

Glucosamine and Chondroitin for Aromatase Inhibitor-Induced Joint Pain

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glucosamine chondroitin osteoarthritis back pain spinal stenosis shark cartilageA new study presented at a conference last month revealed data supporting the use of glucosamine and chondroitin for joint pain and stiffness connected to osteoarthritis and aromatase inhibitors. Osteoarthritis in the neck can lead to pinched nerves, subluxation, and even spinal cord compression, causing neck pain and stiffness, as well as headaches, and even paraesthesia, numbness, and weakness in the limbs. Aromatase inhibitors may contribute to neck pain via this mechanism, but the drugs are increasingly used to improve survival times in breast cancer patients. Discussing their findings at the 8th International Conference of the Society for Integrative Oncology, researchers from Columbia University talked about the adverse effects on joint health in breast cancer patients taking aromatase inhibitors to manage their cancer. Joint pain and stiffness experienced by these women appeared to be relieved by the concomitant use of glucosamine and chondroitin, although the symptoms remained largely unresponsive to conventional pain medication. Read more