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Occipital Neuralgia – What is it?

occipital-neuralgia head and neck pain nerve blockHead and neck pain could be caused by occipital neuralgia, a non-fatal condition that involves nerve irritation or injury from a variety of causes. The prefix ‘neuro’ means nerve and ‘algia’ means pain, while ‘occipital’ describes a region of the head running from the spinal column in the neck up to the scalp at the back of the head.

There are numerous possible causes of this kind of spreading neck pain and headache resulting from injury or compression of the greater and lesser occipital nerves. Read more

Shoulder and Neck Pain Relief with Botox in Myofascial Pain Syndrome

botox for shoulder and neck pain myofascial pain syndromeBotox injections have long been used to relax muscles that are associated with frown lines and deep wrinkles, and such injections have also been found helpful in treating neck pain, headaches, and other types of pain connected to underlying muscles tension.

Myofascial pain is a condition where muscle pain and stiffness are typically centred on certain trigger points, and a new study shows that directly injecting Botox into painful muscle groups can effectively relief myofascial pain in the neck and shoulder. Read more

Dehydration and Neck Pain

dehydration and neck painAs neck pain remedies go, few are simpler than a glass of water. This is, however, a surefire way for many people to tackle both acute and chronic neck pain. Dehydration can affect the muscles, nerves, joints and spinal discs and yet is frequently overlooked as a potential cause of sudden neck pain and ongoing neck pain so how can you tell if you’re dehydrated and what should you do about it? Read more

NSAIDs – The True Cause of Headaches and Neck Pain?

headaches and neck pain MOHWhen headaches and neck pain occur together there can be a variety of explanations ranging from concussion after a serious fall, head and neck tumours causing obstructed circulation or nerve activity, stress and muscle tension and even, it seems, overuse of NSAIDs for neck pain leading to medication-related headaches.

Around 1% of the US population is thought to experience medication overuse headaches and while these are more common in those with primary headaches it may be that neck pain is also a trigger. Read more

Kids, Headaches and Gum – Something to Chew On.

Teenager girl makes chewing gum's bubble

26/30 children had headache relief by quitting gum.

Kids can get headaches for a lot of reasons but if your kid is regularly complaining of headaches and jaw pain it might be time to look at their gum-chewing habits. A new study suggests that excessive gum chewing might be a missed headache trigger in teens. Read more

Peppermint Oil for Tension Headaches and Neck Pain

peppermint oil for neck pain and headachesGerman researchers it seems are way ahead when it comes to investigating natural remedies for neck pain and tension headaches. Articles published in 1994 and 1996 note the benefits of using peppermint oil for tension headache relief over conventional treatments such as acetaminophen. So how does peppermint oil help with pain relief and will it also work for your neck pain? Read more

Ear Pain, Headaches, Pressure, Dizziness and Neck Pain – What's the Cause?

head neck jaw and ear painNeck pain may occur in isolation but it is also often accompanied by a variety of other symptoms. These range from shooting pains into the arms and hands to difficulties swallowing or even dizziness and nausea. How can you tell if something serious is causing your neck pain, rather than it just being an acute symptom of sleeping in a draughty room? What are your symptoms really telling you? Read more

Migraine, Neck Pain, and Fibromyalgia

migraines and neck pain and fibromyalgiaRates of fibromyalgia in the US stand at about 1-2%, with women disproportionately affected, or at least more commonly diagnosed with the condition. Fibromyalgia, neck pain, and migraines often occur in combination, with many people initially putting the pain and tension down to stress and failing to get a proper diagnosis from their physician. Read more

Why a Herniated Disc Causes Referred Pain

Herniated Disc CausesA herniated disc causes many different types of symptoms, from shooting pain to muscle weakness to a pins-and-needles sensation. Depending on the location of the herniated disc, these symptoms can reach as far as the fingers and toes. Why? Because all of the nerves that provide muscle and sensory stimulation throughout the body are extensions of the spinal nerve roots that branch off the spinal cord. If an anatomical abnormality like a herniated disc intrudes on the spaces in the spinal column where the spinal cord and its nerve roots reside, and nerve tissue becomes compressed, pain signals may be sent along the entire path of the compressed nerve.


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Can a Herniated Disc Cause Headaches?

Herniated discWhile most people wouldn’t automatically think that a herniated disc in the spine could cause headaches, it is important to remember that the spine and the brain comprise the body’s central nervous system (CNS), which regulates sensory and pain signals throughout the body.

Any type of anatomical abnormality in the spine has the potential to affect any of the 31 pairs of nerve roots that branch off the spinal cord. If this occurs, pain signals can be sent along the entire path of the affected nerve, including the nerve branches that extend from that nerve root to wherever it leads in the body. Pain that is felt in the extremities due to a damaged or compressed nerve root in the spine is called referred pain.
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