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Fibromyalgia Underdiagnosed, Especially in Men, According to Mayo Clinic Study

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fibromyalgia underdiagnosed especially in men and younger patients

Are men, women, young and old all being offered the same diagnosis for fibromyalgia symptoms?

In a recent population study, the first of its kind, Mayo Clinic researchers found evidence that a possible cause of neck pain, fibromyalgia, may be more common than previously thought. Using the updated 2010 diagnostic criteria from the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), and comparing symptom prevalence to the prevalence of diagnosed fibromyalgia cases, the researchers found a vast difference suggestive of significant underdiagnosis, especially in male patients. Read more

Bouncy-House Injuries Rapidly Increasing

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bouncy house injuries

Limiting the number of kids on a bouncy house may help reduce injury risks.

New research published in the journal Pediatrics has revealed that every 46 minutes an American child is injured using a bouncy house. Such injuries, which include neck and head trauma, from seemingly fun and innocuous childhood toys have increased dramatically in the past decade. This danger was highlighted by the American Association of Pediatricians (AAP) who issued a warning earlier this year over the use of trampolines by children because of the risk of serious neck injuries and other accidents. Read more

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

Zoloft and Neck Pain

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zoloft neck pain

Could your antidepressants be causing your neck pain?

Neck pain and Zoloft (sertraline) can be connected in a number of ways. Sometimes Zoloft may cause neck pain, sometimes it can actually help relieve neck pain, so what can you do if this common antidepressant and anxiety medication appears connected with your neck pain? Read more

Understanding the Benefits of Laser Spine Procedures

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Laser spine proceduresIf you’re researching laser spine procedures as an option to treat your back or neck pain, it can be helpful to learn and understand the benefits of laser spine surgery as they compare to open spine surgery before you make a final decision. These two approaches to surgery are similar in that the main goal is to relieve pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness caused by pressure on nerves in the spine. Several common conditions and anatomical abnormalities can cause spinal nerve irritation, such as a herniated or bulging disc, bone spur, osteoarthritis, or calcified ligament in the spine.

A laser spine procedure takes a minimally invasive approach and involves the insertion of an endoscope (camera with light), a laser, and small surgical tools through a small incision in the back or neck to access the affected area. An open spine operation, however, is highly invasive, requiring a large incision in the neck, throat, stomach, or back, the dissection of soft tissues to access the spine, and the removal of spinal anatomy where necessary.
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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

Many Fibromyalgia Patients Have Small-Fiber Polyneuropathy

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small fiber polyneuropathy fibromyalgia neck pain

Axon loss and SFPN could be behind many patients' fibromyalgia pain.

The underlying cause(s) of fibromyalgia is still undetermined but a recent study found that almost half of all fibromyalgia patients had small-fiber polyneuropathy, a potentially treatable disease that could be traced back to diabetes, malignancy, or other cause of nerve damage. The lack of a distinct pathology associated with fibromyalgia means that it is technically a syndrome rather than a disease.

This also means that many patients are trapped in a cycle of failed therapies and no clear curative treatment for the widespread chronic pain condition that can cause neck pain, shoulder pain, fatigue, and cognitive symptoms.

This research may provide an opportunity for specific testing and tailored treatment that can make a huge difference to quality of life for fibromyalgia sufferers. Read more

Cherries for Neck Pain from Gout

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montmorency cherries for gout and neck pain

Cherries combined with allopurinol reduced gout incidence by some 75% in this study.

Eating cherries reduces the risk of gout attacks, as does drinking cherry extract, according to new research published in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism. Gout and neck pain may be connected in some patients, even though the condition is generally thought to affect the toes, hands, or other, more peripheral joints. In the follow-up to this study, 92% of gout attacks reported by patients were in the big toe but the serum build-up of uric acid that causes gout symptoms can lead to uric acid crystals forming in any of the joints. Alcohol, high-purine foods and use of diuretics are all thought to increase the risk of gout, which is also linked to a metabolic issue. Read more