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Ditch the Dangerous NSAIDs – How These Three Natural Products Might Be Better for Chronic Neck Pain

glucosamine chondroitin osteoarthritis neck pain What if there were a way for those suffering with neck pain from arthritis to ditch the dangerous NSAIDs and opiates and help relieve pain naturally, whilst improving long-term health? No epidural steroid injections, no surgery, no elaborate physical therapy requirements but you still get pain relief within a week or so and the added benefit of knowing that chronic degenerative processes are being fought against to help improve and maintain your mobility and flexibility. Sounds too good to be true? It might be very real and it might be sitting on the shelf at your local natural products store: MSM, glucosamine and chondroitin, a powerful combination for neck pain relief that is backed by rigorous research. Read more

Increasing Neck Pain, Low Libido, Weight Gain – Maybe Your Opioid Medication Is to Blame?

low testosterone opioids and chronic neck pain

Symptoms of chronic pain or signs of OPIAD?

The sharp rise in the use of opioids for pain management in recent years has also led to an increase in opioid induced androgen deficiency. However, awareness of this condition remains poor and so many patients with chronic neck pain are suffering with symptoms of low libido, weight gain, fatigue, and depression that may be treatable with androgen replacement therapy. Is low testosterone to blame for your symptoms? Are your pain medications to blame for your low testosterone? Read more

Treating a Herniated Disc in Your Neck

Herniated disc in the neckIf you have a herniated disc in your neck, you may be experiencing a number of symptoms. A herniated disc is a deteriorating intervertebral disc that has a tear in its outer wall (annulus fibrosus) which can allow the release of its inner, gel-like core (nucleus pulposus) into the spinal canal. This extruded disc material can come into contact with the spinal cord or nerve roots, which is typically the cause of discomfort for patients with this condition. Whether you’re dealing with neck pain and an aching shoulder or numbness, muscle weakness, and shooting pains in your arm, you are probably looking for a way to relieve those symptoms. Read more

Stretching and Exercise as Cervical Bone Spur Treatment

Bone spur treatmentCervical bone spur treatment is a means to alleviate or manage symptoms associated with the growth of excess bone along the sides or edges of the vertebrae located within the neck region of the spine. Far more often than not, someone with bone spurs (osteophytes) within the spine never even realizes they are there. That’s because most bone spurs cause nothing more serious than a popping or cracking noise called crepitus, which can be heard occasionally when the head is turned.

Debilitating, chronic symptoms associated with spinal bone spurs can include pain, tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness in the upper extremities. These symptoms are caused by spinal nerve compression.
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Treating Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Through Minimally Invasive Surgery

thoracic outlet syndromeTwo newly published studies have found that minimally invasive surgery for neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (NTOS) can significantly improve patients’ symptoms. This relatively uncommon condition causes neck pain, paraesthesia in the arms, neck and hands, numbness and weakness in the upper body and is more frequent in young, active and generally healthy patients.

One of the studies found that a fairly recently developed type of surgery is particularly helpful at relieving thoracic outlet syndrome in adolescents when the pinched nerves are being caused by the pectoralis minor tendon. Read more

Treating Fibromyalgia-Related Neck Pain with SNRIs

cymbalta savella neck pain fibromyalgia treatment

Is Cymbalta overprescribed for neck pain and other fibromyalgia symptoms?

Cymbalta and Savella offer only a small degree of pain relief for those suffering from fibromyalgia, according to a new meta-analysis. The Cochrane review’s authors suggest that advertisements for the drugs that show women becoming free of fibromyalgia symptoms are misleading and that physicians need to discuss realistic expectations with their patients. More than five million Americans are thought to suffer from fibromyalgia, with around 80% of patients women and many receiving one of these selective serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)as treatment. Read more

Suffering from a Pinched Nerve in Your Neck? Treatment Runs Hot and Cold

Pinched nerve in the neck treatmentIf you are suffering from a pinched nerve in your neck, treatment in the form of temperature therapy may help bring you relief when used in conjunction with other conservative treatments. The benefits of applying hot and cold compresses to injured areas of the body have been known for hundreds of years, and today, physical therapists employ temperature therapy as a major facet of rehabilitation for injuries, postoperative pain, and degenerative conditions like pinched nerves in the spine.

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Nonsurgical Treatment Options for a Pinched Nerve in Your Neck

Pinched nerve in the neckWhile a pinched nerve in your neck can be a painful and frustrating condition, it is also a fairly common condition that can easily develop due to injuries or degenerative changes in the cervical spine. Anything from an inflamed ligament to a herniated disc to bone spurs can compress a cervical nerve root and give rise to symptoms of pain, tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness in the neck and upper extremities.

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Mice Fail as Models of Human Inflammation

mice as disease models fail undermine animal research

Leaving the mice alone and testing drugs on human cells appears preferable.

According to new research mouse models of inflammation do not reflect human patients’ experience, meaning that drugs tested on mice and then approved safe and effective for humans were approved on an unsound basis. This could explain why over 150 such drugs determined as effective in mice failed to adequately treat human sepsis patients. Read more