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Thyroid Disease and Neck Pain

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thyroid dysfunction and neck pain causes

It is easy to see how even slight swelling of the thyroid gland could trigger pinched nerve pain.

The link between thyroid dysfunction and neck pain can be quite complex and is more than simply pain caused by the swelling of the thyroid gland in the neck itself. There are myriad bodily processes reliant on proper functioning of the thyroid gland and many patients with muscle cramps and weakness, an increased sensitivity to pain, rheumatic pain and even carpal tunnel syndrome are unaware of the links between their symptoms and their thyroid gland. Read more

Bone Spur Treatments – Do Alternative Therapies Work?

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Bone spur treatmentsIf you are exploring different bone spur treatments to try and relieve neck pain due to cervical osteophytes, there are a wide range of nonsurgical therapies out there that may be able to help. Once you have gotten a diagnosis of bone spurs in your upper spine from your doctor, he or she will likely suggest a course of conservative treatments. These may include prescription or over-the-counter pain medication, hot compresses, cold compresses, physical therapy, or behavior modification, among others.

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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

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

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

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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Effective Fibromyalgia Treatment with Electrostimulation Device

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new fibromyalgia treatment to break cycle of pain

RINCE helped more than 75% of patients reduce or eliminate need for pain medications for fibromyalgia.

Researchers from Flint, Michigan, unveiled a new electrostimulation fibromyalgia treatment this week at the American Academy of Pain Management (AAPM) 23rd Annual Clinical Meeting.

The study shows that this new, noninvasive cortical electrostimulation device is effective at reducing fibromyalgia symptoms, with researcher Jeffrey B. Hargrover, PhD, and colleagues explaining how neuroimaging studies to identify areas of abnormal pain processing in patients with fibromyalgia allowed the development of this targeted treatment. Significant benefits were found for those suffering from neck pain, generalized pain, fatigue, dysfunction and sleep disruption from the condition. 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

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

Stem Cell Therapy for Degenerative Spine Conditions of the Neck

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Stem cell therapyIf you read the newspaper, watch the news, or listen to the radio, stem cell therapy is likely something that you’ve heard about, but is stem cell science simply confined to the laboratory, or is it actually a phenomenon that could apply to your life and your health? If you suffer from chronic back or neck pain due to degenerative spine conditions, learning more about stem cell research and recent advances in stem cell treatments may help broaden your outlook on the types of therapies that are available to you. Read more