18 years
I crackle my neck every day many times hardly and it's becoming a habit ,and i need always some massage to manage the pain. fell on my toracic cage 2 years ago,Could it be related? If not,what is it?
Aug 26, 2014
Neck pain is extremely more common than we think: it is estimated that 7 out of 10 people will be suffer from such pain at some point in their lives. One in 10 adults is complaining from neck pain right this minute, and 50% to 85% of people with neck pain will endure this pain again within the next five years.
Neck causes the neck to feel stiff upon rising in the morning, the muscles to go through sudden attacks of pain that may significantly interfere with the physical activity.
Seeking to relieve neck pain requires a combination of therapies including medication, physical therapy, self-help techniques, and, less commonly, surgery.
Neck pain is common because the neck supports the heavy weight of the head while still allowing it to tilt, turn, and nod easily. Usually, necks begin to ache after years of normal use, overuse, and misuse. Numerous everyday activities can contribute to, and exacerbate neck pain, including work at your desk or computer, driving your car, sleeping position etc.
There are many conditions that can cause chronic neck pain.
1- Neck pain that radiates down the arms
Pain that radiates down the arm, and sometimes into the hands and fingers, is frequently due to a cervical herniated disc or stenosis (narrowing) of the foramina (the vertebral openings through which the nerves exit the spinal cord), causing pinching of the involved nerve. Numbness or tingling in the arms and/or hands may accompany the pain. The symptoms may be abrupt or develop over time.
Management of a cervical disc herniation is based upon the duration of the pain, its severity, and the extent of damage to the cervical nerve and/or spinal cord.
Most commonly, the symptoms are temporary and can be treated successfully with nonsurgical care (such as medication, physical therapy, manipulations). If however the pain persists despite those measures for more than 6 to 12 weeks, surgery may be recommended.
2- Neck pain associated with certain activities or positions
Neck pain that develops slowly (often over years) and appears to occur during or after certain activities or neck positions is frequently caused by cervical foraminal stenosis. Usually, impingement of one nerve root on one side of the spine causes most of the symptoms.
Wearing off or aging-related changes in the joints of the neck or at the margins of the discs that may seen on MRI or a CT scan are the most common underlying causes.
Again, the mainstay of treatment for stenosis is medical care (medicine, therapy, exercise, injections, etc.). Surgery may be required to open up the disc space and release the tension on the nerve root if If the pain is severe or prolonged, or the functional impairment is sufficient,
3- Neck pain that Persists for months and may vary
Neck pain that usually feels like a low level of chronic pain that sometimes "flares" and gets worse, is made worse by assuming certain positions or activities, and may be associated with arm pain. It could point to symptomatic cervical disc degeneration.
Cervical disc degeneration is virtually found in all in humans, symptoms from these disc changes are less common and often short-lived.
There may, however, an incident such as a twisting injury to the disc space, which triggers the onset of symptoms and, in some cases, may lead to chronic neck pain. Such symptoms are often proportional to the person's level of activity; that is, the more the shoulders, arms and neck are used, the more they hurt.
4- Neck pain that Is worse in the morning and at the end of the day
This type of pain is usually relieved upon moving the neck. Such symptoms are usually explained by arthritic changes (degeneration in the cartilage of the neck joints) can produce pain. But this more common in elderly people (> 60 years). Range of motion exercises, physical therapy, traction, and manipulations can all help preserve motion and lessen chronic pain.
You can start by neck stretching exercises and neck strengthening exercises:
A- Neck Stretching Exercises:
Corner Stretch
Good for stretching the chest and shoulder muscles is the corner stretch. It is performed in the corner of a room.
• Stand approximately at 65 cm back from the corner, facing into the corner.
• Feet should be together.
• Forearms are placed on each wall, and elbows are a little below shoulder height
• Lean in as far as possible without pain. You will feel a stretch in the front of the shoulders and chest
• Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds to one minute.
You may repeat this exercise 3 to 5 times per day. It should be done before doing any neck strengthening exercises.
Levator Scapula Stretch
The levator scapula is a muscle that often becomes tight and may be very tender to touch where it attaches to the shoulder blade. This stretch can be performed while sitting or standing.
• raise the elbow above the shoulder on the side to stretch in order to lengthen the muscle
• In this position, 1st rest the elbow against a door jamb. This allows the outside of shoulder blade to rotate up and the inside of it down, which results in lengthening the levator scapula muscle
• 2nd, turn your head away from the side that is stretching and bring your chin down, stretching the back of the neck
• 3rd, place the fingers of the other hand on the top of your head and gently pull your head forward, while slightly the intensity of the stretch .
• Hold this for about 30 seconds to one minute.
Chin Tuck
This exercise not only helps strengthen the muscles that pull the head back into alignment over the shoulders (upper thoracic extensors,) but it also stretches the scalene (a group of 3 muscles in the lateral neck) that and suboccipital muscles (found at the junction between the skull and upper part of the neck).
As you are doing this exercise, you may feel some stretching of the muscles on the lateral side of the neck that go down to the collarbone. These are the scalene muscles. These muscles along with the muscles at the top of the neck at the base of the skull are generally the tight muscles. The muscles in the front of the neck and muscles of the upper back are generally the weak muscles that need to be strengthened
The chin tuck exercise can be performed many times throughout the da (preferably 5-7 times per day)y, even while sitting in the car or at the desk at work. Repeating this exercise throughout the day also aids in maintaining good postural habits. It is especially important to perform this exercise when the neck and shoulder blades first begin to hurt.
To perform the exercise for the first time, you are advised to stand with the spine up against a door jam and the feet out about 1 meter from the bottom of the door jam.
• Keeping the spine against the door jam, pull your upper back and head back until the back of your head touches the door jam. Make sure that your chin is down so that your head is pulled straight back and is not pointing up
• Hold your head against the door jam for about 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times.
• Now, start doing the exercise in standing or sitting without a door jam.
• The exercise can be done 5 to 7 times per day.
• When in the car, use the headrest as a point to aim for when pulling the head back.
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