Neck pain is one of the most common complaints of each individual and the neck pain is associated with poor posture when you are leaning into your computer at your work. The common causes of neck pain are wear-and-tear arthritis. To cure neck pain just follows the simple steps and these are:
- To avoid neck pain the spine surgeons suggest you take frequent breaks from your long sitting working hours, long driving, etc. and also keep your head back over your spine which helps in reducing the neck strain. Try to avoid gritting your teeth.
- While working on the computer adjust your desk and chair so that the monitor screen is at your eye level. Keep your knees slightly lower than your hips and make use of your chair’s armrests.
- Avoid keeping your phone between your ear and shoulder while talking. If you use the phone a lot then get a Bluetooth or a headset to avoid neck pain.
- If you are in a sitting job then stretch your arms and neck frequently. Pull your shoulder blades together and then relax, also while leaning your head pull your shoulders down to each side and stretch your neck muscles.
- Do not sleep on your stomach as this position puts stress on your neck. Always choose a pillow which supports the natural curve of your neck.
What are the symptoms of neck pain?
The following can be the symptom of neck pain:
- Necks muscles get tighten by taking tension.
- Stiffness in the neck which weakening your neck muscles over the period of time.
- You experience tingling or numbness in the arm muscles.
- You feel pain in the sides or middle of your neck.
- You will experience pain in your shoulders, shoulder blades and also in the upper area of your chest.
- Muscle spasms can make your neck movement difficult.
How to diagnose neck pain?
The spine surgeons at the hospitals under Spine Surgery India will diagnose neck pain with the help of tests which includes x-ray evaluation, CAT scan, MRI scan, bone scan, myelogram, and electrical tests such as electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction velocity test (NCV). On the basis of the test series, the spine surgeon will treat your neck condition. They will first try non-surgical treatments; if you didn’t get relief from neck pain then they recommend surgical treatments to treat your neck pain.
What are the Non-Surgical treatments to treat neck pain?
The following are some common non-surgical treatments to treat neck pain and these are:
a) Bed rest: If you have neck pain due to some mild injury then your spine surgeon will suggest you take bed rest for a couple of days or until the pain disappears. Your surgeon recommends this treatment is for muscular pain that results due to strains and sprains.
b) NSAIDs: Your spine surgeon will prescribe some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs if the neck pain occurs due to inflammation. With the help of these drugs, you will get relief from swelling and it also minimizes the pain.
c) Cold/hot application: Your spine surgeon will recommend the hot/cold packs to reduce pain. This treatment is recommended as it increases the blood flow to the neck tissue, eases inflammation and also minimizes pain.
d) Muscle Relaxants: Sometimes, when you experience muscle spasms in such cases, your spine surgeon will prescribe muscle relaxants. These drugs will ease muscle spasms and also help in alleviating neck pain.
e) Physical Therapy: This is one of the best non-surgical treatments which help in strengthening and stretching shoulder and neck muscles to ease the pain. You will get a qualified physical therapist from Spine Surgery India who will teach you these exercises and you need to follow them very carefully to achieve the best results.
f) Corticosteroids: If you are dealing with severe pain then your spine surgeon will suggest you take corticosteroids. However, if the pain is debilitating and stopping you from performing your day-to-day activities then your spine surgeon will suggest taking steroid injections.
g) Soft collar: Your spine surgeon will recommend you wearing a soft collar when he/she feels that your neck muscles require support to facilitate healing. Usually, the spine surgeons recommend this treatment in cases of cervical spondylosis, which is age-related degeneration of the vertebral discs.
What are the surgical treatments to treat neck pain?
When non-surgical treatments for neck pain fail to provide relief from pain or there is a development of neurological symptoms, like weakness in your legs and arms area then your spine surgeon will suggest the neck surgery as the best option to get rid out of pain. The spine surgeons perform neck surgery to create more space in the cervical spine for your nerve roots and spinal cord. Depending what causes the neck pain your spine surgeon perform the surgery which may involve removing bone spurs, herniated disc or part of the affected disc, or fusing your neck vertebrae with the help of bone graft.
The spine surgeons at the hospitals under Spine Surgery India use 2 types of surgical techniques to treat neck pain.
(i) Spine Decompression Surgery, (ii) Stabilization surgery
i.) Spine Decompression Surgery: The spine surgeons will perform this surgery in different ways such as discectomy, corpectomy:
- Discectomy: In this procedure, the surgeon will remove all or part of the damaged disc.
- Corpectomy: In this procedure, the spine surgeon will remove the vertebral body to access what is compressing the spinal cord or nerve.
ii.) Stabilization surgery: The spine surgeons will perform the stabilization surgery at the same time when they perform decompression surgery but not always. In some forms of decompression surgery, your surgeon may remove a large portion of the vertebra or vertebrae which results in an unstable spine due to which you face difficulties to move your spine in a normal way and this will put you at more risk for serious neurological injury. In such cases, the spine surgeon will re-stabilize your spine and this is done with a fusion and spinal instrumentation, or your surgeon will implant an artificial disc.
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