Tips to Prevent Neck Pain

Neck pain is experienced whenever there is a disruption of the muscles and tendons located between the head and shoulders. The interlinked arrangement of muscles and tendons in the neck is a complex system that is closely associated with the spinal column and its delicate network of nerve fibers. 

It is because of this connection that neck pain and constriction often spreads beyond the neck and shoulders, traveling along the spinal column, causing upper back pain and tension headaches.

Neck pain can be the result of any number of factors, including; poor posture, repetitive movements, uncomfortable sleeping positions, and poorly designed work spaces. 

Playful activities, such as sports that involve quick, snapping turns of the neck and back can also put stress on the delicately balanced musculature that runs up the neck to the jaw and base of the skull.

It only takes a small spasm of the muscles located between the shoulders and skull for the head to feel as if it is frozen in place. And, it is not until a muscle is strained, and the range of motion of the head and neck is limited or restricted, that we realize just how much we rely on the neck for observation of the world around us.

When we lose the ability to turn our heads, we are forced to turn the whole body in order to see what's going on behind us. We are also limited to using eye movement to see what's going on above us, to the sides, and below the neck. Something as simple as backing a car out of a parking space can become a painful and complicated task as we are forced to rely more heavily on peripheral vision and rear-view mirrors.

Acupuncture Treatments for neck pain go much further than the temporary relief provided by aspirin, pain killers, or physical therapy. Acupuncture targets the root cause of the issue, and can help ease the tension and imbalance in the neck muscles, thereby reducing both mild and severe neck pain. Acupuncture remedies and medical massage techniques can help to release knots from the muscles and reduce inflammation in the connective tissue around the neck and head.

The application of precisely placed, hair-thin acupuncture needles by an acupuncturist for neck pain can greatly help to reduce neck pain and lessen swelling and inflammation.

Acupuncture can be a highly effective form of pain therapy, especially when used in combination with topical herbal medications, medical massage techniques, relaxation and breathing exercises, and other forms of natural therapies. And, acupuncture often succeeds where traditional medical modalities have failed.

It is always best to consult with a medical doctor when suffering a neck trauma, but more and more Western medical practitioners are now applauding the benefits of acupuncture and referring their neck trauma patients out for acupuncture treatments. Most doctors will be more than happy to recommend acupuncture, only asking that you return for occasional progress checkups.

Robert Vena 
NJ Acupuncture