Doctor’s Senior Exercise & Health Newsletter

April 1, 2002

Issue Vol. 2 No. 7

In This News Letter Introduction Healthfully Yours Health Hints

Introduction***

The Doctor’s Senior Exercise & Health Newsletter is written bi-weekly, solely for information to help seniors, baby boomers and anyone else who may have an interest in staying healthy, living a vigorous, active lifestyle and combating the aging process. The newsletter also includes know-how in the form of useful tips and links to more extensive material on the Internet. It is not meant to prescribe treatments for any particular condition except as something that the individual may wish to discuss with their healthcare professional.

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The Doctor’s Senior Exercise Newsletter strives to give you the best available news that we hope will help you in your efforts to maintain a vigorous, pain-free and happy lifestyle. However, you should always seek advice from your healthcare professional before trying any new treatments that you may feel can help you. Discussing your intentions with your doctor is always the proper procedure.

Healthfully yours***

Neck Pains.

We all have complained of neck pains or a “crick” in the neck at one time or another. For some it can be a very trying way of life. The average individual will complain about these pains in the morning as a general rule on awakening. For some, these pains will ease as they begin to move about. Others will not be that fortunate, and will suffer pains all day long.

Knowing a little about the structure of the spine will give you some insight as to why these pains can occur. The neck vertebrae, and there are seven, make up what is known as the “Cervical Spine”. A healthy neck has a normal forward curve. If this curve is straightened to some degree it is call a “hypolordosis”. If it is increased beyond the normal curvature, it is called a “hyperlordosis”.

The neck supports the head that can weigh as much as 20 to 22 pounds. This amount of weight places enormous stress on the cervical spine. The head contains the brain from which the spinal cord exits into the cervical vertebrae that forms the protective bony canal. There are muscles and ligaments that are the supportive tissues that help keep these vertebrae in normal alignment. These muscles and ligaments can become stretched or torn when exposed to a trauma. Between the vertebra there are discs that act as cushions that act as shock absorbers, and facilitate the movement of the vertebrae upon each other.

The neck can be prone to many outside influences that impact the vertebrae and may cause them to become misaligned. We have all heard about whiplash, but that whiplash is usually attributed to an automobile accident. What is not generally known is that an individual can sustain a whiplash without being in a car. A slip or fall, or even a near fall can cause the head to snap back and forward, or from side to side, causing an injury not unlike a whiplash. This occurs more often than can be imagined because the weight of the head acts as a fulcrum, causing the head to snap backward and then forward in a snapping motion.

When the muscles and ligaments become stretched, or a sudden trauma occurs, the structural support to the cervical vertebrae are impacted, and there can be a misalignment of one or more of the vertebra. When this occurs there will be an encroachment on the spinal nerves that exit from between these vertebrae. These nerves carry messages from the brain to areas supplied by these nerves. Depending on the nerves that are pinched or irritated, pain will occur at the site of the muscle or organ that is supplied by that nerve or nerves. The pain can also occur and often does at a site farther from the neck. This is referred to as radiating pain.

The discs can also become worn, much the same as the heel of a shoe. The discs are a cartilaginous substance that contains a nucleus (nucleus pulposus), much like the yolk of an egg. A sudden sharp trauma can also cause the disc to become ruptured, releasing this nucleus into the surrounding spine. Whether the disc is ruptured or worn away, it can cause an irritation or pinching of the nerve as it exits from between the vertebrae. Arthritic changes in the vertebrae can become another source of spinal impingement. The arthritic changes generally cause an overgrowth of bone or “osteophytes”. These bony overgrowths resemble pointy spicules of bone that can irritate or pinch the nerve.

The neck is such a highly fragile part of our anatomy because of all the bones, muscles, ligaments, nerves, blood vessels, larynx (voice box), lymph drainage system and lymph nodes that are concentrated in such a comparatively tiny area, must be protected at all costs. How we can strengthen and protect the neck follows below in the health hints.

Health Hints***

First, let me begin by saying that anyone who experiences constant neck pains, or intermittent neck pains should have the condition evaluated by their healthcare professional. Chiropractors who are specialists in spinal conditions of this nature can be extremely helpful. Whoever the healthcare professional chosen, will start with a comprehensive history. He/she will also take x-rays and do an in depth examination. When all the results have been evaluated, they will discuss any apparent problems and make the recommendations needed to correct it. Following these recommendations will be the proper thing to do, and enough time must be given to achieve the sought after improvements.

While the patient is undergoing this treatment, there are several things that they can do to help achieve and speed up this improvement.

1. To start with, they must look to their sleeping habits. Sleeping on an ergonomically correct pillow is of the utmost importance. The pillow should be firm enough to support the head and neck. Do not keep your shoulders on the pillow. The edge of the pillow should be firmly under the neck so as to give it the support without having a space between the bed and the neck. You should not be able to insert your fingers in this space. 2. When sleeping on your side, you must have a thick enough pillow under your head to keep your head from falling to one side. It should be thick enough to keep your head straight, thus keeping your cervical vertebrae (neck) in alignment with the rest of the spine. 3. The proper sleeping mode as described above will assure you of a more restful night’s sleep, with less tossing and turning. Having a more restful night’s sleep will prevent the muscles and ligaments from being strained. This in turn will prevent or reduce muscle spasms that are the individuals most often complained about symptoms. 4. Strengthening the neck muscles is a must, because in all probability they have become stretched and weakened throughout the neck pain syndrome. The individual should be in an exercise program that of course gives them a total body workout. In addition to this program they can further target the neck muscles to strengthen them. Following this simple exercise will do just that. 5. Place the palm of you right hand against the right side of your face. Using your hand as a resistance, push against your hand. Hold for a count of six. Repeat six times. Do not use excessive force to start with and gradually increase the amount of your push as you become acclimated and stronger with this exercise. A. Now place your left hand against the left side of your face and repeat the above procedure. B. Next place your right or left hand (whichever you are more comfortable with), against your forehead, and using that hand as a resistance, push against it, holding for a count of six. Repeat six times. C. Fourth and final stage of this group of exercises. Place either hand behind your head and follow the above procedures.

As you become stronger and more at ease with these exercises, you can gradually increase the reps (repetitions) until you have reached your comfort level. During this period of strengthening the cervical (neck) muscles you may have pains and muscle spasms as you experienced before. The pains and spasms will gradually decrease as the muscles become stronger. Using an analgesic gel will help with the pain and spasms during this period, affording a great degree of comfort. You will find using the gel 3 to 4 times daily very helpful.

In addition to using the analgesic gel, the use of a heating pad will also afford some relief and calm the muscle spasms. Some individuals will find ice a good alternative, but generally the heat will be more soothing. The individual should not just sit back and take these pains as a way of life. There are things you can do and it’s just a matter of doing them if you want the relief and a better pain-free way of life.

Doc Cane

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