Structures of the Neck?

There are seven vertebrae that are the bony building blocks of the spine in the neck (the cervical vertebrae) that surround the spinal cord and canal. Between these vertebrae are discs, and nearby pass the nerves of the neck. Within the neck, structures include the neck muscles, arteries, veins, lymph glands, thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, esophagus, larynx, and trachea. Diseases or conditions that affect any of these tissues of the neck can lead to neck pain.

Diagnosing Neck Pain

In diagnosing the cause of neck pain, it is important to review the history of the symptoms. In reviewing the history, the doctor will note the location, intensity, duration, and radiation of the pain. Any past injury to the neck is noted. Aggravating and/or relieving positions or motions are also recorded. The neck is examined at rest and in motion. Tenderness is detected during palpation of the neck. An examination of the nervous system is performed to determine whether or not nerve involvement is present.

Further testing of undiagnosed neck pain can include x-ray evaluation, CAT scan, bone scan, MRI scan, myelogram, and electrical tests such as electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction velocity test (NCV). How is neck pain treated?
The treatment of neck pain depends on its precise cause. Treatment options include rest, heat/ice applications, traction, soft collar, traction, physical therapy (ultrasound, massage, manipulation), local injections of cortisone or anesthetics, topical anesthetic creams, topical pain patches, muscle relaxers, analgesics, and surgical procedures.

Prevention

To prevent injuries, examine your home for potential hazards and correct them to reduce the chance of accidental injury. Proper exercise of the shoulders and neck can reduce the risk of injury.

When performing hazardous tasks, be sure to have someone present to reduce the likelihood of injury. For example, when climbing a ladder, have someone hold the base of the ladder to keep it from sliding to either side.
Know your limitations. Do not perform activities that you do not have the training, skills, tools, or strength to accomplish. Wear seat belts and use other safety equipment to reduce injuries.
Because most neck pain and shoulder pain is caused by sprains and strains, you can expect a full recovery or to recover with minor limitations on your activities. Some conditions require hospitalization, surgical repair, physical therapy, or other rehabilitative measures. The extent of recovery may be complete or limited. Some conditions can be recurrent or persistent; thus, you should have a treatment plan to learn how to deal with and adapt to any limitations.

Tension Headaches

Also called muscle contraction headaches - are the most common type of headache, according to the American Academy of Neurology. This is the type of headache with which many of us are familiar. The pain is usually mild-to-moderate and may also include feelings of tightness or pressure around the head and neck.

We can develop a tension headache because of stress, fatigue, eyestrain or poor posture among other things. Certain physical postures that tense head and neck muscles - such as holding one's chin down while reading - can lead to tension headaches. So can prolonged writing under poor light, or holding a phone between the shoulder and ear or even gum chewing. More serious problems that can cause muscle contraction headaches include degenerative arthritis of the neck and temporomandibular joint dysfunction.
The National Headache Foundation (NHF) says there are two types of tension headaches: Episodic - which occur randomly and usually can be cured by timeand/or over-the-counter medications. Chronic - which occur much more frequently, sometimes even every day. These should be discussed with a doctor to find the underlying cause. Chronic muscle contraction headaches can last for weeks, months and sometimes years.
The pain of these headaches is often described as a tight band around the head or a feeling that the head and neck are in a cast. NHF says causes can be tied to mental and emotional issues such as anxiety and depression Occasionally, tension headaches will be accompanied by nausea, vomiting and blurred vision, but there is no pre-headache syndrome as with migraine headaches.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke (NINDS), muscle contraction headaches have not been linked to hormones or foods, as migraine headaches have, nor is there a strong hereditary connection.

From MedicineNet.com

Dealing with Tension Headaches Treatment for muscle contraction headache varies. The first consideration is to treat any specific disorder or disease that may be causing the headache. For example, arthritis of the neck may be treated with anti-inflammatory medication and TMD may be helped by corrective devices for the mouth and jaw.
Small changes can help in some cases. Tension headaches can develop as a result of excess strain on those muscles; for example, looking down at work on your desk or computer for an extended period of time or sleeping or reclining on a pillow that's too high. In such cases, changing pillows and making a conscious effort to relax and periodically stretch the head and neck muscles while reading or working can be helpful Acute tension headaches not associated with a disease are treated with analgesics like aspirin and acetaminophen.
If you do need medication, be aware that such over-the-counter measures are for occasional use only. It's also important that, as with any medicine, you use and store these products correctly. And also remember that if headaches are occurring often, you should call your doctor for advice. Stronger analgesics may need to be prescribed, however prolonged use of these drugs can lead to dependence and should be monitored carefully.

In addition, it's important to remember that some types of head pain can also indicate a serious medical condition. So call your doctor or seek medical help right away if you experience any sudden intense head pain, or head pain accompanied by other symptoms such as slurred speech, changes in vision, stiff neck, fever or numbness. They could be the sign of a stroke or other serious condition. from Catholic Health

Letter from the Creator

Hi, I'm Steve Frank and I design natural products for Nature's Rite.
I want to show you one of my new formulations. It's called Back & Neck Relief, but it's so much more than that; it's a product with many uses.

The basis for Back & Neck Relief is a combination of herbs that gets skeletal muscles to relax, nerves to settle down and damaged tissues to heal. Well, that's a combination that can be used for many different things. Sure, if you have a stiff neck, you can just roll-it-on and in minutes, you'll be feeling better in no time at all.
Yes, if you have low-back pain, you can generously coat your back and get relief without smelling like a peppermint stick.
That was what this product was intended to provide. It gets rids you of back and neck pain without those gross Menthol oils that smell and hurt when they get in your eyes.
If that was all that Back & Neck Relief did, that would be enough.

This product has been used for years by people who get tension headaches too.
The upper Trapezius muscles pull directly on the occiput (a bone at the base of your skull) and can cause debilitating headaches after a long day of work.
Hunching over your computer can cause this and most people are not even aware that it's happening.
Back & Neck Relief works to relax those tight Trapezius muscles while getting the nerves that are irritated to calm-down and stop sending distress signals to the brain.
You will be pleased and surprised how well this works to rid yourself of those pesky tension headaches.
You pay $25 to $50 to have a Chiropractor adjust these bones so that you don't have pain. Every Chiropractor will tell you that, "muscles move bones." You should relax those muscles so that they don't just move right back after the adjustment.

Do your feet hurt? Have you been on your feet all day at work or otherwise with tired muscles that are tight-as-a-drum and perhaps tendons and ligaments that have been over-worked? Well Back & Neck Relief will work on that too.
Is your elbow hurting or your shoulder sore? Why not roll it on and let it relieve the tension, make the pain fade and begin the healing process in just minutes.

This is such a generally useful product that no gym bag or travel bag should be without it. I designed this product to carry myself when I go out of town and work trade-shows.
We've had so many people use it so many ways, it just seems like a remedy that everyone should own.

I'd love to hear what you use it for. So go on... buy a bottle and start rolling it on where-ever it hurts. You'll be delighted with the results. I guarantee it.

Best of Health,

Steve Frank