Talk about a pain in the neck

January 20, 2011 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am an 84-year-old female living in an assisted-living facility. I suffer from spinal stenosis, which has left me in a lot of pain since getting out of the hospital. The facility provides good care, but I remain in pain. Will it continue, or can I expect some relief?

DEAR READER: Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of a portion of the spine that causes pain, weakness and paresthesias, primarily of the neck, lower back, shoulders, arms or legs. Depending which nerves are affected, bladder and/or bowel difficulties might also occur and can lead to incontinence.
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Avoiding whiplash and how to treat it

October 26, 2010 By

Last week I almost hit three deer on two different occasions while driving to work. I have also driven through torrential rain and witnessed a van hitting and cracking a telephone pole.

Accidents happen all the time and while modern cars can often withstand quite a bit of “injury”, the human body often can not.

Your head weighs 8 to 10 pounds; if your seat belt is fastened, the force of a collision can cause your head to whip forward and back or side to side. Accidents are at times unavoidable, but there are things you can do to decrease the chance of sustaining a whiplash injury.

  • Always fasten your seat belt.
  • Position your head rest to “catch” your head, which means it should be right in the center of your head. Positioning it too high or too low can actually cause or worsen a whiplash injury.
  • Position your seat properly. You should be sitting up straight and the seat should be as close to your head as possible to lessen the distance between your head and the seat upon impact.
  • Be aware of your surroundings — which means no calling, texting, eating, putting on makeup, etc.

If you do sustain a whiplash injury, get checked out by a medical professional. Some of the symptoms of whiplash: blurred vision, dizziness, jaw, shoulder or neck pain, headaches, vertigo, memory loss, irritability, sleeplessness, fatigue.

Most pain associated with whiplash is caused by tense muscles. When the neck is forced back and forth in a jarring motion, such as the type caused by a car accident, muscles and ligaments in the area are stretched beyond their normal limits. In severe instances, the supportive muscles of the spine are torn. Muscles in the surrounding area then tighten to try and support the injured tissues. This limits range of motion and causes strain on those muscles which are not being used to bearing the extra load. This causes more pain.

Muscle pain is your chiropractor’s specialty, so get checked out. And be careful out there.

Monica S. Nowak, DC
The Chiropractic Center of Canaan
176 Ashley Falls Road
Canaan, CT 06018
860-824-0748

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Osteoarthritis not linked to employment

October 20, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I have osteoarthritis in my neck and spine. Could you tell me how a 54-year-old lady like me got such a thing? My job is repetitive work in manufacturing, but my employer says it’s not from the work. I feel it is, but I don’t feel that 54 is old.

DEAR READER: Osteoarthritis is a chronic condition that results from a breakdown of joint cartilage. Healthy cartilage allows our joints to move easily and without pain. When osteoarthritis is present, a degeneration of the cartilage that cushions bone ends occurs. Over time, some areas of cartilage may wear away completely, resulting in damage to the bone and extreme pain on movement. The ends of the bone may form spurs, and the ligaments may thicken. This common disorder affects about one in three people and, while most common in older adults, it can affect people of any age.
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Physical therapy may help stiff neck

April 15, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: Since last June, I have experienced tight neck muscles that make it a problem to sleep and drive my car. I’ve tried everything except acupuncture. My doctor is unconcerned. I’m 70 and in good health. I exercise three or four times a week on a stationary bike, garden and walk. Can you help me?

DEAR READER: There are 33 vertebrae in the spine, seven of which are in the neck. The neck holds up your head, which, on average, weighs about 10 pounds. With poor posture, even a few centimeters of poorly distributed weight can place an enormous burden on the neck muscles. So muscles tighten up as a defense mechanism and cause pain. Other than posture, other possible causes are osteoarthritis of the neck, fibromyalgia, polymyalgia rheumatica and hypothyroidism.
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Stiff neck has many causes

March 27, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: Since June of last year, I have experienced a very tight neck that makes sleeping and driving difficult. My doctor seems unconcerned but did recommend a physical therapist. While massage feels good, it does not take the pain away, nor does it make it any easier to turn my head. My left side is tighter than my right and throbs when I lie down, turning into an all-head-involved headache.

If you have any insight or direction as to what I need to do, I would be grateful. I have tried everything except acupuncture, which I think I will do next.

By the way, I am 70 years old and in excellent health otherwise. I do take amlodipine besylate for blood pressure, vitamins C and D, calcium, red yeast rice for cholesterol-lowering properties, glucosamine, MSM and an 81-milligram aspirin. Plus, I have been on OsteoValin for a year as a substitute for Fosamax, which I took for five years. I need help.
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