How To Prevent Arthritis In Neck

How Can I Keep The Pain Away

You can work your neck muscles like any other muscles. Stretches work, but you can also do simple exercises like the ones below. They can improve your neck strength and your range of motion.

With each of these exercises, start with five repetitions of each and see if you can build up to 10.

Check with your doctor before you start.

Rotations: Stand or sit with your back and your head squarely over your shoulders. Then, turn your head as far you can comfortably to one side. Hold it for up to 30 seconds. Then turn your head to the other side, and hold it for up to 30 seconds.

Shoulder Circles: Standing, raise your shoulders straight up and move them in a circle one way. Lower your shoulder and repeat in the other direction.

Resistance Exercises: Standing or sitting, put your left hand on the side of your head above your ear. Gently press your head against your hand while holding your head straight. Do the same thing with your right hand.

Head Lifts. Lying on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, lift and lower your head. Make sure you donât raise your shoulders as you do this. You can also do these lying on your side and on your stomach.

Rheumatoid Arthritis In The Neck

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease where the bodys immune system mistakenly attacks the lining of the joints. It often starts in the smaller joints of your hands and feet and can spread to other parts of the body like the neck as the disease progresses. This typically doesnt happen until years after the onset of arthritis symptoms.

Neck pain is the primary symptom of rheumatoid arthritis in the neck, with the severity varying from person to person. You may feel a dull or throbbing ache in the back of your neck around the base of the skull. Joint swelling and stiffness can make it hard to move from side to side.

The difference between rheumatoid arthritis neck pain and a neck injury is that stiffness and pain from an injury can gradually improve over days or weeks. Rheumatoid arthritis in the neck may not get better it can worsen if left untreated. Even if symptoms improve, inflammation, swelling, and stiffness can return with rheumatoid arthritis in the neck.

Spinal Arthritis Causes And Risk Factors

The causes of arthritis in the back or neck vary depending on the type of arthritis you have. Besides normal wear and tear and autoimmune triggers, in many cases the exact cause remains unknown. Genetic components have been identified in connection with some forms of spinal arthritis, meaning that it may be hereditary.

Other spinal arthritis risk factors include:

• Excess weight/obesity

• Presence of certain conditions such as diabetes, gout, psoriasis, tuberculosis, irritable bowel syndrome and Lyme disease

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Using Heat And Ice Packs

Applying a heat pack to your neck can help to ease pain. You can use a microwavable wheat bag, a hot-water bottle or a reusable heat pad which you can buy from chemists and sports shops. An ice pack, or even a bag of frozen peas, can also be helpful.

Make sure you wrap heat or ice packs in a towel and dont put them directly onto your neck to avoid burning or irritating your skin. You might want to consider applying a heat pack to your neck before and after exercise to help soothe the muscles.

Are There Ways To Prevent Cervical Spondylosis From Occurring

There is no way to prevent cervical spondylosis as this condition is a normal, age-related deterioration of the joint space and disks in your neck.

If you do have a job or a hobby that results in a lot of time spent looking overhead, downward or having your head in an awkward posture, take many short breaks in your day . Learn proper stretching and strengthening exercises from your healthcare provider or physical therapist.

Follow other self-help therapies such as applying ice or heat to your neck to ease muscle soreness and pain and taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs and pain-killers such as ibuprofen or naproxen.

Always follow the instructions of your healthcare professionals and physical therapist.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Spinal Arthritis

Symptoms of spinal arthritis may differ from person to person. In general, they may include:

• Back and neck pain, especially in the lower back

• Stiffness and loss of flexibility in the spine, such as being unable to straighten your back or turn your neck

• Swelling and tenderness over the affected vertebrae

• Feeling of grinding when moving the spine

• Pain, swelling and stiffness in other areas of the body

• Whole-body weakness and fatigue

• Pain and numbness in your arms or legs if the nerves are affected

Although back pain is a common symptom, not all people have it, even those with advanced spinal arthritis. On the other hand, some may experience pain even before arthritis can be seen on an X-ray.

In certain types of spondyloarthritis, eye inflammation may occur, causing pain, watery eyes and blurred vision.

Spinal Arthritis May Contribute To Other Issues In The Spine

Spinal arthritis may cause bone spurs overgrowths on the edges of the bones. In the spine, bone spurs particularly affect facet joints, making them grow larger. This condition is called facet joint hypertrophy. Although bone spurs on their own are not harmful, they may narrow the passages for the spinal cord and the nerves exiting the spine. This may lead to two painful conditions:

• Spinal stenosis compression of the spinal cord inside the spinal canal

• Radiculopathy pinching of the peripheral nerves as they exit the spine

Ankylosing spondylitis may also cause additional problems such as:

• Stress fractures in places where new bone has formed

• Collapsed vertebrae

• A spinal deformity called kyphosis

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Get Better Zs For A Natural Treatment For Arthritis

It can be tough to sleep if you have joint pain, but improving your sleep could actually be a good treatment for osteoarthritis. According to a study published in February 2014 in the journal Sleep, researchers who worked with 367 adults with osteoarthritis to improve their sleep found that cognitive-behavioral strategies to reduce insomnia appeared to both improve sleep and reduce pain.

Muscle Strengthening Strategy For Relieving Pain

Muscles around the spinal joints are designed to support the neck and back. Along with a range of motion exercises , managing neck arthritis pain can be greatly enhanced if you strengthen your muscles. This is because when muscles meant to support the spine are too weak to fulfill their responsibility, pressure and compression result. Compression the spine may cause pain and further the development of your arthritis.

A strengthening program to help protect joints and relieve pain associated with neck arthritis targets two muscle groupsboth located at the back of the skull and neck, says Hagit Rajter, a physical therapist at the Joint Mobility Center at New York’s Hospital for Special Surgery. These muscle groups are called the cervical , paraspinal and the suboccipital. The suboccipital muscles are those just under the skull in back.

Rajter recommends the following basic neck strengthening exercises.

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How In Motion Oc Can Help With Neck Arthritis

In Motion O.C. understands just how frustrating it can be to live with symptoms of neck arthritis and we dont want you to have to deal with the symptoms any longer.

Weve helped dozens of people overcome their symptoms of neck arthritis and wed love to help you, too.

As the number one physical therapist in the country on Yelp! and Google, we are committed to providing the best possible care to each and every person that walks through our doors.

*This information about physical therapy for neck arthritis was reviewed by Dr Natalie Thomas, PT, DPT. If you have any questions, please dont hesitate to contact us here.

What Is Cervical Spondylosis

What is Cervical Spondylosis? It is the medical term for arthritis in your neck. It is called cervical spondylosis because it affects the cervical part of the spine that is the neck area and spondylosis because it is a degeneration of the cartilage and discs in your cervical spine It usually refers to osteoarthritis in the neck because of excess spinal and neck compression that has led to damaged tissues.

What Causes Arthritis in the Neck? Poor posture is causing pain and arthritis in the neck and cervical areas of the spine. This causes narrowing of the spinal canals and thickening in the ligaments and bony structures of the neck. This leads to nerve compression due to inflammation and breakdown of the structure, and can lead to severe pain, swelling and even numbness in the area. The faster you start treating your cervical arthritis degeneration, inflammation and disc pressure, the better your chances of healing from this condition.

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Foods To Avoid With Arthritis

There are foods that easily trigger inflammation and make arthritis worse. You should avoid or reduce the intake of these foods as much as you possibly can:

Processed and Processed FoodsProcessed and fried foods such as fried meat, pastries, and canned vegetables increase inflammation and weaken the bodys immune system.

AGEsAGE stands for advanced glycation end product. Its a toxin thats found in foods that have been grilled, fried, pasteurized, or heated. Your body uses cytokines which are inflammatory messengers to break down AGEs. This may result in the development of arthritis and other types of inflammation.

Refined Carbs and SugarFoods with high amounts of sugar like soda, white-flour pastries, and candy increase AGEs in your body so it becomes more prone to inflammation.

Alcohol and TobaccoAlcohol consumption could lead to the development of diseases like gout that cause problems to your joints. This raises the risk of developing arthritis. Smoking tobacco reduces the effectiveness of drugs taken for arthritis pain. It also makes it difficult to exercise so you will not be able to relieve the pain of arthritis.

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Spondyloarthritis In The Neck

Other types of neck arthritis include psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, which are both considered a type of arthritis called spondyloarthritis. Its an umbrella term for inflammatory diseases that involve both the joints and entheses, the places where ligaments and tendons attach to the bones.

Psoriatic arthritis is a form of arthritis often accompanied by psoriasis, an inflammatory skin disease. For some people who have psoriatic arthritis, the condition involves the spine, which impacts the neck. Pain happens when inflammation strikes the joints between the vertebrae. This pain can occur on just one side of the body, the neck, and the lower and upper back. Read more about psoriatic arthritis symptoms.

Ankylosing spondylitis is a form of arthritis that strikes the bones in your spine and pelvis as well as peripheral joints. Early signs and symptoms might include pain and stiffness in your lower back and hips, especially in the morning and after inactivity. Fatigue and neck pain are common. AS symptoms might worsen, improve, or stop at irregular intervals.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Arthritis In The Neck

Surprisingly, many people do not experience any symptoms of arthritis. Those who do, however, may experience the following symptoms:

• fatigue and/or trouble sleeping

These arthritis symptoms could last for several months or become chronic over time.

With rheumatoid arthritis, you may also experience stiffness in the hands and wrists, particularly in the morning after waking up, Dr. Shah notes.

Ankylosing spondylitis may affect the back and hips, again with symptoms worse after waking up, he says.

How Neck Arthritis Is Diagnosed

Your doctor will start by taking a history and doing a physical exam. Theyll check the range of motion in your neck and test your strength, sensation, and reflexes to find out if there is pressure on your nerves or spinal cord. Theyll ask when your symptoms started, when the pain happens, and what makes the pain better and worse.

Your doctor may order an X-ray to assess alignment and look for arthritic changes, says Dr. Shah. If there is a concern of compression of spinal nerves or the spinal cord, you may need an MRI to look at the neutral structure and discs, says Dr. Shah.

A CT scan may be ordered to look at the bone more closely, especially to see if any bony outgrowths are causing compression. However, X-rays and MRIs are the tests that are usually ordered, says Dr. Shah. A CT scan with a myelogram may be used if an MRI cant be done.

An electromyography, or EMG, may be ordered to assess for nerve compression, says Dr. Shah. An EMG tests the electrical conduction of the nerves in the arms. This test would be helpful if you have multiple nerves being compressed or compression of nerves at the neck and in the arm, he says.

Your doctor may order blood tests to see if you have any antibodies or systemic inflammation that would reveal inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or ankylosing spondylitis.

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Neck Stretch: Side Bend Rotations

To do this move, tilt your head to one side, bringing your left ear down toward your left shoulder. There should not be any pinching or stabbing feeling. Once youve reached as far as you can go, then rotate your head to look up at the ceiling.

Once youre in this position, check in with your shoulders can you drop them down and relax them? Take a deep breath and try to deepen the stretch if you can. Hold this position for about 25 to 30 seconds. Exhale and slowly come out of the position, then do the other side.

When doing this move correctly, you will feel a really nice stretch in the front of your neck, in the scalene muscles, or along the side of your neck, says Dr. Woodard. They can get really tight in people with arthritis.

Three Video Neck Stretches And Exercises To Help Relieve A Stiff Neck Caused By Spinal Osteoarthritis Also Called Cervical Spondylosis

People with cervical spondylosis are all too familiar with neck pain and stiffness, but did you know that too much rest can actually worsen those symptoms? Its true: Spine specialists recommend incorporating gentle stretches and exercises that keep your neck mobile over long bouts of bed rest to manage the condition.

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Vegetables And Fruits Containing Phytochemicals:

• Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower all contain a compound called sulforaphane. While sulforaphane is not an antioxidant, studies indicate it may help prevent or slow down osteoarthritis.

• Alliums like onions, garlic, shallots, and leeks contain another powerful antioxidant called quercetin. Researchers studying the anti-inflammatory properties of quercetin in rats have suggested it has potential as an osteoarthritis treatment.

• Citrus fruits contain high levels of beta cryptoxanthin, which gives them their orange and red colors. This has been shown to maintain joint health and prevent osteoarthritis in mice. Citrus fruits are also a great source of vitamins A and C, which are important for bone and cartilage health.

Massage For Neck Arthritis

Massage feels good, and it may help to relax tight muscles and improve localized circulation to structures in your neck. Some research into specific types of massage has shown promise for reducing neck pain.

Cupping involves placing suction-type cups over your muscles. Some small studies have shown that cupping reduces symptoms in patients with chronic neck pain.

The American College of Rheumatology has published guidelines for the treatment of osteoarthritis and has stated that the research currently does not support the use of massage as an effective treatment for knee, hip, or hand arthritis.

While the guidelines are not specific to cervical spondylosis, it may be helpful to keep in mind there is little evidence that massage provides lasting relief for arthritis. Still, it may be one option to try when seeking out natural remedies for your neck pain.

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What Causes Cervical Spondylosis

As you get older, your spine undergoes changes due to decades of normal wear and tear. Starting in middle age, the disks between your vertebrae start to change. These changes can include:

• Degeneration: The spinal disks in your neck may slowly wear down . With time, the disks become thinner, and the soft tissue has less elasticity. If you or your parents measure in a little shorter in height than you did years ago, this is normal collapsing or settling of your disks.
• Herniation: Normal aging can cause part of your spinal disk to tear or crack. This is called a herniated disk. The herniation can allow the disk to bulge out, pressing on nearby tissue or a spinal nerve. This pressure can cause pain, tingling or numbness.
• Osteoarthritis: Osteoarthritis is a progressive condition that causes cartilage in your joints to degenerate . With osteoarthritis, cartilage degenerates faster than with normal aging.
• Bone spurs: When cartilage in the joints of the vertebrae in your spine starts to degenerate and bone tissue rubs directly against other bone tissue, abnormal bone growths develop along the edges of vertebrae. These growths are common as you age. Often, they cause no symptoms.

Exercises For Neck And Shoulder Pain

Here are the best exercises for neck and shoulder pain. These neck pain exercises can help strengthen the muscles around your neck and cervical spine and take pressure off your discs:

• Water exercise or aerobics
• Resistance Training Perform joint friendly non-impact Exercises for Arthritis to strengthen the muscles surrounding the joints , taking pressure off of them and begin true healing.
• Posture Training The Alexander Technique is really great for this. Proper Posture is very important in getting arthritis pain relief and this can help you relieve neck, back and shoulder pain!
• Ergonomics Proper Ergonomic Posture reduces stress on your back and joints.
• Lose Your Neck Pain This guide gives you all the exercises, diet choices for arthritis relief that has been proven to work from the healthy back institute!

Do whatever you can do that doesnt add additional stress on your neck and spinal column to relieve the pressure on your neck and spine. Then add the following natural treatments below to restore pain free mobility for the long term.

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