Could your neck be the fault?.

Sometimes it is when the chiropractor ‘puts their finger’ on the spot do people realize that their neck may be the cause of their mid and upper back pain.

The fact that you can feel pain in other places from the actual cause - referred pain is well understood.What is less known,and the reason for many wrong diagnoses,is that the spine is a great mimic - a hidden source of many bodily aches and pains.

The lower part of the neck has a rich nerve supply and any spinal irritation can cause a confusing array of symptoms such as;local neck pain,muscle or joint discomfort felt into the chest,across the mid and upper back,and pains and pins and needles down one or both arms.

The technical name for these particular ‘neck’ caused ‘mid back’ symptoms is Cervicogenic Dorsalgia.Spinal experts belive neck problems are responsible for almost seven out of ten people who suffer from mid and upper back pain.

Diagnosis may be difficult because the symptoms can vary.For instance pain in the mid back can be well-localized or spread out.Some might say it feels like a cramp or burning tense or tired while others describe their pain as deep ache.Some people may experience only mild or even no neck symptoms at all. Others may have normal range of neck motion yet find certain movements can trigger stabbing pain between the shoulder blades,chest or arms.

A comprehensive chiropractic spinal examination is essential to identify these subtle spinal problems - requires years of practice and skill to feel the movement between such small bones.

The correct diagnosis is confirmed when the symptoms are relieved following a chiropractic spinal adjustment.Restoring normal spinal movement is the key to ‘fixing’ the problem.

Certain activities tend to cause mid-upper back problems.

Often the person with mid back pain has had work for long periods with their hands in front of the body and their body and their head thrust forward:computer work,ironing,cooking and dish washing.Often they may experience little or no discomfort while playing sport yet become quite sore whenever they adopt the head forward posture.

Chiropractic management includes exercise and posture advice.Sometimes the workplace may need to be modified,more frequent changes in work duties allowed,or certain exercises prescribed.Regular chiropractic care to ’support’ the weakened area may also be necessary.

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Imagine suffering terrible pains with no signs of injury?.

What do you do with a faulty fire alarm? Simple,turn it off the power and wait until the alarm is repaired.

Now what do you do if the alarm bells are inside you; causing stiff muscles and leaving you exhausted?

That is what happens to people who have ‘fibromyalgia’ ( Sometimes called fibrositis) deal with: severe disabling aches and pains often without a mark of injury.

In years gone by people with fibromyalgia often had a hard time convincing others that their symptoms were real.That has changed since scientists have learnt more about the nervous system.It is now well understood that the symptoms of fibromyalgia-muscle and soft tissue discomfort,tiredness and stiffness-are common and possibly the major reason why some people in our community experience more pain than others. It is basically a faulty overly sensitive pain system that sends and amplifies all sorts of misleading messages about tissue all sorts of misleading,messages about tissue damage to the brain.

Sometimes the pain message might only effect one part of your body.For instance,an elbow or wrist might be affected.In other people it can affect the whole body and causes headaches,sleep disturbances,bowel problems and disturbed concentration.

It’s a worldwide condition and may vary in severity form very mild and occasional to severe and persistent.

The symptoms are often vague and share common features with other illnesses like chronic fatigue syndrome.

Unfortunately there is no agreed test to diagnose Fibromyalgia.Instead the diagnose is based on the description of the symptoms,ruling out other known problems,and finding areas of unusual tenderness on the body.

There is no specific treatment but there are a number of approaches that may help.

Light regular exercise-starting with simple walking-and attention to leading a healthy lifestyle i.e.regular meals,healthy simple diet,fresh air,and having an established bed/sleep routine is also very important.Sometimes certain medication may be of assistance.

If you have issues with pain ask your Doctor for their advice;there are a number of options that may help you switch off and better manage the unwanted discomfort.

People are often busy and when faced with a health problem they usually want things fixed straight away.Unfortunately what we want,and how our bodies actually work is often at odds.

Apart from the crisis times of physical trauma or a acute infection,or body usually does things gradually.Following a strange underlying logic where little action can sometimes set in motion big changes.

Take for instance a sore toe.If it persists you will stand and walk differently.Over time the opposite hip becomes sore,usually worse in bed and sleep becomes disturbed.You get tired,feel rundown and cold scores appear.Each of those symptoms could be treated in isolation but that approach doesn’t really get to the underlying cause.

Sorting out health issues takes time and the ability to step back and ask ‘what else is going on here?’ So apart from choosing appropriate care,your body sets the pace for healing,and that sometimes an opportunity to learn about patience.

A simple Chair exercise to combat slouching and Sitting straight Periods.

Too much sitting can cause posture problems and discomfort-basically we aren’t well suited to sit or be still for long periods.If your work duties don’t allow you to move around then try this easy posture retraining exercise.

While sitting slowly breath out and allow your body to slump to its maximum.

Then reverse the position slowly breathing in while you straighten up to sit as tall and as erect as posisible.

Repeat slowly and rhythmically six times.Complete this routine 3 to 5 times daily.

This exercise is straightforward and surprisingly effective so make it part of your daily ‘take care of myself’ routine.

Most people are careful when they lift or shift heavy loads.Unfortunately,the smaller loads can be just a troublesome and the result is needing Chiropractic care.

Briefcases,shoulder bags and backpacks can all cause health problems,especially when loaded up.Not surprising when it has been estimated that carrying as little as 10% of your body weight can upset your postural alignment.

Carrying a weight on one-side changes the natural rhythm of your upper and lower body.The unloaded side often tightens to counter the weight.

This Causes a spinal curvature and the smooth coordinated swinging of your arms and legs is replaced by a gait that is more awkward and rigid Muscles become tense while other parts of the spine lose their normal free movement.

Once you add a few items,even thin-strapped shoulder bags may cause injuries.The thin strap may cut into the neck and shoulder muscles causing pain,tenderness and tightness.Even smaller handbags,purses and wallets can cause postural mischief.Having to hold ATM cards,coins and personal identification have made these carry-alls evolve to become thicker.

Problems begin to arise when you want to keep your hands free-often the now bulky wallet ends up in the back pocket.Sitting down will then press the wallet into one of the buttock muscles.The person becomes propped up on one cheek and their spine curves,causing uneven muscle tension.

Prolonged pressure against the buttock may cause pain,tightness and even bruising.Hard pressure through the muscle can also irritate the sciatic nerve:you can end up with a sore bottom as well as a nagging ache and numbness that travel down your leg!

Tips to save your spine:

Empty any unnecessary items from your bag or wallet;

Place the wallet and mobile phone in the front pockets of the bag-saves you having to stretch;

select a briefcase or purse with a wide adjustable strap-long enough to place it over your head-to evenly distribute the load across the body;

Swap the carry side frequently;

Don’t sit or drive with a wallet in your back pocket.

Followers of fashion tend to be more concerned with the way something looks rather than the way it feels.That may be OK for a while,but it is generally wiser to listen to your body and perhaps ask your chiropractor for advice.After all is’s hard to be stylish when you’re wincing with pain!