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Pain in the Front of the Neck – Causes and When to Call for Help

Pain in the Front of the Neck phone when to call for helpThe majority of neck pain is caused by muscle strain and is typically resolved without medical intervention within a few days. However, pain in the front of the neck that persists, or which is severe and acute, can be a sign of a serious health issue that warrants medical attention. Read more

Smoking is Terrible for Neck Pain – Here are 5 Top Tips to Help Yourself Quit

quitting smoking for neck painSmoking not only leads to wrinkles it also makes you much more likely to suffer from neck pain. This is because smoking impairs blood circulation, tissue oxygenation and nourishment, causes dehydration, depletes vitamin C and other antioxidant nutrients, increases the risk of cancerous growths in the neck, and even adversely affects bone metabolism. Read more

Dehydration and Neck Pain

dehydration and neck painAs neck pain remedies go, few are simpler than a glass of water. This is, however, a surefire way for many people to tackle both acute and chronic neck pain. Dehydration can affect the muscles, nerves, joints and spinal discs and yet is frequently overlooked as a potential cause of sudden neck pain and ongoing neck pain so how can you tell if you’re dehydrated and what should you do about it? Read more

Diabetes Could Raise Your Risk of Head and Neck Cancer by 50%

diabetes and neck cancer riskDiabetes could increase your risk of head and neck cancer by 50% according to a newly published retrospective cohort study carried out in Taiwan. The research, published in the journal JAMA Otolaryngology looked at data from 89,089 patients with diabetes and found that compared to closely matched people without diabetes they were 47% more likely to develop head and neck cancer. Read more

Multiple Sclerosis and Cervical Spinal Stenosis – Does Neck Surgery Help?

cervical spinal stenosis mutliple sclerosis myelopathyDifferentiating multiple sclerosis and cervical symptoms of spinal stenosis can be challenging and new research suggests that for patients with both conditions preoperative MRI results may not offer a clear indication of the likely success of spine surgery. Typically, people with cervical spinal stenosis can be given a pretty good idea of the benefits they could see after neck surgery, but evaluating patients with concurrent MS and cervical stenosis causing myelopathy appears to offer little indication of its usefulness. Read more

Drug-Free Remission of Rheumatoid Arthritis is Possible, New Study Says

abatacept orencia drug free remission in rheumatoid arthritis

If taken early enough, abatacept (Orencia) could help RA patients go into remission drug-free.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition for which patients typically need to take medications long-term, if not indefinitely. This joint disease causes symptoms such as joint pain, fatigue, fever, and may be a cause of neck pain, back pain, and a loss of mobility and flexibility. A range of medications are available for managing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) but there is currently no cure. Many of these treatments involve suppressing the immune system as it is this that is erroneously attacking the body and causing symptoms. Read more

Top Tips for Healthy Posture to Avoid Neck Pain

top tips for poor posture and neck pain preventionOur increasingly sedentary lifestyles and tendency to spend time in front of a computer screen, TV screen, or looking down at a smartphone or tablet PC is wreaking havoc with our spinal health. According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS) in the UK, a million working days were lost last year alone due to back pain and/or neck pain and this sets to get even worse unless we sit up and pay attention. Read more

Testing for Severe Osteoarthritis… Before it Develops?

neck pain osteoarthritisNew research suggests that testing for three specific biomarkers in the blood could predict who will go on to develop severe osteoarthritis, a potential cause of neck pain. Osteoarthritis is a condition that tends to arise later in life after wear and tear on the joints but up until now there was no blood test to let patients know their possible risk of the disease, making preventative efforts hard to promote. Read more

Laminectomy and Fusion for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy

laminectomy for cervical spondylotic myelopathyCervical spondylotic myelopathy accounts for the majority of cases of spinal cord dysfunction in older adults. This common cause of neck pain results from degenerative changes in the cervical spine, including age-related damage to the joints, discs, ligaments, and connective tissue in the neck, that results in spinal cord compression. The treatment for this condition will depend on the extent of the degeneration and symptoms but typically involves laminectomy and spinal fusion. Read more

Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma as a Cause of Neck Pain and Spinal Cord Compression

neck pain hodgkins lymphoma spinal cord compressionThere are so many common causes of neck pain, most of which are non-life threatening, that few stop to consider that a pain in the neck could have a cancerous root.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Hodgkin’s lymphoma in the cervical spine can be a cause of spinal cord compression and neck pain but these serious underlying causes may be overlooked, especially in the elderly where weakness and falls are attributed to other conditions. Read more