Tag Archives: neck pain from using computers

Apr 03

Shoulder Problems: A Pain in the neck

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Shoulder Problems: A Pain in the neck

by Olivia O’ Leary D.C BSc Hons

Pain in the neckAn aching sholder may not signal a shoulder problem. And a sore neck may not indicate a neck problem.
When the chiropractors at Gorey Family Chiropractic were asked about neck and shoulder symptoms amongst clients on presentation to the clinic one thing quickly became clear. People may come in with shoulder pain when they really have a neck problem and similarly, neck pain can mask a shoulder problem.

SO WHERE DOES THE PAIN COME FROM?
“The way the body reports pain is somewhat unreliable,” explained Michael Veal D.C Clinic Director “Neck pain and shoulder pain so commonly overlap that it becomes difficult to distinguish for a patient where the pain is actually coming from.

 WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN?

Because the neck and shoulder are intimately connected by multiple nerve pathways. When injury occurs, the brain can’t always trace pain pathways back to their source, and what we feel may not be what is really going on. “This is known as ‘referred pain”.

WHEN THE SHOULDER IS THE USUAL SUSPECT

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Shoulder pain is most often caused by an injury to the rotator cuff, a group of tendons and muscles that stabilize the joint. The rotator cuff develops wear and tear with age, and can be easily injured which can cause shoulder tendonitis or even a partial tear of a shoulder tendon.

This may cause both shoulder pain and  contribute to development of neck pain.

YOU MAY HAVE A ROTATOR CUFF INJURY OR OTHER SHOULDER PROBLEM IF SHOULDER PAIN:
•    Develops in the shoulder itself or on the outside of your upper arm
•    Is dull and aching
•    Occurs when you reach overhead or behind your back, or when lifting
•    Radiates into the upper arm, but not past the elbow
•    Persists at night
•    Improves when you rest your arm

WHEN THE NECK IS THE LIKELY CULPRIT
images-1Inflammation of any of the 14 nerves or eight pairs of joints in the neck can cause neck pain. The joints — or vertebrae — serve as a “hinges” allowing movement (no wonder they wear out). In fact, 65 percent of 65-year-olds have arthritis in one or more neck joints.

This causes stiffness and irritation to these joints and can be another factor in the development of a pinched nerve. Fortunately chiropractic treatment and exercise has been extensively shown to  restore flexibility and reduce irritation in the neck which helps reduce neck pain and can help stabilise the condition.

Because pain in one area can so often be confused with another, a thorough examination must be done first by your chiropractor or other specialist healthcare provider which includes range of motion, strength testing and provocative orthopaedic tests to the neck and shoulder. Should these tests prove positive it may be necessary to x ray ( x ray facilities on site)  the neck to help rule out certain conditions or better evaluate others.

YOU MAY HAVE ARTHRITIS OR NERVE RELATED PAIN IF PAIN:

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•    Develops in your shoulder blade, or close to or on the side of your neck
•    Is sharp, stabbing, burning or tingling
•    Radiates down past your elbow or even into your hand
•    Persists at rest
•    Occurs when you extend your arms or twist them inward
•    Is relieved when you support your neck

Luckily most neck and shoulder pain can recover with conservative care. Evidence based guidelines for the management of neck pain and shoulder pain commonly recommend conservative measures first like chiropractic care, exercises and rehabilitative exercises.

 5 WAYS TO RELIEVE SHOULDER PAIN

1.  Try to rest from activities that aggravate painshoulder strecth
2. Exercises to gently stretch and then ultimately strengthen have been shown to be of benefit.
3.  Ice  your shoulder, an ice pack should be applied for 10-15 mins wrapped in thin tea towel to prevent an ice burn.
4. If you are failing to recover from your shoulder pain or your shoulder pain is more severe our clinical team holds extensive experience in the treatment and management of shoulder pain and will guide your recovery or refer your case if treatment is deemed unsuitable for your problem.

5.  Anti inflammatory medications are sometimes beneficial in the first instance but their usage is not recommended to mask or avoid treating the cause of the underlying shoulder pain.

6.    If these measures fail to bring relief, you may need an MRI of your shoulder. If that shows a torn rotator cuff, then shoulder surgery can sometimes be necessary.

DIAGNOSED WITH A NECK PROBLEM CAUSING NECK PAIN

Should a physical examination by your chiropractor, which may include orthopaedic, neurological or x ray studies indicate a trapped or irritated nerve or arthritis in your neck, research and evidence based guidelines have shown chiropractic treatment to be  beneficial which may include spinal manipulation, soft tissue treatment techniques, muscular stretching as well as addressing causative factors such as poor ergonomics & posture.

5 WAYS TO SELF HELP NECK PAIN

  1. Remember good posture; a significant proportion of neck and shoulder pain develops from postural strain
  2. Stretching & strengthening exercises: neck stiffness and weakness leave the neck vulnerable to injury
  3. Ice &  heat ( ice in acute stages, heat when a problem is more chronic)
  4. Ergonomic modifications in your workplace may be necessary to address the causes of neck pain if occupational strain exists
  5. An orthopaedic pillow whilst sometimes a little difficult to get used, to maintains and supports the natural curve of the spine whilst sleeping which is especially important with a damaged neck.

Twitter-pic-1-150x150Whether you have chronic pain in your shoulder, your neck or both, don’t wait to see an expert.

“Having a chiropractor or other specialist evaluate your complaint will determine quickly where the main problem is and will get you started on the correct treatment,” says Dr. Veal.

GOREY FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC SUPPORTING YOUR RECOVERY AND MAINTAINING IT

If the source of your pain is difficult to pinpoint, our specialist Clinical team are trained and hold extensive experience in the diagnosis, treatment and management of neck pain and shoulder pain. With onsite x ray facilities in Gorey and quick referral available for MRI your problem can be thoroughly evaluated should it be deemed necessary.

For your convenience all of our Gorey Family  Chiropractic team are registered with VHI, Glo, Aviva and Laya Healthcare allowing clients claim reimbursement from a wide range of private healthcare Insurance providers. We also provide care under the GAA injury scheme.

Opening hours Mon 8-7, Tues 9-5, Wed 8-7, Thurs 9-5, Frid 8-7

Tel: 053 94 83338   or alternatively email info@chiropractor.ie    

Jun 12

Using your laptop safely to avoid neck pain

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By Olivia O Leary D.C BSc ( Hons)

Unsafe: An ongoing trade off between poor neck/head posture and poor wrist/hand posture exists with Chiropractor Yvonne in this image

Unsafe: An ongoing trade off between poor neck/head posture and poor wrist/hand posture exists with Chiropractor Yvonne in this image

Laptop computers are lightweight, portable and convenient but unfortunately their design with the screen and keyboard attached forces laptop users into awkward postural positions. When the screen is positioned by the user at the right height, the keyboard position is too high and when the keyboard is at the correct height the screen is too low.

Laptops pose less risk when used for short periods but with many using the laptop as  their main computer our team at here at Gorey Family Chiropractic were asked for some guidelines applicable for this type of computer user.

A Comfortable Workstation Setup on a Desktop Computer or Laptop Promotes Neutral Postures Avoiding Strain Therefore:

  • the neck should be aligned with the spine (a neutral posture – not bent or thrust forward)
  • the back should be relaxed but supported,
  • the shoulders should be relaxed (not hunched or rounded),
  • the elbows should be close to the body and bent at an angle between 90 and 120 degrees and
  • the wrists and hands should straight (not bent or turned).

So If you use a laptop frequently, it is worth investing time into optimising your home or office workstation to promote better ergonomic postures for your laptop use, to avoid what research has shown is the long term inevitability of neck pain and back pain otherwise.

 

Safer: Using an external keyboard and mouse and raising the screen with paper reams improves this laptop workstation for Chiropractor Yvonne

Safer: Using an external keyboard and mouse and raising the screen with paper reams improves this laptop workstation for Chiropractor Yvonne

SETTING YOUR LAPTOP UP FOR FREQUENT USE

Maintain a neutral neck posture by placing the top of the screen at about eye level or slightly lower if using bifocal glasses.

Use a laptop stand or place your laptop on a stable support surface, such as monitor risers, reams of paper, or phone books so that the screen height can be adjusted.

Attach a regular size, external keyboard and mouse to the laptop, and place them on an adjustable keyboard tray or desk if possible. They should be positioned at or slightly below elbow height when it is possible to use an adjustable keyboard tray.

Angle the screen to reduce bending your head forward. Use your eyes instead of your neck to adjust your line of vision.

 

Reduce glare by positioning the screen at a right angle to windows and away from overhead lighting. Laptop lights that plug into a USB port can be used to provide extra light, if needed.

REMEMBER TO:

  1. Clean the screen frequently as dust can make it difficult to read and may increase eyestrain.
  2. Watch for glare from external light sources on your screen which also causes eyestrain.
  3. Use a document holder where possible to angle documents vertically to keep the neck well aligned with the spine.
  4. Take frequent stretch breaks every 30 to 45 minutes.

QUICK ERGONOMIC FIXES FOR SHORT TERM LAPTOP USE

  • Use a chair that supports a comfortable upright or slightly reclined posture. In a reclined position,
    Safer: A binder helps keep wrists straight and optimises the screen height. Note a ream of paper props feet adding stability. A rolled towel adds lumbar support.

    Safer: A binder helps keep wrists straight and optimises the screen height. Note a ream of paper improves the trunk/thigh angle. A rolled towel adds lumbar support.

    prop your feet up on a box or something similar to maintain a neutral trunk/thigh angle.

  • Be sure to maintain a neutral neck posture (in other words not leaning the neck forward). Use a towel roll or inflatable lumbar pillow to provide low back support.
  • Place the laptop on your lap to help keep your wrists straight while using the keyboard. A 2-3 inch binder with the wider edge toward you knees will create an angle that will help keep your wrists straight and maximize the height of the screen.
  • Don’t place your laptop on top of a pillow or other soft material. The lack of circulation could shut down the fan, which can overheat the computer.
  • On a sofa, place a rolled towel as a lumbar support, raise the feet on a small box so that you are tilted slightly backwards to maintain  straighter spinal alignment.
  • Remember to stand up and stretch frequently.
GOREY FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC: SUPPORTING RECOVERY, MAINTAINING RECOVERY AND PREVENTING INJURY

Our specialist Chiropractic team are trained and hold extensive occupational health experience both in Ireland and the U.K and are specialists in the diagnosis and treatment of back pain, neck pain and other workplace related muscle and joint problems. No referral is necessary.

We have x-ray facilities  located on site and offer spinal health screening programmes and ergonomics assessments to companies and organisations to prevent and manage workplace injury. For your convenience all of our Gorey Family  Chiropractic team are registered with VHI, Glo, Aviva and Laya Healthcare allowing clients claim reimbursement from a wide range of private healthcare Insurance providers.

For further information on our range of services to private individuals or companies contact info@chiropractor.ie or alternatively call 053 94 83338