We have all seen replica skeletons of the human body, but how many of us have really got down to examining the structure of the neck and spine? When you stand back and consider it, the neck and spine are really a collention of bones separated by disks and held in place by an amazing array of muscles. The actual movement we have in both our necks and backs is quite amazing. However, if we do not take care of these structures and the muscles that hold them together we are asking for trouble.
Back and neck pain can occur after the slightest stress and strain is placed on the body through irregular movement or bending and lifting in the wrong way. The pain is a warning that something is not quite right in the back, neck and surrounding areas.
Being densely packed with bone, connective, muscle, nerve, and blood vessel tissues, even the slightest displacement or trace of injury can cause severe discomfort. For doctors to assist a number of tests are required before the true cause can be uncovered and then quick steps can be taken for symptomatic relief.
It is therefore recommended that exercise and good posture should suffice to keep back and neck pain at bay if one is in a normal state of health. Many of us do not realize the amount of work which this part of the body has to do even when we are at rest. Simple acts of standing or sitting in a fixed position for long periods put the back and the neck under sustained pressure.
If we let ourselves go and without adequate rest and support even simple events can cause the kind of damage which produces pain. Similarly, sudden exertion can damage unprepared tissues, it is therefore recommended that simple stretching and strengthening exercises can go a long way in preparing our bodies to undergo the physical demands which we place on our necks and backs.
way you work, recreation, and sleep habits to try and prevent or deal with back and neck pain. For example a worn out mattress or chair, draft of cold air from an air-conditioning vent, or even from a fan, vigorous exercise without warming up and cooling down, and working for long hours without breaks, are some of the common causes that affect our spines, without being conscious of its long term effects. Common sense can work wonders in correcting bad habits, all we need to do is take a good look at how we work, rest, and play.
What to Do If Back and Neck Pain Persist
Back and neck pain can be divided into two areas, acute and chronic in nature, if so medical attention may be needed quickly to rectify the situation.. However, back and neck pain is very common and this makes it very difficult to take seriously on all occasions. Luckily, there is no shortage of remedies to purchase from retail shelves, to help deal with minor accidents, or from physical strains and stresses, which we encounter in life, and which our bodies are subjected to producing back and neck pains.
Normally a healthy body has the natural ability to recover from such excesses in a matter of days, if symptoms persist for a week or more, then it is time to seek medical help. In the first place a primary care physician is the best person to approach for help, though he/she may refer you to a specialist if required. If you are suffering from unbearable pain, particularly in the back, a visit to an Emergency Room is recommended.
