6 suggestions to reduce neck pain

Neck pain is one of the most common problems in daily life.

Neck pain is one of the most common problems in daily life. Anadolu Health Center Brain and Nerve Surgery Specialist Assoc. Prof. stated that some neck pains may also indicate a cervical disc herniation. Dr. Selçuk Göçmen said, “Continuous pain or weakness in the neck or arm can limit the use of the hand and arm. “This situation can also negatively affect working life,” he said.

The fact that computer use is an indispensable element in business life also causes neck pain to increase. Brain and Nerve Surgery Specialist Assoc. Dr. Selçuk Göçmen warned, “However, neck pain should not be confused with cervical disc herniation.”

Cervical disc herniation may cause the person to become incontinent.

Assoc. Prof. stated that cervical hernia occurs when the cartilage between the cervical vertebrae shifts towards the spinal canal, putting pressure on the nerves coming to the arm and the spinal cord. Dr. Selçuk Göçmen said, “Cervical disc herniation can cause pain, aching, loss of sensation and loss of strength reflected towards the arms. “The person becomes unable to hold his urine,” he said. Assoc. Prof. said that in cervical disc herniation, the pain can start from the unilateral shoulder and extend to the hand and fingers. Dr. Selçuk Göçmen said, “In some patients, the pain may spread to the back and shoulder blades, and there may be numbness in the fingers. There is weakness in the hand and the patient may drop heavy objects he/she holds. “He may not be able to distinguish between hot and cold,” he said.

Surgery is usually not required for cervical disc herniations.

Brain and Nerve Surgery Specialist Assoc. Prof. stated that cervical disc herniations can mostly be resolved without the need for surgical treatment. Dr. Selçuk Göçmen said, “Therefore, the priority is non-surgical options to reduce the pain caused by cervical disc herniation. These; “These are practices that include rest, restricting neck movements by using a neck brace, medications that reduce edema and control pain, physical therapy, exercise or injection therapy,” he said.

The patient can be discharged 24 hours after cervical disc hernia surgery.

Brain and Nerve Surgery Specialist Assoc. Dr. Selçuk Göçmen stated that cervical disc herniation surgery can also be performed if non-surgical treatment does not provide improvement and said, “Cervical disc herniation surgeries have become much easier with the developing technology. “The operation can take 1-1.5 hours for a single level cervical disc herniation and the patient can go home in less than 24 hours.” Assoc. Dr. Selçuk Göçmen added that after a successful surgery, there is no recurrence in neck surgeries, unlike herniated disc surgeries.

Assoc. Dr. Selçuk Göçmen gave 6 suggestions to those suffering from neck pain:

6 tips to reduce neck pain

• Care should be taken not to disrupt the natural position of the neck while working. When using a computer, the screen should be at eye level, the head and neck should be upright and in line with the body. The distance between the monitor and the eyes should be approximately 50-65 cm.

• Avoid direct air currents such as air conditioning and wind on your neck. Neck protective clothing should be preferred, especially in cold weather. After sweating, the neck must be protected.

• Care should be taken not to stay in the same position for a long time. You can change positions every half hour and take a 5-10 minute break every hour. Neck and office exercises should be done during this period.

• If frequent phone calls are made, headset-shaped telephone handsets should be preferred.

• The pillow used should support the neck cavity. Care should be taken not to use too high or low pillows. Using a special orthopedic neck pillow is up to the person’s choice and can be used if he/she is believed to benefit from it. Care should also be taken to use special pillows that support the neck while traveling.

• Exercises for the neck area should be done every day.