NECK/SHOULDER & ARM PAIN.
One day, early last year, a lady, in her early 30s, walked into my workplace with moderate neck pain which she rated at 6/10. On assessment, we identified her to have cervical muscle strain, however, this wasn’t the primary cause, poor posture was the cause. She was a secretary and spent most of her time in front of the computer. These were her words “how can we know that poor posture can cause neck pain.” I then realized that we (medics & cooperate) are more focused on treatment and productivity than awareness creation and employee welfare.
Neck pain is on the rise compared to previous years. The causes of neck pain are numerous, however, it’s evident that prevention of these causes is possible.
Mechanical neck pain can result from the following;
- Poor sitting posture.
- Use of phone with neck bent down.
- Poor sleeping pattern/ use of inappropriate pillow.
- Heavy lifting, with strain to the neck.
Neck pain can result in shoulder and arm pain. Nerve compression in the cervical (neck) region can result in radiating pain to the shoulder and arms. It can present with;
- Arm muscle weakness
- Tingling sensations &
- Numbness
Tension headaches have been associated with a cervical muscle strain.
Stress is also associated with neck pain, however, the mechanism is not well understood.
Other causes of neck pain include but are not limited to;
- Fractures
- Trauma
- Tumors
- Inflammation
- Cervical spondylosis
- Sprain
You will notice that pain can result from numerous causes hence treatment will definitely depend on the cause, hence no generalized treatment.
Prevention and treatment;
Identifying the cause of your pain is the first step in the prevention and treatment of the pain.
- Use a suitable pillow
- Adapt a proper posture in sitting
- Adjust the computer to the best location to avoid bending your neck-will be explained in our subsequent articles.
- Use the phone in-front of your eyes rather than bending down
- Avoid strainers activities that involve neck movements
- Avoid lifting heavy materials on your head and shoulders.
Treatment should be administered by qualified medical personnel.it can be conservative, use of meds or surgery in advanced cases.
Conservative treatment may include heat therapy/cold therapy/ strength exercises/stretching/ occupation modification/manipulation and mobilization among others.
It’s important to note that shoulder and arm pain can occur in isolation. The management will be focused mainly on the cause.
To encapsulate, it’s important to seek professional advice in relation to posture in workplace and any treatment to the neck, shoulder and arm pain…
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