| OUCH! What the heck is that pain in my neck? | | | | of the head. This condition didn’t happen over |
| Neck Arthritis? No way, I’m way too young | | | | night, and it most likely won’t go away |
| to be thinking about neck arthritis treatment. | | | | instantly either. |
| Think again! | | | | The simplest neck arthritis treatment is to use ice |
| Even if you haven’t been recently diagnosed | | | | on the area for fifteen to twenty minutes if there |
| with arthritis in your neck, you may be silently | | | | is a flare up or inflammation is present, or if that |
| harbouring a painful ticking time bomb. For most | | | | is not tolerated mild heat may help reduce muscle |
| of us, it is simply too many past injuries finally | | | | spasms around the area. Keep the heat moist. |
| catching up to us. Can’t outrun father time. | | | | That means no electric blankets etc. |
| Maybe it was a severe fall, or a nasty car wreck, | | | | Massage therapy is another option. Massage |
| or years of your favourite high impact sporting | | | | therapists can provide deep tissue, myofascial |
| event? Yes, indeed. All of these can take a | | | | release, and help keep supporting muscles limber. |
| great toll on your neck. Arthritis of the neck can | | | | But, unless you have good coverage, or someone |
| even start as early as 30 years of age. Yes, | | | | willing to do massage frequently, and know what |
| three zero! | | | | they are doing, it can start to make a dent in |
| An MRI can help confirm the diagnosis, but what | | | | your bank account. |
| do you do as an effective neck arthritis | | | | Stretching and exercising, but ONLY if you know |
| treatment plan if the diagnosis is neck arthritis? | | | | what to work on and how. A Physical therapist |
| Will it ever heal up and go away? Will you still be | | | | can help with choosing the best neck arthritis |
| able to continue with your favorite hobbies? Will | | | | exercises, but again, coverage and time is often |
| you still be able to continue an active life? | | | | necessary. |
| Besides pain medications and steroid shots (ouch!) | | | | Acupuncture is known to be helpful, but again can |
| possibly suggested by your doctor, which go | | | | get a little expensive. |
| straight into the neck by the way, what else can | | | | Medications (won’t mention specific names for |
| you do to fix it - slow it down - or live with it | | | | obvious reasons) can be expensive, and some |
| comfortably? | | | | have never been shown to do anything other |
| Well, the options really go from simple to the | | | | than mask the symptoms the arthritis is causing, |
| extreme. We’ll take a look at a few | | | | and potentially expose you to a ton of side |
| suggestions in this article. Take all of them with | | | | effects. |
| a grain of salt. What works for one person, | | | | Lastly surgical intervention which is usually fusing |
| may not work for another. Read through the | | | | the areas. Wait for a doctor on this one! |
| suggestions, and use them as starting points for | | | | So there you have it. A few suggestions to |
| finding what works for you! | | | | point you in a direction. A few other therapies |
| Look… neck arthritis is a problem. A big | | | | that are popular today include aromatherapy, |
| problem. In fact, according to the National | | | | chiropractic, tai chi, and yoga. Again like the other |
| Headache Foundation, neck arthritis is a one of | | | | options mentioned these are designed to help |
| the most common health problem in the U.S. | | | | bring the condition under control but often cannot |
| More than 21 million Americans have some | | | | cure it. The main reason many people choose this |
| variation of osteoarthritis! So, don’t be | | | | form of neck arthritis treatment is that there are |
| frustrated if a solution doesn’t come right | | | | very few side effects associated with them as |
| away. You’re not alone. Wear and tear of | | | | they use mainly natural ingredients rather than |
| neck cartilage and joints can press on nerve roots | | | | chemicals. |
| and can cause headaches, especially at the back | | | | |