ANNA LEE’S CHIROPRACTIC CARE

Suffering from 

Chronic Neck Pain 

만성 목 통증으로 

고통받고 계시나요? 

지속적인 목 통증을 경험 한 적이 있으세요? 아침에 일어날 때 목이 뻣뻣하고 통증이 있나요? 하루가 끝날 때쯤, 특히 긴 하루를 보내고 난 후 목의 통증이 더 심해지지 않나요? 만성적으로 목에 나타나는 증상은 통증, 뻣뻣함, 그리고 제한적인 움직임입니다. 이런 것들이 사람들이 일반적으로 경험하는 목과 관련된 증상들입니다. 

많은 사람들이 살다 보면 한번쯤은 목 통증을 경험합니다. 여성은 남성보다 만성적인 목 통증을 경험할 가능성이 더 큽니다. 목 통증은 기술의 고도화와 기술 의존적인 사회 덕분에 모든 연령대에서 널리 퍼져 있습니다. 이제 성인만이 아니라 청소년도 스마트 폰, 태블릿 및 노트북을 일찍 사용합니다. 이런 휴대용 기기를 사용할 때 자세를 잘 살펴보십시오. 앉아 있든 서 있든 간에, 머리는 거의 대부분 한 쪽으로 기울이게 되고, 반대쪽 어깨는 귀까지 올리고 있습니다. 하이테크 세상은 우리를 하루 종일 앉아있게 만듭니다. 이러한 현상은 우리를 근력 약화로 인한 부상에 더 취약하게 만듭니다.  

목에 있는 뼈를 목뼈 혹은 경추 라고 합니다. 그것은 두개골 기저부에서 시작하여 7 개의 작은 척추를 포함합니다. 각 척추 사이에는 인대, 연골 및 디스크가 있습니다. 디스크는 샌드위치처럼 각 척추 안에 있으며, 우리가 머리를 움직일 때 쿠션을 주어 충격 흡수재 역할을 하고, 유연성과 안정성을 제공합니다. 디스크가 없으면 목을 구부리거나 머리를 돌릴 수 없습니다. 근육이 수축과 팽창함으로 목을 움직이며, 인대는 관절을 고정시켜 특정 관절 운동에 대한 시작점을 제공합니다. 목 움직임이 불편해지면 목을 감싸는 근육의 긴장감을 증가시키고, 목의 기능을 제한시키는 관절 고정을 촉진하며, 궁극적으로 만성 목 통증을 유발합니다. 

사람의 목은 평균 10-12 파운드 정도되는 머리 전체를 지지합니다. 경추는 거의 모든 방향으로 머리를 움직일 수 있게 하지만, 이런 유연성으로 인해 목에 통증과 부상을 입힐 수 있습니다. 목이 부상에 취약한 것은 생체 역학적 이유 때문입니다. 경추 생체 역학에 영향을 미치는 활동에는 오래 앉아 있거나, 반복적인 운동, 사고, 넘어지거나 몸이나 머리에 충격이 가는 추락, 정상적인 노화, 마모 등이 있습니다. 목 통증은 매우 불편하며, 다양한 원인이 있을 수 있습니다.   

Do you ever experience persistent neck pain? Do you wake-up in the morning with neck pain and stiffness? Does the neck pain feel worse at the end of day, especially after a long day? The symptoms of chronic neck problems are pain, stiffness, and limited movement. These are some common symptoms that people would complain about their neck.   

Neck pain is experienced by vast majority of the population at some point in life. Women are more likely to experience chronic neck pain than men. It is prevalent in all ages now due to higher advancement in technology and the technology thirsty society that we live in. It’s not just adults anymore, adolescents are exposed to smart phones, tablets and laptops early on. Take a look at your posture when you are using these portable devices. Whether sitting or standing, your head leans to one side inevitably and the opposite shoulder raised up to the ear. High-tech world is making us more sedentary throughout the day. This makes us more vulnerable to injuries due to muscle weakness. 

Bones in the neck are called the cervical spine. It begins at the base of the skull and contains seven small vertebrae. In between each vertebrae, there lies ligaments, cartilage, and discs. The disc lies within each vertebra like a sandwich and cushions the spine to act as a shock absorber and gives flexibility and stability as we move our head. Without the discs we would not be able to bend our neck or turn our head. The muscles contract and stretch to cause movement; and ligaments anchors the joints to provide a threshold for specific joint motion. Limitations in neck motion increases tightness of the muscles surrounding the neck, and promotes joint fixations resulting in limited function of the neck and ultimately leads to chronic neck pain.  

Our neck supports the full weight of our head, which is on average about 10 to 12 pounds. While the cervical spine can move our head in nearly every direction, this flexibility makes the neck very vulnerable to pain and injury. The neck’s vulnerability to injury is due in part to the biomechanics. Activities that affect cervical biomechanics include prolong sitting, repetitive movement, accidents, falls and blows to the body or head, normal aging, and every day wear-and-tear. Neck pain can be very inconvenient, and it can have a variety of causes. 

목 통증의 일반적인 원인은 다음과 같습니다. 

  • 부상 (Injury): 목뼈 부상(Whiplash)은 머리나 목을 갑자기 강제로 움직였을 때, 그 반대 방향으로 되돌아 오는 “반동 (rebound)” 으로 인해 생깁니다. 이러한 갑작스러운 “휘핑” 동작은 목과 머리의 주변 조직과 지지 조직을 손상시킵니다. 근육이나 인대에 부상을 입으면 큰 통증을 유발할 수 있습니다. 심한 목뼈 부상은 추간 관절, 디스크, 인대, 근육 및 신경 뿌리 부상으로 이어질 수 있습니다. 종종 개별 근육이나 인대 섬유가 찢어지고 충격을 받게 됩니다. 목뼈 통증은 움직일 때 더욱 심해질 수 있습니다. 자동차 사고는 가장 흔한 목뼈 부상 원인입니다.   
  • 마모: 마모로 인한 골 관절염, 퇴행성 디스크 질환, 척추관 협착과 같은 퇴행성 질환은 척추에 직접적인 영향을 줍니다. 
  1. 골 관절염은 흔한 관절 질환으로 연골을 점진적으로 퇴화 시킵니다. 골극(뼈가 자라나는 현상)을 형성하여 관절 운동에 영향을 미치기도 합니다.  
  2. 퇴행성 디스크 질환은 추간판의 신축성과 크기를 감소시킬 수 있습니다. 시간이 지남에 따라 디스크가 찢어지고 탈장 되어 팔뚝에 쑤시거나 마비 또는 통증이 생길 수 있습니다. 이러한 유형의 증상을 근 신경병증 이라고 합니다. 
  3. 척추관 협착증은 척추의 작은 신경 경로가 좁아지고, 압축되고, 신경 뿌리가 빠져나가는 증상입니다. 협착증은 목, 어깨, 팔에 통증을 일으킬 뿐만 아니라 감각을 저하시킬 수 있습니다.  
  • 일상 생활의 반복적인 스트레스: 나쁜 자세, 비만, 약한 복부 근육 등의 이유로 인해 척추의 균형이 깨져 목이 앞으로 구부러진 자세를 취하게 됩니다. 스트레스와 정서적 긴장은 근육을 긴장시키고 수축시켜 근육의 피로를 일으켜 통증과 뻣뻣함을 유발할 수 있습니다. 자세의 스트레스는 만성적인 목 통증을 유발시킬 수 있으며 증상은 상체와 팔 쪽으로 확장됩니다. 
  • 근막 자극 트리거 포인트 (Myofascial trigger points): 컴퓨터 앞에 앉아서 일을 하는 직업이나 나쁜 자세를 가진 사람들에게 나타나는 지속적인 근육통을 말합니다. 목, 어깨, 팔과 같은 신체 부위에 통증이 있으며, 불면증을 동반하기도 하며, 휴식을 취한 후에도 기분이 상쾌하지 않은 경우가 종종 있습니다. 

Common causes of neck pain are: 

  • Injury: A sudden forced movement of the head or neck in any direction and the resulting “rebound” in the opposite direction is known as whiplash.  The sudden “whipping” motion injures the surrounding and supporting tissues of the neck and head.  Injuries to muscles (strain) or ligaments (sprain) can cause sharp pain.  Severe whiplash can also be associated with injury to the intervertebral joints, discs, ligaments, muscles, and nerve roots.  There is often tearing and irritation of the individual muscle or ligament fibers.  The pain might feel more intense with activity.  Car accidents are the most common cause of whiplash.   
  • Wear-and-Tear: Degenerative disorders such as osteoarthritis, degenerative disc disease, and spinal stenosis directly affect the spine.  
  1. Osteoarthritis, a common joint disorder, causes progressive deterioration of cartilage. The body reacts by forming bone spurs that affect joint motion.
  2. Degenerative disc disease can cause reduction in the elasticity and height of intervertebral discs. Over time, a disc may tear and herniate, causing tingling, numbness, and pain that runs into the arm. This type of symptom is referred as radiculopathy. 
  3. Spinal stenosis causes the small nerve pathways in the vertebrae to narrow, compressing and irritating the nerve roots that exit. Stenosis may cause neck, shoulder, and arm pain, as well as numbness, with further deterioration. 
  • Repetitive stress of daily living: Poor posture, obesity, and weak abdominal muscles often disrupt spinal balance, causing the neck to bend forward to compensate. Stress and emotional tension can cause muscles to react by tightening and contracting, creating muscle fatigue, which can result in pain and stiffness. Postural stress can contribute to chronic neck pain with symptoms extending into the upper back and the arms. 
  • Myofascial trigger points: A persistent aching pain in muscles that tends to be associated with poor posture, sitting in front of a computer or other job-related tasks. There is soreness in different parts of the body like the neck, shoulders and arms, and often reports having difficulty in sleeping or feeling not so refreshed after a night of rest. 

치료 옵션: 증상 악화의 위험을 최소화하기 위해 가능한 한 빨리 목 상태를 치료하는 것이 좋습니다. 

  • Cryotherapy – 증상 초기의 첫 2-3 일 동안 2-3 시간마다 15 분 동안 통증이 가장 강한 곳에 얼음 팩을 사용하세요. 
  • 이부프로펜(Advil) 또는 아세트 아미노펜(Tylenol)과 같은 처방전없이 구입 가능한(OTC) 진통제를 사용하세요. 모든 OTC는 모든 환자에게 권장되는 것은 아니므로 먼저 의사와 상의하여 기존의 건강 문제는 없는 지 확인하십시오. 
  • 카이로프랙틱 치료 – 통증을 완화하고 운동 범위를 넓히기 위해 목과 등의 척추를 조절합니다. 
  • 물리 치료 – 목 근육을 강화하고 전반적인 유연성을 향상시키고 목의 긴장을 예방하는 운동을 합니다. 

예방: 몇가지 라이프 스타일 변화를 통하여 목에 통증이 발생할 확률을 줄일 수 있습니다. 

  • 운동 – 목과 어깨에 규칙적인 스트레칭은 전체적인 긴장과 피로를 감소시킵니다. 운동은 규칙적으로 수행되어야 하며 항상 약하게 시작하여 강도를 높여야 합니다. 운동으로 인한 통증은 정상이지만 너무 오래 통증이 지속되면 안됩니다.  
  • 올바른 자세 – 똑바로 서고 앉아야 합니다. 서 있을 때 올바른 자세를 유지해야합니다. 배를 집어넣고 머리와 목을 중립 위치에 놓아야 합니다. 앉을 때 편안하고 높이가 적절한 의자를 사용해야 합니다. 장시간 앉아 있으면 쿠션이나 롤을 사용하여 등을 자연스럽게 지지하세요. 
  • 잦은 휴식 – 집이나 사무실에서 일하는 동안, 30 분마다 휴식을 취하고 스트레칭을 하십시오. 
  • 베개 – 밤에 수면을 취할 때 목을 지지 할 수 있는 단단한 베개를 선택하십시오. 엎드려서 자지 마세요. 옆으로 누워서 잘 때는 베개가 목을 제대로 지지하도록 훨씬 높아야 합니다. 가장 좋은 방법은 당신의 수면 자세에 따라 베개의 정확한 높이를 선택하는 것입니다. 질 좋은 수면을 취하는 것이 건강한 삶의 기본입니다. 

Treatment Options: Treatment for any neck condition is recommended as soon as possible to minimize the danger of further aggravation. 

  • Cryotherapy – apply an ice pack where the pain is the strongest for 15 minutes for every 2-3 hours for the first 2-3 days of an acute condition.   
  • Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers – such as ibuprofen (Advil), or acetaminophen (Tylenol) is recommended for pain. Not all OTC’s are recommended for every patient so be sure to consult with your physician first you have any pre-existing health condition. 
  • Chiropractic treatment – neck and upper back spinal adjustment to relieve pain and increase range of motion. 
  • Physical therapy – exercises to strengthen neck muscles and improve overall flexibility, and preventing future neck strain. 

 

Prevention: There are several lifestyle changes that can reduce the chances of developing neck pain.   

  • Exercise – regular stretching of the neck and shoulders will reduce the overall tightening and fatigue. Exercises should be done regularly and always start out mildly and increase in intensity.  Remember that little pain with exercise is usually normal but should not linger for too long.  
  • Proper posture – standing and sitting upright. When standing make sure that you have a correct posture; abdomen should be pulled in and head and neck in a neutral position. When sitting make sure to use an appropriate chair that is right in height and comfort. If sitting for long periods of time then use a back cushion or a roll to support the natural curve of the back. 
  • Frequent breaks – while working at home or in the office, remember to break every 30 minutes to do some stretching. 
  • Pillow – pick a firm pillow that will support the neck throughout the night. Do not sleep on your stomach. If you sleep on your side then the pillow should be much higher so as to properly support the neck. The rule of thumb is to choose the correct height for the pillow depending on your sleeping posture.  Getting a good night’s sleep is fundamental for well-being.