Neck Structures

Human neck consists of 7 cervical vertebrae, muscles, ligaments, intervertebral discs, nerves and blood vessels. The nerves supplying upper limbs originate from the cervical spine. Apart from neck pain, lesions in the neck structures can also lead to weakness and numbness of the upper limbs.

Symptoms

• Pain
• Headache
• Tenderness
• Stiffness
• Upper limb numbness or tingling
• Weakness of upper limbs

Causes

Most of the neck problems occur in patients of 40-45 years old. Some of the common causes include:

• Trauma – External impact to the neck (such as sports or traffic accidents) can damage the neck bones, muscles and joints.
• Degeneration - Due to aging, wear of the cervical vertebrae or formation of bone spurs resulting in the narrowing of the intervertebral foramen.
• Poor posture – Sustaining forward head posture can strain the neck structures; improper pillow heights during sleeping continue to stress the neck muscles.
• Nervous - Neck muscles tighten for prolonged time, creating neck spasm

Posture

Burden to the cervical vertebrae and intervertebral discs can be reduced by maintaining good postures, thus preventing degeneration of neck structures.

• Standing: Look forward, chin in, shoulders relax, back straight
  
• Sitting: Sit upright and keep the neck straight
  
• Sleeping: The height of the pillow should keep the head, neck and body in horizontal alignment during supine and side-lying upon sleeping.

Prevention

• Avoid long hours of work
• Avoid bending your neck up or down for a long time, such as reading
• Avoid sudden twisting of the neck
• Conduct regular stretching exercises
• Avoid bad posture, such as reading on bed

Neck Exercises

Conduct neck exercises 3 times or more per day can effectively prevent cervical degeneration. Two of which could be done after wake up and before sleeping.

• Relaxation Exercise

Lie on the back, pillow under the head and knees, take a deep breath 3 times and try to relax the body.

• Stretching exercises (repeat 10 times)

1. Pull the chin backwards
2. Bend the head forward and then return
3. Turn the head to the end of left and then right
4. Tilt the head to the left shoulder and then right

• Strengthening exercises (hold for 5 sec, repeat 10 times)

5. Push the forehead and resist the forward movement of the head.
6. Push the back of the head and resist the backward movement of the head. Hold for 5 s
7. Push the side of the hand and resist the side-bending movement of the head. Hold for 5 s

• Shoulder Exercises (repeat 10 times)

8. Shrug up the shoulders
9. Pull back the shoulders
10. Circling of shoulders

(If you have any discomfort during the exercises, please stop the exercises and consult your physiotherapist or doctor for advice.)

References

1. Common posture mistakes and fixes (2022, July). NHS. Retrieved from https://www.nicswell.co.uk/live-well/common-posture-mistakes-and-fixes
2. Evidence Based Interventions for Neck Pain. (2017, September 25). Physiopedia, . Retrieved 08:36, May 25, 2019 from https://www.physio-pedia.com/index.php?title=Evidence_Based_Interventions_for_Neck_Pain&oldid=179214.