Neck Pain Research Paper
Neck pain
Neck pain can be caused by many conditions. Here I mainly talk about nonspecific neck pain. Nonspecific neck pain is the most common type of neck pain.
Acute neck pain is a sudden-onset pain in the neck. It is often due to neck muscle strains, muscle spasm or tendon or ligament sprain. This can be caused by poor posture, sleep in an awkward position, carrying heavy loads, stay in one position for a prolonged period of time for example, working on desk, or driving for long period of time. Compare to chronic pain, acute neck pain comes up rapidly, it can be far more intense and it does not last long. The recovery can take a few days or weeks. Acupuncture can help relieve the pain and accelerate recovery.
Chronic neck pain
If neck …show more content…
pain is persisting longer than three months, it becomes chronic. The characteristic of chronic neck pain is constant pain on the neck. It may be constant aching or soreness on the neck or the pain comes and goes and it may be worsen with certain activities. Its source may be hard to determine. The symptoms of neck pain include aching, burning or stabbing or shooting pains with stiffness and tightness. If the neck becomes stiff and the movement is restricted, it makes turning the head difficult. The pain, tingling, numbness or weakness may develop in the shoulders, arms or hands. The exact cause for nonspecific chronic neck pain is not clear. Minor strains and sprains to muscles or ligaments in the neck could result in chronic neck pain. Bad posture may be a contributing factor.
Muscles in the neck
The neck is the centre of muscle network of the upper body. There are many muscles connect the neck to the head, shoulders and the back.
Trapezius muscle
Trapezius is a large triangular muscle superficially located at the neck and upper back. It connects the neck to the head and shoulders and upper back and middle back. Apart from trapezius there are many muscles connecting the neck to the head and shoulders.
Muscles connect the neck to the head. As mentioned above some muscles connect the neck to the head contributing to the head and neck movement. They are
Semispinalis captisis which is deep to the trapezius muscle is originated from the four to seven cervical vertebraes and the upper seven thoracic vertibraes. Beneath this muscle there are five other muscles including rectus capitis posterior minor,rectus capitis posterior major, rectus capitis anterior, rectus capitis lateralis, obliquus capitis superior. Splenius capitis and Longissimus capitis are originated from lower cervical spine and upper thoracic spine and attach to the head.
Muscles connect the neck to the shoulder blades and the back
Levator scapulae muscle
Levator scapulae muscle is the muscle located at the back and side of the neck. It originates at the transverse process of the first to fourth cervical vertebrae and inserts at the superior corner of the scapula. It rotates and flexes the cervical spine laterally, when one shoulder is fixed. It flexes and extends the cervical spine, if both the shoulders are fixed. It lifts up the shoulder when the spine is fixed. This muscle pain presents a stiff and painful neck. The pain is characterised at the one side of the neck and the upper shoulder and it may go down to the shoulder blade and between shoulder blades. The pain limits the movement of the head.
The rhomboid muscles
The rhomboid muscles include the rhomboid muscle major and the rhomboid muscle minor. They connect the shoulder blades to the vertebras (C7-T5) to adduct the arm and pull the shoulder blades towards to the spine. Cooperating with levator scapulae muscle they lift up the medial border and downwards rotate the shoulder blades. The rhomboid muscle major also holds the shoulder blades onto the ribcage.
The serratus posterior superior
Deep to the rhomboid muscles is the serratus posterior superior. This muscle originates at the C7-T3 vertebras and attaches at the second to the fifth ribs under the shoulder blade. It elevates the ribs to aid diaphragm for deep breath. The splenius cervicis are originated from T3-T6 and inserted to the C1-C3 transverse process. The cervical part of the illiocostalis muscle ends at the cervical transverse processes.
The semispinalis cervicis are originated from the transverse processes of C4-T10 and attach to the spinous processes of C2-C4. They extend, rotate the head and spine.
In the neck there are also some intrinsic muscles such as multifidus, minor deep intrinsic muscles, rotators between and process of the vertebras to stabilise the vertebral column.
Fascia and ligaments in the neck Surrounding muscles, blood vessels and nerves, there is a layer of fibrous tissue called fascia.
In the neck, there are a few layers of fascia that support the structure of the neck. Some of the fascia blends in the ligament at the midline of the neck. This ligament is the nuchal ligament in the neck. Nuchal ligament attaches the bottom of the skull and extends all the way along midline of the neck down to the last cervical spinous process. It limits the flexion of the neck and provides sites for attachment of some muscles including trapezius, splenius capitis, rhomboid minor and serratus posterior superior and cervical spinalis. Ossification, fibrosis and inflammation of the ligament result in neck stiffness and …show more content…
pain.
Neck pain and acupuncture treatment
Neck pain is effectively treated with acupuncture including acute, subacute and chronic neck pain.
Acupuncture treatment for neck pain is not only used by acupuncturist in China, but also used by other health professionals all over the world. There is a survey about treatment for neck pain used by physiotherapists and chiropractors from 19 countries mainly in Europe and North America. The results have shown that 46% treatment is used with acupuncture by physiotherapists and chiropractors. Many people who used this treatment have benefit from it. A research paper has analysed data from January 2000 to July 2012 for neck pain treatment and suggested that acupuncture is beneficial for chronic neck pain. There was an immediate effect after acupuncture treatment and long term effect observed from
follow-up.
The mechanism of acupuncture treatment for neck pain from scientific research suggests that acupuncture promotes the release of endorphins from the brain through the stimulation of peripheral nerves. These endorphins then block pain signal pathways in the brain. Acupuncture releases neck muscle spasm and muscle tension by creating minor injury and stimulating nerve endings.
Neck pain can be caused by many conditions. Here I mainly talk about nonspecific neck pain. Nonspecific neck pain is the most common type of neck pain.
Acute neck pain is a sudden-onset pain in the neck. It is often due to neck muscle strains, muscle spasm or tendon or ligament sprain. This can be caused by poor posture, sleep in an awkward position, carrying heavy loads, stay in one position for a prolonged period of time for example, working on desk, or driving for long period of time. Compare to chronic pain, acute neck pain comes up rapidly, it can be far more intense and it does not last long. The recovery can take a few days or weeks. Acupuncture can help relieve the pain and accelerate recovery.
Chronic neck pain
If neck …show more content…
pain is persisting longer than three months, it becomes chronic. The characteristic of chronic neck pain is constant pain on the neck. It may be constant aching or soreness on the neck or the pain comes and goes and it may be worsen with certain activities. Its source may be hard to determine. The symptoms of neck pain include aching, burning or stabbing or shooting pains with stiffness and tightness. If the neck becomes stiff and the movement is restricted, it makes turning the head difficult. The pain, tingling, numbness or weakness may develop in the shoulders, arms or hands. The exact cause for nonspecific chronic neck pain is not clear. Minor strains and sprains to muscles or ligaments in the neck could result in chronic neck pain. Bad posture may be a contributing factor.
Muscles in the neck
The neck is the centre of muscle network of the upper body. There are many muscles connect the neck to the head, shoulders and the back.
Trapezius muscle
Trapezius is a large triangular muscle superficially located at the neck and upper back. It connects the neck to the head and shoulders and upper back and middle back. Apart from trapezius there are many muscles connecting the neck to the head and shoulders.
Muscles connect the neck to the head. As mentioned above some muscles connect the neck to the head contributing to the head and neck movement. They are
Semispinalis captisis which is deep to the trapezius muscle is originated from the four to seven cervical vertebraes and the upper seven thoracic vertibraes. Beneath this muscle there are five other muscles including rectus capitis posterior minor,rectus capitis posterior major, rectus capitis anterior, rectus capitis lateralis, obliquus capitis superior. Splenius capitis and Longissimus capitis are originated from lower cervical spine and upper thoracic spine and attach to the head.
Muscles connect the neck to the shoulder blades and the back
Levator scapulae muscle
Levator scapulae muscle is the muscle located at the back and side of the neck. It originates at the transverse process of the first to fourth cervical vertebrae and inserts at the superior corner of the scapula. It rotates and flexes the cervical spine laterally, when one shoulder is fixed. It flexes and extends the cervical spine, if both the shoulders are fixed. It lifts up the shoulder when the spine is fixed. This muscle pain presents a stiff and painful neck. The pain is characterised at the one side of the neck and the upper shoulder and it may go down to the shoulder blade and between shoulder blades. The pain limits the movement of the head.
The rhomboid muscles
The rhomboid muscles include the rhomboid muscle major and the rhomboid muscle minor. They connect the shoulder blades to the vertebras (C7-T5) to adduct the arm and pull the shoulder blades towards to the spine. Cooperating with levator scapulae muscle they lift up the medial border and downwards rotate the shoulder blades. The rhomboid muscle major also holds the shoulder blades onto the ribcage.
The serratus posterior superior
Deep to the rhomboid muscles is the serratus posterior superior. This muscle originates at the C7-T3 vertebras and attaches at the second to the fifth ribs under the shoulder blade. It elevates the ribs to aid diaphragm for deep breath. The splenius cervicis are originated from T3-T6 and inserted to the C1-C3 transverse process. The cervical part of the illiocostalis muscle ends at the cervical transverse processes.
The semispinalis cervicis are originated from the transverse processes of C4-T10 and attach to the spinous processes of C2-C4. They extend, rotate the head and spine.
In the neck there are also some intrinsic muscles such as multifidus, minor deep intrinsic muscles, rotators between and process of the vertebras to stabilise the vertebral column.
Fascia and ligaments in the neck Surrounding muscles, blood vessels and nerves, there is a layer of fibrous tissue called fascia.
In the neck, there are a few layers of fascia that support the structure of the neck. Some of the fascia blends in the ligament at the midline of the neck. This ligament is the nuchal ligament in the neck. Nuchal ligament attaches the bottom of the skull and extends all the way along midline of the neck down to the last cervical spinous process. It limits the flexion of the neck and provides sites for attachment of some muscles including trapezius, splenius capitis, rhomboid minor and serratus posterior superior and cervical spinalis. Ossification, fibrosis and inflammation of the ligament result in neck stiffness and …show more content…
pain.
Neck pain and acupuncture treatment
Neck pain is effectively treated with acupuncture including acute, subacute and chronic neck pain.
Acupuncture treatment for neck pain is not only used by acupuncturist in China, but also used by other health professionals all over the world. There is a survey about treatment for neck pain used by physiotherapists and chiropractors from 19 countries mainly in Europe and North America. The results have shown that 46% treatment is used with acupuncture by physiotherapists and chiropractors. Many people who used this treatment have benefit from it. A research paper has analysed data from January 2000 to July 2012 for neck pain treatment and suggested that acupuncture is beneficial for chronic neck pain. There was an immediate effect after acupuncture treatment and long term effect observed from
follow-up.
The mechanism of acupuncture treatment for neck pain from scientific research suggests that acupuncture promotes the release of endorphins from the brain through the stimulation of peripheral nerves. These endorphins then block pain signal pathways in the brain. Acupuncture releases neck muscle spasm and muscle tension by creating minor injury and stimulating nerve endings.