Degeneration of the spine and joints can be an overwhelming diagnosis when you hear it for the first time. You may wonder what it means in terms of your long hours at work, family commitments and busy lifestyle as a mum of younger kids who works in a high stress executive job. In this blog, lets discuss what is degeneration of the spine and joints and how is it applicable to your lifestyle ...
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If you are a mum who is experiencing neck discomfort while working from home? It is important to prioritize your well-being with the increasing trend of remote work, especially when it comes to your back. In this blog, lets discuss some tips to help you care for your back while working from home ....
Are you a working mum who is tired of experiencing neck and back pain while working at your desk? There could be many reason for this but the commonest one is your slouched posture. In this blog, lets discuss how a poor posture can lead to slouching and five simple yet practical tips to stop slouching at your desk, that you can implement starting today ....
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Are you experiencing recurring headaches that seem to originate from the neck area? If so, you might be dealing with a cervicogenic headache. Although it can be quite bothersome, understanding its symptoms can help you identify and address the issue effectively. In this blog, lets discuss how can you know if you are suffering from a Cervicogenic or Cervical Headache.
Our cervical spine is made up of seven vertebra that can be roughly divided into an upper and lower portion. Between every two vertebra there are nerves exiting the spine on the right and left. These nerves supply different parts of the body. When the upper to mid cervical spine is affected and this irritates the nerves in the area it can manifest as a cervicogenic headache.
Cervicogenic headaches have some typical characteristics that can help you to determine if your headache is originating in the neck or the Cervical spine. Here are some common signs to look out for:
1. Pain can be dull, achy or sharp, depending on the fibres of the nerves that are being compressed. The symptoms of Cervicogenic headache; ie, nerve pain can vary from person to person or even from one episode of pain to the other.
2. The headache usually starts as a stiffness or pain in the upper part of the neck and goes up from the back to the top of the head. It can also spread to the side of the head, temple and behind the eye. Sometimes it can also be felt as pain or pulling sensation at the back of the eyes and the TMJ or jaw joint due to the tightness or spasm in the muscles around the cheek and the TMJ.
3. Cervicogenic headaches manifests as pain on one side of the head as it is dependent on the nerve that is being compressed on that side of the neck. It does not move from one side of the head to the other, unlike a tension headache that is usually felt on the full forehead or a migraine headache which is more diffuse and is felt like a pounding pain over the whole head. Cervicogenic headaches can be double sided if nerves on both sides of the neck are involved but the two sides are usually independent of each other and symptoms and severity on both sides can differ.
4.Neck pain and stiffness maybe associated with cervicogenic headaches. You might experience discomfort, tightness, or reduced range of motion in your neck. This is especially evident as you look over your shoulder when driving or turning your head to look behind you or when you tilt your head to your shoulder.
5. Cervicogenic headaches can be triggered by specific movements or positions, such as rotating or sudden jerking motions, as well as maintaining a static position for an extended time.
6. Factors that aggravate or increase the neck pain such as poor posture, prolonged sitting at desks or repetitive movements of the neck, physical stress that leads to shoulder stiffness will tend to increase the headache and those that relieve the neck pain such as hot or cold packs, exercise, TENS machine will reduce the headache too.
Poor postures are a very common cause of Cervicogenic Headaches and Neck Pain, specially for those who spend long time sitting at their desk or work with computers. HERE is a free guide on "How to maintain a good posture while working from home"
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As a working mum I spend a considerable amount of time in the drivers seat of my car, whether it is to pick and drop my kids to school and classes or to drive to work. If you have work travel or long meetings as a part of your job this could add up to sitting for long hours. It is not uncommon for working mums to get neck and shoulder pain from all these hours of sitting. In this blog, lets discuss four simple tips that you can implement today to prevent neck and shoulder pain when driving ....
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