For some, chewing gum may be considered rude, impolite or just plain ‘uncool’. However, recent studies point that chewing gum actually helps strengthen facial muscles and also helps relieve stress to a great level. “Often, our facial muscles are ignored when it comes to exercising. The only time they are put to use are when a person smiles and even that doesn’t last for too long. However, with chewing, it helps to target those muscles that have been inactive for quite some time and by chewing gum on a regular basis, it actually helps to tone and structure these muscles. [...]
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Lady’s handbags are a cause of neck and shoulder tension. Every time I see a female patient who complains of shoulder pain, neck tension, neck pain, headaches or pain between their shoulder blades, I always ask about their handbag. The problem with handbags is the weight and in particular how that weight is distributed. The average weight of a ladies handbag is around 3-4 kgs these days. While this doesn’t sound that much, if I asked you to carry a 3-4 kg dumbbell over your shoulder for 2-3 hours a day, imagine how you’d feel? The handbag strap usually sits half way [...]
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When correcting neck problems of a longstanding or chronic nature, it is reasonable to experience some neck pain initially as posture begins to normalize and muscles along with ligaments and nerves change to adapt to new positions. Pain in the neck during the initial stage of performing neck exercises, using a neck pillow or neck traction may be noted and would be considered a normal effect of correction. The initial “pain in the neck” stage, as I sometimes call it, should not be severe, but more like a sore neck. Just as you would expect some muscle soreness from any [...]
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Muscle pain and stiffness is common in the neck and shoulders and/or between the shoulder blades. Poor posture and awkward positions cause the muscles to work harder and lead to muscle strain. When sitting or standing, the shoulders should be kept down, back and relaxed. Holding any muscle in one position too long can cause muscle strain. For example, if a typist’s keyboard is too high, the shoulders must be kept in a raised position. The muscles over the shoulder (that shrug the shoulder) become fatigued and strained. The keyboard should be low enough to allow the shoulders to be [...]
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Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) starts with inflammation of the shoulder joint capsule. The inflammation may be the result of an injury (such as a rotator cuff tear) but may occur for no apparent reason. Not using the shoulder for a prolonged period of time can lead to frozen shoulder. Having diabetes or thyroid problems increases the risk of developing frozen shoulder. It is most common in people between the ages of 40 and 60 and is more common in women. It is interesting to note that, even when there is no known cause, usually only one shoulder is affected. The [...]
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Although only women suffer from “hormone headache,” both men’s and women’s headaches are prompted by hormones. You would not feel pain without them, because it is the hormones that induce the pain response. Actually, the headache may be protecting you or warning you of something more damaging in the same way that touching a hot stove alerts you to the heat and protects you from burning yourself. The word hormone is derived from a Greek word that means to “set in motion.” Hormones initiate and regulate many of your body’s functions. For example, metabolic hormones regulate the way your body [...]
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Childhood and teenage life are periods of life that are associated with one’s rapid growth, mentally and physically. However, sometimes our children have problems with their neck, back, or even shoulder. This clearly impedes our children’s growth and these pains have to be cured as soon as possible so that their growth will not be stunted. There are several major factors that lead to neck pain in children and teenager. Carrying heavy books in their backpacks everyday can be a major problem. Sometimes the weight of the loads in their backpacks exceeds the maximum capacity that these children can support. [...]
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This is a question that is often asked because one might provoke the other – or vice versa. Many people start off with neck pain and find that it spreads to the shoulder – probably the most common circumstance. Others find the opposite. If the pain starts in the shoulder and then goes to the neck it might well indicate that muscle spasm is an issue. The neck and the shoulder regions are very closely related – both in their anatomy and in their function. Neck and shoulder pain can co-exist with each other and it is common to have [...]
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Fibromyalgia is widespread pain in the muscles and soft tissues above and below the waist and on both sides of the body. Fibromyalgia is a syndrome—a set of symptoms that happen together but do not have a known cause. In this syndrome, the nervous system (nerves, spinal cord, and brain) is not able to control what it feels, so ordinary feelings from your muscles, joints, and soft tissues are experienced as pain. People with fibromyalgia feel pain and/or tenderness even when there is no injury or inflammation. Fibromyalgia does not harm your muscles, joints, or organs, and there are many [...]
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Neck and shoulder pain is a huge problem for office workers. Angela, a publishing assistant who mostly works at a computer screen, suffered ‘massive’ pain for two years on and off: ‘My neck was very tight, I had knots like tennis balls over my shoulders and crippling headaches. My whole upper body felt tense. It was a huge effort to hold my head up. I often found it hard to work.’ Angela tried everything from physiotherapy, sports massages and acupressure to supplements and saunas. ‘They all helped temporarily but the pain always came back,’ she says. Then a colleague suggested [...]
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