Tag Archives: Dr. Arunkumar

Cervicalgia

Author
Dr. Arunkumar, Principal

Saveetha institute of medical and technical sciences,
Saveetha college of occupational therapy

The term “cervicalgia” refers to pain or severe discomfort in the neck, particularly in the back and/or sides. Cervicalgia is essentially neck pain. The cervical spine, which spans from the first to the seventh spinal vertebra, is made up of the bones of the neck. Spine’s first bone is roughly where your ears are, and its seventh bone is at the base of your neck. Since sensory organs and nerves are located in the cervical spine, cervicalgia may also be accompanied by other symptoms. Dizziness and tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, were found to be extremely common in a 2016 International Archives of Otorhinolaryngology study. Other symptoms included neck cracks and pops, hearing problems, and symptoms related to your cardiovascular system.

 CAUSES

 Muscle Strain
 Injury: Trauma from accidents or fall.
 Degenerative conditions: osteoarthritis
 Herniated Disc
 Pinched Nerve
 Cervical Stenosis
 Postural Issues
 Stress
 Rapid forward-backward movement of the neck

 Medical Conditions: Fibromyalgia, Rheumatoid arthritis.

SYMPTOMS

 Radiating Pain: Pain that travels down the arm fingers and possibly into the
 Stiffness
 Muscle Tension: Tightness in neck muscles.
 Headaches
 Sensations of numbness, tingling, or weakness in the arms or hands.
 Pain when turning the head, tilting, or bending the neck.
 Difficulty in sleeping due to pain and discomfort
 Weakness: Reduced strength in the arms or hands in more severe cases.

DIAGNOSIS

 Electromyography (EMG)
 Blood Tests
 Nerve conduction studies
 Medical management

 Pain medication-
 NSAIDS
 Muscle relaxants corticosteroid injection

OT MANAGEMENT

Occupational therapists (OTs) use everyday activities, or “occupations,” as a therapeutic tool to help people of all ages and abilities participate in the activities they choose. Their success stems from matching each client’s unique set of meaningful activities with goals to be achieved during therapy.

 Pain Management: Occupational therapists can teach relaxation techniques, gentle exercises, and ergonomic strategies to manage pain and reduce muscle tension.

 Posture Correction: They can assess your posture and provide guidance on proper body mechanics to prevent strain on the neck during daily activities.

 Ergonomics: Occupational therapists can evaluate your workspace, whether at home or work, and recommend adjustments to your desk, chair, computer setup, and other equipment to reduce strain on the neck.

 Manual Therapy: Hands-on techniques like gentle massage, mobilizations, and stretching may be used to alleviate muscle tension and improve range of motion.

 Activity Modification: Occupational therapists can guide you in modifying daily tasks to minimize neck strain and pain while still
accomplishing your goals.

 Education: They provide education on body mechanics, proper lifting techniques, and way to avoid repetitive strain injuries.

 Stress Management: Occupational therapist can teach stress reduction techniques, as stress can exacerbate neck pain.
 Splint: Cervical neck brace.
 Adaptive device: shoulder relaxer, cervical traction holder belt