Category Archives: Neck

Emotional and Physical Pain Might Be a Memory Engram and How to Prevent It

Dr. AV Apkarian has pioneered the idea that brain changes occur following pain injury that leaves a pain memory. Mansour, A. R., M. A. Farmer, M. N. Baliki, and A. Vania Apkarian. “Chronic pain: the role of learning and brain … Continue reading

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Failed Post-Cervical Laminectomy Fusion Pains -What can you do?

Failed cervical laminectomy/fusions are considered a difficult situation. Epidurals are difficult. and rhizotomies might fail. Usually a cervical spinal cord stimulator is considered impossible due to scarring. However, in this case. a cervical spinal cord stimulator was much easier placed … Continue reading

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Refractory Migraine Eliminated by Pulse Radiofrequency to Superior Cervical Ganglion -Good for Chronic Neck Pain as well

Awe inspiring case of chronic migraine headaches eliminated by pulsed radiofrequency (low burn) to a neck sympathetic ganglion.

Posted in Headaches, Neck | Leave a comment

New Test for Neck Radiculitis

I have now seen 2 cases of idiopathic cervical “sciatica”/radiculitis with stickingly bad pains in triceps. This arm muscle pains can help distinguish this from intrinsic shoulder pains and one author some years ago came up with the arm “squeeze” … Continue reading

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Does Cervical Traction Help Radiculitis of Neck? – Yes

metanalysis of studies shows positive effects of cervical traction.

Posted in Manual Med, Neck, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Median Nerve Flossing for Neck- Arm Pains

Several years ago I listened to a talk on using nerve “flossing” mobilizations to help victim with hypermobility issues. This would stretch the nerve in their “tracts” and help reduce pain. They were taught to do a routine -repeated like … Continue reading

Posted in arm, Neck, neuropathic, radiculitis | Leave a comment

Cervical Radiculitis Without a Cause ? Chickenpox Zoster Virus History High

If you take cases of cervical radiculitis – if imaging shows possible reason for it, they give a history of having had shingles at about 18.4%. In cases with normal imaging, the prior incidence jumps to 81.6%  (p<0.01) – most of … Continue reading

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Acute Neck Pain and Pain on Swallowing – Longus Colli Tendonitis

Though often confused with an abscess, acute  anterior neck pain and stiffness associated with swallowing pain or globus, can be longus colli tendonitis. Calcificatrions might be seen on xray. Fortunately it last only a couple weeks on average

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Office Factors Related to Chronic Neck Pain

Keyboard too close, too long in one job position, and muscle tension are 3 factors found in one study

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Subtle Cervical Dystonia

Diagnosing early cervical dystonia and using botulinum toxin has been one of the major advances I have seen in my treatment. Sidebend or Rotation to one side can be subtle but very important as one can now get drug coverage … Continue reading

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Neck Pains From Atlanto-Occipital Joints

Top joint C0-1 refers to upper neck, face and upper shoulder tips. Exam requires you to grip c1 transverse processes and nod neck sideways. Certain manual techniques might help.

Posted in Headaches, Injection, Manual Med, Neck | Leave a comment

Widespread Pain and Dizzy – Ear Canalithiasis? (rocks) and Repositioning Them Helps Whiplash, TMJ, and Fibromylagia

Study suggests dizzy whiplash and widespread pain cases could respond well to middle ear grit repositioning measure.  This is being able to see way outside the box…

Posted in Fibromyalgia, Manual Med, Neck, TMJ | Leave a comment

Needling Lower Trapezius Helps Unilateral Neck Pains

Needling the lower trapezius muscle was found beneficial in chronic neck pain. I was so taken with the approach then had to injecting lower trap(with muscle relaxed rather than stretched) that I had to include a pic of actual treatment … Continue reading

Posted in Manual Med, Mechanical aids, myofascial pain, Neck, Thoracic | Leave a comment

Simple Neck Treatment For Headaches

The neck gets involved in headaches and can make them worse. You can tell neck may be involved because end rotation is restricted. A simple technique to encourage rotation has benefits.

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Smart Phones Not So Smart

Leaning over reading smart phones linked to neck problems.

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Remarkable New Treatment – Injecting Over Tenderized Skin Nerves With Plain 5% Dextrose

For year I felt the main expression of chronic pain was through activation of myofascial knots – now it looks like tenderized skin nerves is a front runner. Merely injecting D5W overtop tenderized nerve tracts an average of 6 weekly … Continue reading

Posted in Back Pain, Injection, Leg Pains, Neck | 4 Comments

Reaching “Critical Mass” to Achieving Pain Control – Procedure Pearls

I have recently achieved (previously unattainable) control in some of my chronic pain subjects using recent innovations – but to acheive this required use of multiple modalities at once.

Posted in arm, Back Pain, Botox, complex regional pain, Drugs, Fibromyalgia, Headaches, Injection, IV therapy, Leg Pains, Manual Med, myofascial pain, Neck, neuropathic, Pain Dystrophy, piriformis, post herpetic neuralgia, radiculitis, shoulder, Uncategorized | 9 Comments

Unilateral Interscapular Pains – Dorsal Scapular Nerve Entrapment – Forgotten and Now Rediscovered

    About 30 years ago, I attended a course given by Drs. Travell and Simon.  Dr. Simon was discussing interscapular pains and Dr. Travell mentioned – don’t forget the scalenes – something that Dr. Simon replied he was getting … Continue reading

Posted in Back Pain, myofascial pain, Neck, Thoracic, thoracic outlet syn | 7 Comments

Chronic Neck and Back Pain Might Be a Treatable Infection

Since 2001, there have been case studies showing you can grow low grade anaerobes out of damaged discs; these ignored as contamination or incidental because some studies did not find any infection. Now it appears that those with positive cultures are 5.6 times … Continue reading

Posted in Back Pain, Neck | 2 Comments

Neck Pains and Widespread Problems like Fibromyalgia(FM) – When and Where To get an Upright Flexion/Extension MRI..

The only traumatic cause of Fibromylagia is Motor Vehicle Accidents .  see Fibromyalgia Is Only Induced by Motor Vehicle Trauma ?Whiplash Disease Makes one think whiplash and neck damage are involved in FM. Neurolgical findings of neck spine damage (cervical … Continue reading

Posted in chiari syringomyelia, Fibromyalgia, Neck | 1 Comment

Will MRI Localize the Site of Back Pain? – Epiduroscopic Study Suggests No – What this means for Insurers

Cases of chronic back pain with or without non-radicular leg referrals (in leg but not classic sciatica) were examine clinically, with MRI and by using a “keyhole” scope instrument in the spine called an Epiduroscope.  Scoping and probing area during … Continue reading

Posted in Back Pain, Insurer issues, Neck | 2 Comments

Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia (GN) Relief Manouver

GN causes sharp sudden pain in one side of pharynx (anterior neck) and lower jaw. It can be initiated by drinking cold drinks and food and by yawning. Enclosed is a case who found relief by “earlobe hyperextension and ear … Continue reading

Posted in ENT, Neck, neuropathic, Trigeminal Neuralgia | 2 Comments

Fibromyalgia Is Only Induced by Motor Vehicle Trauma ?Whiplash Disease

A prospective trial (follow people before injury to after injury – a very good trial approach) found Widespread Pains developed only after Road traffic accidents – not after any other injury. This highlights howPost Traumatic Fibromyalgia coould be a neck disease … Continue reading

Posted in Fibromyalgia, Neck | 4 Comments

Can’t Get Rid of Shoulder Tip Pain? – Think C4/5 Neck Facet

Various measures have been used for trapezius tip pains but they keep coming back. Now it’s confirmed the neck is a player.

Posted in myofascial pain, Neck, shoulder | 2 Comments

Neck / Shoulder Tip Pains, Tired and Dizzy When Upright – Maybe Coat-hanger Hypotensive Events

Postural Hypotension (Low Blood Pressure on standing) is associated with neck and shoulder tip pains in what is thought a hypo-perfusion issue.  One should notice being dizzy standing up – something that can happen after head injury and also spinal … Continue reading

Posted in chronic fatigue, myofascial pain, Neck | 2 Comments