Licensed Acupuncturist, MD in China
Phone: (804) 301-1784
Email: xy9803@yahoo.com
http://www.acupuncturistwang.com/
As we age, neck pain is inevitable and a natural phenomenon. Neck pain is generally diagnosed as acute or chronic. Acute neck pain is temporary and strikes immediately, usually because of a sudden muscle strain. Chronic neck pain is persistent and can linger indefinitely.
Neck Pain Treatments
With an early diagnosis, treatments can be started that not only provide pain relief and management, but help slow the progression of neck problems. The most frequently used neck treatments are surgery, medicine and alternative therapies.
Neck Pain Surgery
If medicine and physical therapy fail to bring relief, surgery is often thought as a last resort for neck pain management. However, there are limits to what surgery can accomplish. It can't undo damage from wear and aging. And it also carries risks.
One of the most common types of neck pain surgeries is an anterior cervical discectomy. This operation carries with it the risk
A much less invasive type of neck pain operation is an epidural, which is a specific type of nerve block. This is performed by injecting medication into and around the epidural space on the spinal canal where nerves are located. While this procedure provides relief from small disc herniations and mild spinal stenosis, it's only temporary.
When this procedure involves corticosteroids, there's the danger of serious health risks and potentially life threatening side effects. This neck pain therapy should only be administered once or twice a year due to the risk of permanent cartilage damage.
Neck Pain Management and Relief Medications
Pharmaceutical treatments for neck pain range from over-the-counter medicines like aspirin to prescription drugs. Pain relievers like acetaminophen may be helpful to osteo neck pain sufferers since their condition involves little inflammation.
For people with rheumatoid neck pain, NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), which include ibuprofen, aspirin and newer drugs like are helpful. NSAIDs with COX-2 specific inhibitors that block an enzyme known to cause an inflammatory response are often prescribed by medical doctors for neck pain management and relief. However these drugs carry with them the risk of side effects like heart disease, digestive disorders, ulcers and liver damage.
Alternative Neck Pain Management
Fortunately, Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine offer arthritis pain sufferers the option of natural pain management and relief therapies without the risks of surgical and pharmaceutical approaches. The sooner the treatment begins, the quicker the pain relieves. If you would like to pursue this form of treatment or information, please contact Xiaoyan.
