Page 19 - Florida Sentinel 10-18-19

Health
NECK STRAIN
Your neck has a 24/7 job, and that takes a toll over the course of your life. Sometimes it hurts, and many things can bring that on. But you can do some things to help it feel better.
HERNIATED DISK
‘STINGER’
UNUSUAL SLEEP POSITION
The soft “disks” between the small bones of your spine can crack and ooze a jelly-like substance that pushes on nerves in your neck. It causes pain that can travel to your arms or down your back.
Treatment For Herniated Disk
Hot and cold compresses may help bring swelling down and make you feel better. Pain medications and exercises that strengthen and stretch your muscles can help, too. If it still hurts after a couple of months, your doctor may recom- mend surgery.
If you do something with your neck you don't usually do, like look up at the sky for an air show or bal- ance something heavy across your shoulders, it may start to hurt after a while. Those muscles aren’t used to working that way.
Treatment For Neck Strain
Don’t hold your head in unusual positions if you don’t have to. If you do, try to take breaks often and move your neck in other directions to keep your muscles loose. If you're in pain, rest and over-the-counter medica- tions can help. See your doctor if it still hurts after a few days.
This happens when you hit the nerves in your neck or shoulder, like when you play a contact sport. Something that feels like an electric shock shoots down your shoulder, arm, and hand. It usually lasts just a few seconds, but it may linger for days.
Treatment For Stinger
You'll probably recover without treatment, but if you have stingers often or they linger, see your doctor. This is especially true if you have numbness or tingling. Exercises for your joints and muscles or surgery to get rid of scar tissue that can dam- age your nerves may be recom- mended.
If you have a “crick” in your neck, you know it right when you wake up. Maybe you fell asleep in a
chair or used a different pillow. It comes from sleeping in a weird po- sition that put a strain on your neck. It’s pretty common, and it’s
usually not serious.
Treatment For Unusual Sleep Position
If you wake up with a crick, a little rest and an over-the-counter pain reliever should have you feel- ing better.
To keep from getting another one, it helps to sleep on your back and make sure your pillow is in the right spot.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2019 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 7-B