Neck and Shoulders
"For two years I had this pain on and off on the left side
of my neck and shoulder which was annoying, but you could
live with it. Although I worked for Dr. Medwed, I never
thought to mention it to him. While he was abroad on a trip,
I woke up one morning with an intensely painful stiff neck.
I really needed a chiropractor now and my boss was away!
Another chiropractor, Dr. Till, was taking care of his
patients so I decided to ask him for an adjustment. He asked
me what caused it and I had no idea. After a series of
questions, he asked me if I help my phone between my neck
and shoulders. It dawned on me that I had been doing this
for years. I subsequently bought a special headpiece for my
phone and thank G-d, I do not suffer from this problem
anymore."
*
Of the many thoughts people have, how many think about how
much their head weighs? Whether we think about it or not,
our neck and shoulders support approximately two kilos
effortlessly and all the time. Imagine a ball held on top of
a stick and every time you moved the stick, the ball would
fall.
The neck is the bridge between the head and the rest of the
body. From beneath the skull, the first part of the spinal
cord (cervical spine) begins. Hashem has designed our bodies
that with every movement, without conscious thought, our
muscles, bones and nerves of the neck function automatically
to maintain perfect balance and equilibrium. We say a
blessing, "Who straightens the bent," to acknowledge this
wonder.
What happens when this wonderful balance is disturbed? You
may feel tension in the neck and shoulders, tight muscles,
stiffness, tight joints, and the neck motion may be
restricted and painful. People suffer from headaches,
dizziness and shoulder and arm problems. Although
chirpractic adjustments are very effective for these
problems, there is a lot you can do to help yourself.
TIPS FOR SELF CARE:
Do you crunch the phone between your neck and shoulders
while you talk? This habit causes the joints of the cervical
spine to tighten, increases strain on spinal nerves, and
causes the muscles to form knots and spasms. This is a no-
no. The solution to this habit is to use your hand to
support the phone instead of your shoulder. For those busy
housewives or others who need to speak while performing
other activities, try to purchase a headpiece that holds the
receiver in place on your shoulder.
NECK EXERCISE:
Standing erect looking straight ahead, tilt chin towards
chest slightly. Slowly move head to the left while
simultaneously sliding the right palm along the right thigh.
Hold for 1-2 seconds. Repeat on reverse side. Alternate
sides five times.
Stretching should be felt only to a point of comfort. DO NOT
STRAIN. Pain is a signal to ease back or stop. Be patient.
Exercise has a cumulative effect when done over time.
For more information, contact Dr. Zalman Medwed at 02-654-
0246.
