Nestor PT: Neck Pain and Headaches

NEWSLETTER

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Staff Spotlight: Meet Brittany Walth Brittany where are you from? I am from a small town called Springfield, Vermont. I moved to the area in August of 2017. My boyfriend and I wanted to be in a more populated area with better opportunities, so we decided to take the chance and move. If you have never heard of Springfield, Brittany’s one-year anniversary was last month. Congratulate Brittany the next time you are in the office.

here’s one cool fact about my hometown: Springfield is known as the “Home of the Simpsons”. The town was chosen as the host for the premiere of “The Simpsons Movie” in 2007. If you want to know where the best sites to visit in Springfield are, just ask me the next time you are in the office! Do you have any pets? Yes, I have a dog named Deja. She is 3 years old and she is a Blue Nose Pitbull. My boyfriend and I rescued Deja in December of 2016 through an animal shelter called Paw Huggers in Houston, Texas that specifically works to rescue pitbulls from kill shelters. What do you like to do in your free time? I absolutely love to read! I normally always have the book that I am currently reading with me in my purse. My favorite book that I have ever read is “The Five People You Meet in Heaven” by Mitch Alborn. I first read it when I was a freshman in high school and still to this day, it is my favorite. Can you tell us something no one knows about you? I have taken many dance classes in my life, my favorites being Hip-Hop, Lyrical, Jazz, Contemporary and Ballet. Where is the best place you’ve traveled? Why? I went to Montego Bay, Jamaica in 2016 with my family and I brought my best friend Kylie with me. It was an amazing experience; the views were beautiful and the food was amazing! We stayed at a resort that offered a lot of activities - my favorite was going snorkeling. I hope that one day I will be able to go to Jamaica again!

261 Main Street North Smithfield, RI 02896

Winner of our Facebook Challenge: Darlene Gauvin. Thanks for “liking” and “sharing” our posts and checking in when at the clinic. Darlene will receive a FREE Gas Gift Card!!

RelievingNeck Pain And Headaches!

It’s the end of the day and your head is pounding and your neck is aching. Was ittheworkyouweredoing?Was itthestressorthewayyouweresitting? Your neck is an intricate structure with hundreds of muscles and nerves. The joints in your neck provide movement, while the discs in between the bones give support and shock absorption. In today’s world of sitting for long periods at work, being on your computer and at home watching TV, your neck muscles, joints and nerves can become strained and irritated. The fact is that even the simplest movements can cause short periods of neck pain. Yet some of us may actually be experiencing chronic neck pain. Simple, repetitive movements can lead to prolonged muscle tightness, which can take time to show symptoms. In comparison, muscle strains happen with quick jolts such as an injury or lifting something too heavy. How neck pain can go to your head. Headaches can stem from tightness in the neck muscles at the back of the neck, which is brought about by a forward-head posture and rounded back. This is very common if you work at a computer or sit a lot. In this position the spine is strained. Try

to stand up tall with your back against a wall. How far away from the wall is the back of your head? If you have a forward head posture, your head will be quite far from the wall. The forward head position puts a strain on the neck muscles resulting in general muscle tension in the head. This can affect blood flow to the scalp, resulting in a headache. Pain can be referred from the neck to behind the eyes or forehead and even one sided headaches around the temples. Pounding headaches at the back of the head can be related to neck muscle tightness and limited movement. Since many headaches stem from problems with neck movement and posture, it is wise that you see a physical therapist. Find out how you can relieve your aching neck and nagging headache for good. Call us today for more information! Look inside to learn more about our programs and say good-bye to those aches and pains!

Call Today! 401-356-4777

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Stretching for Neck Pain Relief

Neck pain and headaches typically come from poor posture and tight muscles in the neck, shoulders and upper back. This produces what is called a forward head posture. By stretching the tight muscles along the back of your neck, as well as strengthening the muscles at the front of the neck, neck pain can be relieved. Correcting bad posture can be as simple as strengthening the abdominal region. However, keep in mind that when dealing with a forward-head posture, you will also have forward-rounded shoulders and increased curvature of the upper spine. Our physical therapists are experts in posture evaluation and treatment, helping you even if you have quite severe changes. It’s never too late!

Tight muscles are a big factor in most neck pain and headaches. Stretching the muscles of your chest and strengthening the muscles of the middle back helps. For long term benefits, learning the right exercises can make a big difference in preventing neck pain and headaches from returning. Therefore, before you start taking any headache medicine for chronic neck pain, you might want to analyze your body posture first. Finding tension in your neck or limited range of motion in your spine might be the cause. Correcting it through physical therapy might be a simple solution for your headaches and neck pains. Call us today to learn more about our SPINE Program to relieve your headache and neck pain.

Try this movement if you have neck pain. Relieve Pain In Minutes:

Patient Success Spotlight

Helps Relieve Neck Pain

www.simpleset.net

UPPER TRAPEZIUS STRETCH Make sure the hand of the side being stretched is tucked behind your body. Slowly bring your ear to the opposite shoulder and your chin towards your chest. Now look slightly over the shoulder being stretched.

“I was waking up with frequent headaches and having upper back + neck pain on a daily basis. These issues were preventing me from sleeping soundly and kept me from participating in some of my usual activities. Dr. Nestor and Josh were so helpful in explaining where my pain was coming from. The stretches and exercises they started me on have made a big difference in the frequency of headaches and pain. I can now manage my pain and headaches much better. I am appreciative for their help and knowledge.” - Kristin Stebenne

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Larry & Barbara’s “Clam Boil”!

If you feel like you have seen this one before…Congratulations! That means you have been receiving our newsletter for more than a year! The clam boil is a yearly event at our house with my wife’s family. Since my in-laws cook this on the grill they make the cut for the newsletter. Getting fresh seafood is key. Wash the steamer clams in water using a brush to remove any dirt. Do not use any clams that are broken or already open. Not all the clams will survive the trip home, buy a few extra. This year we added little necks. Not everyone likes steamers.

Prep (chop) the podadahs, you don’t want them too big. Chop onions into quarters or leave whole. Chop chorizo or linguica into 2-3 inch pieces. Corn can go in whole or be cut in half or even smaller. Hot dogs can go in whole. The hot dogs are a huge hit when kids are involved in the clam boil. (see picture of my in-laws and niece prepping the food). Next Larry and Barbara set-up an assembly line. They fill mesh bags with all the ingredients for each person. Each bag goes in the large copper pot. (see pictures) Larry selects his favorite beer and fills the bottom of the pot with water and beer. The liquid comes about 2 inches up the side of the pot. There is a rack at the bottom of the pot so the bags don’t sit in the liquid. This really is a steam, not a boil. I don’t really care what it is called, it tastes great. The secret spice mix is added! I don’t always catch all the spices that go in, but it can be personal preference. Here are some of the spices I see go in…salt, pepper, old bay, parsley (fresh when possible), celery seed/salt. This year lots of our fresh herbs made it into the mix. I am probably taking drink orders at this time…I wonder if this is on purpose? A whole potato is placed on top of all the food. When the potato at the top is cooked the food is done! The food is always great, but it is more about the people around the table. The “Clam Boil” is usually followed-up with some yard games like corn hole! Sorry there aren’t any pictures of the final product… once the food is done everyone is ready to eat.

Call Today! 401-356-4777

www.nestorphysicaltherapy.com