WAPT. Neck Pain & Headaches

WAPT. Neck Pain & Headaches

NEWSLETTER

Megan was born and raised in Guamwhere she savored being with family, going to the beach, and being out in the sun. In 2016, Megan moved from Guam to Washington to pursue a college degree. Before she joined the WAPT team, she was employed at 24 Hour Fitness, where she developed a foundation of knowledge and passion for the health and fitness industry. Now she enjoys greeting and assisting patients at WAPT, hoping to make their experience and visit here as easy and enjoyable as possible. She is also pretty fantastic with a snow shovel and digging patients out of the snow!

NEWSLETTER

March 2019

Independently owned and operated since 1997

Neck Pain & Headaches

Headaches have a bad habit of making their appearance at the most inconvenient times. The middle of the workday, early in the evening when you have hours of responsibilities ahead of you, or even first thing in the morning when you are trying to pay attention to your morning meeting — headaches don’t care how important the work ahead of you is. When they start, they are hard to stop. There are all sorts of reasons why headaches may develop. From environmental factors like weather changes and exposure to certain perfumes or other scents, to stress and allergies, headaches happen to the best of us. However, there are some headaches that may be a bit more predictable than others. Factors like your posture, the type of mattress you sleep on, the pillow you use, or even the desk chair you sit in at work can all impact your risk for experiencing regular headaches because of the intricate network of nerves and muscles in your neck. When Neck Pain Leads to Headaches The majority of the time, neck pain starts out as a seemingly small concern. A crick in your neck here or there may start to

developmore frequently, and before you know it, your experience of neck pain is something you are dealing with daily. It isn’t always the result of something large. While being in a car accident or experiencing another sort of injury can definitely lead to chronic neck pain, the cause of the issue isn’t always as simple to identify. Sometimes it is a bad habit that you don’t really think twice about, like your habit of watching TV as you fall asleep, keeping your neck at an odd angle as you rest for the evening, or maybe as a result of your posture as you type at your desk every day, hunched over at the shoulders with your neck catching the brunt of your slouch. These poor habits are common, and most of us consider them to be harmless. Sure, you know it isn’t great for you, but what is actually going to happen? It’s a lot easier to slouch as you type, and who doesn’t want to catch a few late-night laughs as they fall asleep? But the reality is that these seemingly irrelevant habits could be putting undue stress on your neck, and if you aren’t careful, this could translate to regular and uncomfortable headaches that are difficult to get rid of.

THE PROBLEM WITH POSTURE

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You can identify whether or not you have a forward head position by standing straight against the wall and determining whether or not your head rests against the wall as your back does. If your head does not touch the wall when you are standing straight, then you aren’t fully standing up straight! As years go by and day after day you continue to hold your head in this forward position, you can start to experience pain as a result of strain in the muscles of the neck. When this is an issue, working with a physical therapist may be able to help. Stretching the muscles in your neck to alleviate neck strain can reduce the severity and regularity of your headaches. Stretching the muscles that have grown tight along the back of your neck as well as those along the shoulders can help you find relief from the tension that is causing your pain. When dealing with neck pain, it is important to remember that safety has to come first. While there are many simple activities you can try at home to begin stretching your neck muscles, working with a physical therapist is the only way to ensure that you are stretching in a way that won’t potentially lead to greater injury. For more information, contact us.. Call 425.820.2110to schedule yourappointmentwithWashington Physical Therapy and Rehab today! 7 1 6 8 1 9 8 5 3 4 9 1 4 9 2 5 3 8 8 3 4 6 1 9 3 5 9 2 6 http://1sudoku.com n° 222047 - Level Medium 3 2 4 1 8 4 5 7 6 8 1 5 7 2 4

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Working with a physical therapist can help you to identify whether or not your headaches may be the result of neck pain or strain. One of the most common causes of headaches due to neck pain is forward head position. Forward head position means that when you are resting your head, you are continuing to hold your head slightly forward, which is a type of slouching position. 4 3 4 8 2 5

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9 2 5 Relieve Neck Pain In Minutes Try this movement to relieve neck pain. 4 1 4 2 6 8

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SUDOKU PUZZLE

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2 3 8 1 3 7 6 2 9 4 9 7 2 7 3 5 7 4 3 1 Cervical Retraction Stand with your back against a wall. Position a rolled up towel behind your neck.Tuck chin like you are nodding ‘yes’. Draw your chin closer to the back of your throat. Repeat 3 times. 6 http://1sudoku.com n° 28718 - Level Medium www.simpleset.net

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Call 425.820.2110 or visit www.waptrehab.com to schedule your appointment today! Play on your mobile these puzzles and find their solutions by flashing the codes below : n° 229777 n° 222047 n° 228310 n° 26328 n°28718 n° 225044

PATIENT SUCCESS STORY

HEALTHY RECIPE

Spiced Pear Tea

“I continue to be able to mountain bike!”

Ingredients • 1 orange • 3 cups water • 2 (11.3 to 12 oz) cans pear nectar • 1 tbsp honey (optional) • 4 inches stick cinnamon • 1 tsp whole cloves • 6 tea bags • Small orange slices, halved (optional) • Stick cinnamon (optional)

Directions Using a vegetable peeler, remove three wide strips of peel from the orange; set peel aside. Juice the orange into a large saucepan. Add the water, pear nectar andhoney (ifusing) toorange juice insaucepan.Forspicebag:Place the4 inches of stick cinnamon, the cloves and the orange peel strips in the center of a 6 in square of double-thickness, 100%-cotton cheesecloth. Bring corners together and tie with 100%-cotton kitchen string. Add spice bag to pear nectar mixture. Bringmixture toboiling; reduceheat.Coverandsimmer for10minutes.Remove from heat. Add tea bags; cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and spice bag; discard. Serve in warm mugs. If desired, float orange slices on top of individual servings and serve with additional stick cinnamon.

“My right shoulder and bicep needed strength and flexibility after surgery. Allegra helped build my confidence when I was worried it wouldn’t improve to 100%, but it’s back to 100%, and I continue to be able to mountain bike.” -Andrew F.

Has Your Pain Come Back? Call Today! 425.820.2110

This coupon good for FREE Consultation! Valid now through 3/31/19

Feel free to call us and ask to speak to your therapist.

Mention or bring in this coupon for a FREE Consultation with one of our physical therapy specialists!

Your therapist can discuss with you why your pain is bothering you again and what you might do about it at home. If further assessment is warranted, your therapist might recommend you come in for an appointment.

The free consultation is ideal for people suffering with:

• Lower back pain • Herniated discs • Sciatica

• Spinal stenosis • Stiffness • Muscle spasms

• Arthritis • Upper back pain

Call Today! 425.820.2110

Are You Suffering From Shoulder Pain? See The Insert

Are You Suffering From Shoulder Pain?

Want to know the #1 single best test to see if you have a rotator cuff problem that you can do at home? • Does You Shoulder Bother You at Night When You Sleep on That Side? • Do You Have Pain Reaching Into the Back Seat of the Car? • Does Your Shoulder Hurt When Reaching? Up to a Shelf? Behind Your Back When Getting Dressed? If so, then there is a quick and easy test to find out what may be causing your shoulder problem. Shoulder problems are very common. They can occur at any age, but most commonly between the ages of 30-60 years old. The most common problem of shoulder pain–and one that we most often see at our clinic–is Shoulder Impingement (the fancy Physical Therapy term). It looks like the diagram to the right. See the bone that sticks out on top called the “Acromion”? (FYI – That’s a picture of a Right Shoulder…from the front…and that Acromion is part of the shoulder blade). Under the Acromion is a small space. In that space is one of your Rotator Cuff Tendons (The Supraspinatus). Don’t worry…there won’t be a test on these names!! So what happens is this: As we become more of a “Birthday Candle Expert” as time goes by, that space can start to narrow and close down. At first, it will cause inflammation, or swelling, in the tendon that can later lead to Bursitis, Tendinitis, and Arthritis. Eventually this can cause damage, or fraying of the tendon, which can lead to a partial tear–or worse, if left untreated, can cause a full rotator cuff tear. Luckily, most shoulder problems give you early warning signs that something is wrong. And there are steps you can take today to keep more damage from happening. If you or someone you know is suffering from shoulder pain, this is for you!

If you think you’re suffering from shoulder impingement or a shoulder injury, call 425.820.2110 or visit www.waptrehab.com to schedule your appointment today!

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Are You Suffering From Shoulder Pain? (Continued)

Before we do anything for your shoulder pain, we need to find out what is going on with your shoulder.

So here’s what you need to do: 1. With your painful arm, reach up behind your back between your shoulder blades as far as you can. Note any pain, ache, stiffness, or tightness. 2. Now do the same with your non-painful arm. If there is a difference side-to-side…you may be showing early warning signs of “Shoulder Impingement”.

That’s the single best at-home test I can give you to check for warning signs that you may be having a problem with your Rotator Cuff.

If you are looking for answers and want to get back to normal again, feel free to send me an email at [email protected]. In the subject line be sure to write “Shoulder Pain Help” and tell me what is going on and what activities are causing you pain. You can also give me a call at 425-820-2110.

Shoulder Impingement Test

If you think you’re suffering from shoulder impingement or a shoulder injury, call 425.820.2110 or visit www.waptrehab.com to schedule your appointment today!

Hope this helps,

Mike