Understanding the Different Parts of Your Neck and Spine
When it comes to dealing with orthopedic pain, it can be beneficial to understand the different parts of the neck and spine. Having a better picture of where your pain may be stemming from can help with preventative measures and a happier and pain-free future. Whether it is your upper back or your neck, pinpointing the exact cause of the ache can help your orthopedic surgeon discover the course of treatment.
At Orthopedic & Laser Spine Surgery, our doctors work hard to fix any ailments or pains you may be experiencing. To ensure you have a better understanding of your body and the pain you may be experiencing, our team has put together a guide of different ailments and parts of your neck and spine.
Understanding the Spine
Your spine is the bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments that start at the base of your skull and extend down to your tailbone. Composed of 33 vertebrae that interlock with each other to form the spinal cord, the spine is divided into five different regions: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum, and coccyx. Your spine is considered your body’s central support system and is easy to injure, especially if you are in a situation where you are constantly bending it or sitting still.
The spine is happiest when upright, which is important to remember when you have a job that requires you to sit for long periods at a time. Getting up frequently and stretching, as well as making an investment in your desk chair, is vital to your spine health. Sitting in an improperly fitting chair or constantly bending over without stretching or warming up can result in serious aches, pains, and injuries, some of which include:
Understanding the different parts of your spine and how to properly stretch it can easily prevent any future injuries. If you are having any consistent pains, a specialist at OLSS can help.
Understanding the Neck
The region of your spine that contains the neck is the cervical region. Your neck connects the vertebrae of your spine to your skull and carries the heavy burden of holding up the human head. Like the spine, it is easy to injure your neck with a bad work set up or repeated jerking motions.
Neck pain can be the sign of many different things, such as recent trauma, dehydration, or even an undiagnosed spinal condition. Having whiplash from a recent car accident is a very common reason for neck pain and with the right help is easily treatable. It can be easy to ignore neck pain or chalk it up to being nothing more than a slight pinch or that you didn’t drink enough water that day. If your pain is consistent and cannot be subsided with regular pain medication and stretching, it is vital you reach out to your local orthopedic surgeon as soon as possible.
Consult With a Professional OLSS Orthopedic Surgeon Today
Living with unrelenting pain in your neck or spine can make life difficult. Advil can only help for so long and at some point, visiting your local professional orthopedic surgeon is the best option. Our team at Orthopedic & Laser Spine Surgery specializes in minimally invasive surgical procedures that will optimize your spine and neck functions while decreasing the pain.
Do not minimize your pain. The longer you let things sit, the worse the condition will get. Our doctors have many years of experience and will know exactly what to do for you. For a free consultation, call us today at (855) 853-6542 or use our online contact form.