A muscle spasm, sometimes called a cramp, is a spontaneous contraction of the muscle that tightens to the point of immobility in some cases. In the back, spasms frequently occur in the lumbar back and cervical neck regions. If spasms occur near...
According to the Family Doctor website, neck pain may be caused by injury, stress, faulty posture or other health problems, such as degenerative conditions, fibromyalgia or disk herniations. One of the most common symptoms reported by neck pain...
Stretches for rehabilitation of neck spasms are permissible immediately upon experiencing pain as long as they do not make the pain worse. These stretches release tension and restore length to the neck muscles. Weak neck muscles also contribute to...
The term spasm refers to involuntary contractions of a muscle that occur without any warning. During a muscle spasm, the affected muscles become tight and painful, and this tightness and pain can result in the inability to move your body freely....
Muscle spasms in the neck occur for a variety of reasons, including whiplash from an automobile collision, poor posture, or overusing or straining the neck muscles. Spasmodic torticollis, a condition that causes the head to turn to the side when...
Neck spasms are an involuntary contraction of the muscles of the neck, resulting in a feeling of tightness or pain. According to the Summit Medical Group, neck spasms may occur from an injury, overuse, poor posture or stress. Once the patient has...
A quick or forceful stretch to a muscle in spasm can actually cause it to become more severe, increasing pain and tension in the neck. Instead, perform a slow, controlled stretch to the affected areas of the neck following a spasm. If the muscle...
Strengthening the neck through correct posture can prevent spasms related to TMJ. Since your condition makes you overwork your temporomandibular joints and muscles, you should pay special attention to your posture in those areas. Head, neck and...
Your neck is composed of seven vertebrae, known as cervical vertebrae. The upper vertebrae support your head and spinal cord and feature ligaments and muscles that allow for movement. Neck spasms occur when your neck muscles start to contract...
Many people carry stress and tension in their shoulders and necks, making these muscles particularly prone to painful, tight spasms. Performing gentle neck exercises to stretch and lengthen the muscle fibers helps relieve stiffness and pain and...
Proper technique is crucial for the pushup. This exercise works a significant number of muscles simultaneously, and improper technique can easily lead to injury in the muscles of the neck or shoulder. A throbbing sensation in your neck muscles...
Herniated discs are extremely common, occurring most frequently in people between the ages of 35 and 55, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Men tend to suffer from this condition more than women, and some of the most common causes include...
Neck pain can range from mild and annoying to severe and debilitating. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, or AAOS, for many people, neck pain lasts only a short time before self-resolving. Other people may require...
The neck is a fragile part of the body that has a lot of muscles, nerves, bones and connective tissue present. When it is in proper working order, you should have no trouble looking up, looking down, tilting your head from side to side and...
Tension in your neck muscles may lead to tension headaches. According to the National Library of Medicine, tension headaches are the most common form of headaches. The National Center for Emergency Medicine Informatics notes that tension, in this...
Neck and shoulder tension prevents you from performing your best. The pain, stiffness and headache accompanying neck and shoulder tension make it difficult to cope with the stress or anxiety that brought on the tension in the first place. Tension...
Good posture is not only beneficial for the spine, neck and shoulders, it may also improve your cardiovascular health. The connection between posture and heart health appears to be related to both muscular strain and how poor posture in the rib...
A spasm in the sternocleidomastoid, or SCM, muscle can cause discomfort and limited neck mobility, but stretching may help the condition. If your neck pain worsens after 24 hours and occurs along with headache, drowsiness, fever or confusion, or...
Parkinson's Disease is a neurologic condition whose root cause is a decrease in dopamine levels, especially from the substantia nigra portion of the brain. The disease process has many symptoms, and the extrapyramidal system in the brain is...
According to the Spine Universe website, many Americans experience bouts of acute or chronic neck pain each year. Neck pain may be the result of strains, sprains, overuse injuries or blunt force trauma, and neck pain should not be left untreated....
Botox, or botulinum toxin type A, is derived from a form of bacteria commonly known as botulism. This bacterium has seven toxins that affect the nervous system, and four of those toxins cause paralysis of muscle nerves. Throughout the 20th...
Your spine is made up of bones or vertebrae that are separated by disks. Your disks provide a cushion and allow the spine to move. Disease, injuries and wear and tear can all cause the jelly-like center of the disk to herniate. This can happen...
Botox for injection contains minute quantities of botulinum toxin A. It is used cosmetically to prevent wrinkles and is used medically to treat muscle spasms and movement disorders. It acts by preventing neural stimulation of muscles. It is only...
Arthritis, no matter where in the body, can cause pain, stiffness, swelling and an overall reduction in quality of life. It can be especially bothersome when it involves areas of the spinal column, because the spine represents our "core" and the...
Meningitis is an infection of the spinal fluid and protective fibrous tissue that encapsulates the brain and spinal cord, the meninges. Bacteria and viruses, and less commonly, fungi and parasites can cause meningitis. The Meningitis Foundation of...
Cervical dystonia, or spasmodic torticollis, is a painful condition that causes an involuntary contraction of the muscles in your neck. This causes your head to twist to one side, bend to the front or tilt backward. The Mayo Clinic says there is...
Progressive muscle relaxation is a powerful tool first developed by Dr. Edmond Jacobson in the 1920s. He found that the process of first tensing then releasing muscles aids the body in returning to a correct, more relaxed position. By bringing on...
Approximately 25 in 100,000 newborns suffer pediatric strokes, and strokes are the sixth leading cause of death in children according to the Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania. Because stroke symptoms are easily mistaken for normal infant...
Upper back arthritis is not usually a disabling condition, but it can be painful if left untreated. Many symptoms can help you detect whether you have upper back arthritis. Most of the causes associated with upper back arthritis are age-related....
Pinched nerves usually occur in the neck, but can lead to pain and muscle spasms throughout the upper back and arm. Learn how to treat a pinched nerve in the neck and stay fit in this sports medicine video.
