Towel Rolls: Good for your neck
I thought I would copy this over here from the main blog page for easier reference. Long, long time ago, i was in a car accident. Part of the outcome was the permanent alteration of my cervical spine ( neck & shoulders area). Nowadays, sleeping without causing pain has become the challenge.
In all this, my constant companion has been my neck roll.
It's not the kind you find in the stores, because with the literal shape of my spine, that would cause even MORE problems.
Nope, this is the kind ALL of us can make and adjust to our own personal bodies.
Start with a bath towel.
Lay it out away from you lengthwise.
Fold it in half ( so if it was 28" x 52", it is now 14" x 52" )
And start to roll the end nearest you toward the end farthest from you.
Now comes the "customization".
Stop rolling when it is about 3" across the roll. Place the rolled end under your neck as you lay flat on your back.
The goal is to get your head to a place where it is touching the bed, but the majority of the weight of your neck is resting on the towel roll. Roll more, or unroll, as needed to reach the goal positioning.
Let the unrolled part lay out and away from your neck ( either under your body or toward the top of your bed).
In this endeavor, NO PILLOWS are involved ( unless of course you want to put them under your knees to help your back rest completely) AND you are always sleeping flat on your back. ( for those of you who love fetal or tummy sleep....i can empathize, yes, this will take a more concerted effort)
Work up to falling asleep like that. At least 20 minutes per night is a good start.
If done correctly, you should start to notice less stress and pain in your shoulders and neck.
UPDATE: Reading about POTS syndrome and the importance of the brain stem/occipital connection, as well as the place that your Vagas Nerve begins it's journey in the brain, and this neck roll may have a whole lot more function to it than expected.
This is a long read - but there is a connection to the cranial cervical nerves and immune function/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Read this
Ab-ducted
An Ab-workout for people with upper back & neck issues.
Very simple and very effective ab exercises for those who either need to protect their back/neck, or don't want a big sweaty workout.
Ready?
You'll want a flat open surface, at least a 6' square. Rug underneath or yoga mat is very helpful.
Start lying on your back, hands at rest on your stomach, knees bent, feet flat on floor just below your bum.
Keeping your knees steady, raise your feet off the floor, bringing your calves parallel to the floor.
Using your ab muscles, press your stomach as tightly as you can toward your spine, and the small of your back as tightly toward the floor as you can.
Slowly, one foot at a time, tap your toe down to the floor and bring it back to it's position. Alternate feet, very slowly and intentionally.
USE only your stomach muscles in the activity. The slower you go, the easier it will be for you to focus on and isolate those muscles.
Do 10 repetitions with each toe.
Use your hands to feel your ab muscles working. If you don't feel those muscles working, more than likely you have brought your knees in to close to your chest OR you are using your back. Both are no-no's.
THEN, place your arms out to each side, perpendicular to your body.
Pull your knees into your chest and very slowly, controlled by your stomach muscles, bring your knees together, and rotate them over to your left side until they are touching the floor near your left arm. Rest there for 5 seconds, then engaging your stomach muscles again, bring them back to center and then start rolling them over to your right side.
Use that as the break between toe tapping reps.
You will be working multiple sets of abs with putting very little to no pressure on your back muscles, neck muscles or spine.
Oh, and your back will appreciate you for strengthening it so kindly.
*** photo borrowed from bigbackpain.com
Squeeze-play
In my odd little regimen of daily exercises, is this little gem.
It is good for stiffness and associated pains from upper cervical spine issues when shoulders, shoulder blades and referring pains/tingles/numbness to arms, elbows, wrists and fingers, or the lovely creeping headache that starts at the base of your scull ( my personal favorite).
Although i'm attaching this sketched illustration, my methodology differs slightly.
Ready to try?
Stand with feet about a foot apart, knees slightly bent, tummy and rump each tucked in for great spinal alignment ( pull your abs inward toward your spinal column, tilt your pelvis slightly upward and tuck your bumm under) Now BREATHE! let that posture settle in.
Once you are confidant in that pose, either let your held fall softly forward, or loll softly backward, so that your neck muscles are at ease. [[ After you do it a few times, try both ways and see if one is better for you. If you have balance issues, snug yourself near a wall or stable piece of furniture so you don't have to worry about staying upright.]]
Ok, got that? ( well, if you are trying to read this while doing that, and you succeed, Penn & Teller have a job for you!)
The next thing i do differently is i relax my arms at my sides and let my shoulder blades ( aka: chicken wings) do all the work. no bent elbows aiding and abetting here!
Let them ( shoulder blades) pull back toward each other, then relax. You need to isolate them from your other muscle groups. if the front of your shoulders get involved, ostracize them and try again.
Repeat that 15 times. Check your posture, check if anything is pinching, twisting or other. If all you feel is mild ( don't be brave here, be honest)discomfort, lets keep going.
I started at 25 repetitions per day, and now do anywhere from 55-125, sometimes a few times per day. It only takes a few minutes, yet the benefits are incalculable! Honest! Would i kid you?
If you know that horrible pinching pain that makes your shoulder creep up like a troll under a medieval bridge, or the headache that comes up from the bottom of your skull and goes after your eye socket, or the flash of pain out through your arms when you raise them over your head for any period of time, or frequent tingling and numbness down the outside of your arms ( if you have a history of heart ailments, maybe disregard that last example)....... did i sell this enough yet...?? ...if you said yes to any of those above, then this might be the exercise for you.
CAVEAT..... if you are seeing a chiropractor or osteopath, please run this past them first. We wouldn't want to counter any work they are doing with you.
My best question for any treating Dr is, if they say no, ask them for the physiological reason they say no, so you can better understand the impacts to your specific ailment. Don't be afraid to ask, don't be afraid to learn as much as you can about your body, and their treatment philosophies.
Smart patients only bother Doctors with control issues. And who wants an MD steeped in control issues????
Backs to Basics
Here are a few great video's from a wonnnnderful Chiropractor who also has a degree in biology and naturopathy.
Not that she's driven or anything.
Stretching changes you
Alzheimers, plaques & proteins
In the research of Alzheimers, there is a narrowing focus on something called Tau Protein. It seems to be the main *gunk* that builds up and clogs up the works.
Fibrin is a sort of glue that your body produces that helps in lots of process in your body. Like when a bone break needs to heal.
But it also seems to be a substance that not-so-nice things like to
exploit in order to prosper and propagate in the body. Things like bacteria, or plaques that clog arteries causing blood clots, sclerosis, strokes, etc.
And as i am now learning, a thing that aids Tau proteins in clustering and taking over space in the brain. It might just be a main player in the formation of Alzheimers.
I have been casually researching something called Natto Kinase,
which is derived from fermented soy beans. It has been found to break down fibrin. Dr's use it in treatment of thrombosis.
As there are a number of good functions of fibrin, AND as many surgeons now use Fibrin glue in all sorts of procedures, I'm thinking that care needs to be taken in considering using Natto.
Coming from a family history ripe with alzheimers, it is something I am taking quite seriously.
I began taking it a few years ago and alternate it with high doses of fresh garlic, ginger and turmeric.