The main problem of the cervical spine is its hyper mobility. If the small vertebral bodies move too much, this can lead to health problems. The reason is that the vertebral bodies themselves or the cone of the second vertebra exert pressure on nerves or blood vessels when they move too much. You usually do not perceive this pressure yourself and no pain arises. The body nevertheless reacts by producing histamine and nitric oxide.
Histamine makes tissue swell. This serves the body as a protective mechanism against an attack. However, overproduction can lead to swelling of the brain. This painful swelling is known as migraine. In frequent migraines, the cause can therefore be hyperactivity of the cervical spine.
Nitric oxide leads to two main problems. On the one hand, it prevents the proper oxygen exchange in the cell, thus limiting its activity. Secondly, vitamin B12 is needed to neutralise nitric oxide, which can result in a deficiency.
Causes for an immobile cervical spine can be congenital or acquired. In the case of a Caesarean section or forceps delivery, excessive pull on the head may already cause the cervical spine to overstretch. Accidents and further strain on the cervical spine later in life can also lead to hypermobility.
The already mentioned administration of B12 offers a solution. Until the cause has been eliminated, the negative consequences of over-mobility in the cervical spine can be partially compensated for.
In everyday life, posture is also crucial. Depending on whether too much strain is placed on the cervical spine when looking up or down, this movement should be carefully limited in everyday life. Looking down for too long is often a problem when reading or working on a laptop and stretches the cervical vertebrae. Looking up tends to be indirect. Due to an inadequate, forward slumped posture, the head lies at the back of the neck, even though one is only looking straight ahead. Therefore, an upright posture should always be observed.
With a few simple changes, you can do a lot against complaints for which the cervical spine is responsible.
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