The Neck Pain Handbook: Your Guide in Understanding and Treating Neck Pain (A DiaMedica Guide to Optimum Wellness) [Paperback]

M.D. Grant Cooper (Author), M.D. Alex Visco (Author)

Book Description

Series: A DiaMedica Guide to Optimum Wellness | Publication Date: June 16, 2009

In an increasingly sedentary society, where it is often unnecessary to get up from one's desk for long periods of time, neck pain has grown to epidemic proportions. This handbook explains the causes, simple steps that may be effective at home, when it’s time to see a doctor, and the range of available and effective treatments. Written by two physicians with extensive experience managing neck and joint pain, the book details how to set up a workplace to prevent injury, a simple, effective 10-minute program of stretches and strength training, the importance of good posture, medical and surgical options when necessary, and more. Perhaps most importantly, The Neck Pain Handbook discusses how the reader can prevent neck pain, so that once it's gone, it stays gone.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: DiaMedica; 1 Original edition (June 16, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0979356482
• ISBN-13: 978-0979356483
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #671,189 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Neck Pain 101, July 7, 2009

By 

Kelly Garbato "www.easyvegan.info" (Kearney, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Neck Pain Handbook: Your Guide in Understanding and Treating Neck Pain (A DiaMedica Guide to Optimum Wellness) (Paperback)

I received an advance review copy of THE NECK PAIN HANDBOOK through Library Thing's Early Reviewer program. At thirty years of age, I've suffered from mild to moderate neck and back pain for about ten years. I attribute the pain to a number of causes, including PMS, long hours spent working in front of the computer, poor posture, stress, and less-than-optimal sleeping conditions. (I'm a guardian to five dogs, three of which like to hem me in under the covers at night. Consequently, my back pain is usually at its worst during the first hour of my day.) Exercise, especially yoga, has helped some, but neck, shoulder and back pain is still an occasional inconvenience. Thus, I was hoping that MDs Grant Cooper and Alex Visco might be able to offer some additional advice for alleviating my neck pain symptoms.

THE NECK PAIN HANDBOOK is a nice introduction to the topic of neck pain. Cooper and Visco begin the discussion by outlining the structure and function of the human neck, so that the reader might gain an appreciation of her neck's complex makeup. They then shift focus to the many causes of neck pain, some of which are preventable. They discuss proper posture, and offer ten at-home exercises the reader can employ in order to prevent and/or alleviate neck pain. The authors also discuss more radical treatments for neck pain, including cervical collars (of which they are not big fans), advanced imaging studies, trigger point injections, Botox, topical pain relievers, analgesics, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants, x-ray guided injections and surgery. They also briefly touch upon "alternative" treatments, such as glucosamine/chondroitin supplements (which I give to my two oldest furkids in order to ward off joint paint - a precaution actually recommended by my conservative, small town veterinarian), SAM-E, acupuncture and meditation. While this last batch of remedies might seem like quackery, the doctors are quick to caution that such treatments are experimental, unproven, a last resort and should not be employed unless under the supervision of a trained medical professional.

While THE NECK PAIN HANDBOOK is a quick, easy and informative read, I was hoping for more do-it-yourself advice. For example, the authors describe the ten exercises presented in THE NECK PAIN HANDBOOK as "an excellent starting point" - which makes me believe there are additional exercises they could have included, but chose not to. Which is annoying, as they also say that about 80% of neck pain can be attributed to poor posture and weak neck musculature. While the exercises presented are straightforward and relatively easy to understand, not all of them are new to me; indeed, I've already been performing a few for back strength and flexibility. Also, in addition to mentioning meditation for neck pain, the authors might have included a brief section on yoga, which has proven immensely helpful to me.

Other than these two small drawbacks, THE NECK PAIN HANDBOOK is a nice overview of neck pain, particularly for those who are just beginning to research the topic.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Written by Physicians Yet Easy to Understand, June 26, 2009

By 

Francie Horton (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Neck Pain Handbook: Your Guide in Understanding and Treating Neck Pain (A DiaMedica Guide to Optimum Wellness) (Paperback)

I have suffered from neck, shoulder, and head pain for many years. I have been given muscle relaxants, painkillers, and steroid shots. I work from home and therefore I sit in front of a computer many hours a day. This leads to a very sedentary lifestyle. As the book pointed out, this is very similar to being bedridden. My muscles just sit there, doing nothing all day. I learned how to exercise and stretch them. And then more importantly, I learned how to adjust my chair and monitor and sit properly. This made all the difference in the world. I can sit and work all afternoon and not even notice a twinge.

The fact that this book is written by two physicians is what clinches for me. I feel I can trust what it says. Especially after putting it into practice and having it work so well. If you're a desk jockey as well, I highly recommend this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent medical reference book!, June 18, 2009

By 

Lerrgoo "Laura" (Conroe, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Neck Pain Handbook: Your Guide in Understanding and Treating Neck Pain (A DiaMedica Guide to Optimum Wellness) (Paperback)

[...]

This book is very well written and simple in dealing with the causes and treatments of neck pain. I learned a lot from this book and a lot of the information surprised me. For instance, there are over twenty muscles in the neck. I was drawn to this book because of my profession, I am a 911 Operator and I am forced to be in a sedentary position for eight hour shifts. I can completely relate to neck pain and this book helped me with exercises that I can do when it starts to get stiff.
The authors have several case studies in the book and each one had varying degrees of neck pain. Most of the people were able to get thru their pain without surgery and continuing rehabilitation and exercises. I first thought that this book was going to be more technical than it was, but I found that the authors put everything into simple terms. The medical and anatomy background is very thorough and the reader is able to comprehend the information. I think somebody who has been thru Anatomy and Physiology can handle this book just fine.
The book covers more holistic and acupuncture which I found fascinating. Even better were the photos and illustrations for the exercises. I found these particularly helpful and have sense been incorporating some of the exercises in my daily regime. All in all, I highly recommend this book for anyone with a more sedentary lifestyle, not just people with chronic neck pain.