with Andreas Klein

A number of patients recently have come into the clinic with two related signs and symptoms .

1 . Reduced ability to move ( rotate , flex , extend ) their head due to tight neck muscles and symptoms of : a . loss of muscle strength , b . pain , c . altered feeling , d . loss of feeling , in arms , hands or fingers , which maybe intermittent or constant . 2 . Muscle atrophy 3 . Headaches Such symptoms / problems are referred to as ‘ cervical syndrome ’. They often originate in the neck , are frequently related to and caused by cervical ‘ nerve root irritation ’ which disturbs cervical nerve function . ( Note : cervical comes from the Latin cervix meaning neck .)

Irritation of the cervical nerve roots occurs because of mechanical ( structure / function ) changes in and around the intervertebral foramina . Foramina are bony tunnels that allow nerves to pass from the spinal cord between the vertebra to the body .

Medical texts list numerous causes of nerve root irritation . These include :

1 . abnormal motion of vertebrae or subluxation ( a slight misalignment of the vertebrae or partial dislocation ) of the joints of the cervical spine . This can occur with a sprain , stretching , or relaxation of the ligaments around vertebral joint capsular structures , or their slackening with age or illness .

2 . Occlusion , blockage of the foraminal opening by : a . bulging or ruptured intervertebral discs , b . osteophytes ( bony outgrowths ) from vertebrae c . hypertrophic ( enlarged tissue ) changes ( in or about the intervertebral foramina , d . swelling of vertebral joint capsule structures due to inflammation / allergic reactions or from haemorrhage .

Although the use of muscle relaxants is occasionally given cursory mention in the literature the thing that seems to be missed by the on this subject is the effect that tight muscles may have on many if not all of the scenarios above .

Muscles can tighten ( shorten ) due to acute injury , chronic overuse , mental stress , poor posture , and excessive strain due to any of the above-listed structural issues . Muscle tightness

is exacerbated by poor nutrition ( personal observations ).

Tight muscles put pressure on the spine and all its structures . This increases the risk of causing : 1 . chronic wear and tear , 2 . future injury , 3 . the locking-in and exacerbation of existing problems above . A recent client in his 70s attended clinic suffering paraesthesias and loss of strength of the ring and little fingers of his left hand ( he was unable to open a bottle with this hand ), together with neck muscle pain and severe restriction of the

ability to turn his head left or right , which significantly affected his driving , requiring the installation of extension mirrors on his car for safety reasons . He ’ d had no recent traumatic neck or arm injuries and the issues were long standing .

By concentrating on lengthening muscles in this patient ’ s neck and shoulder regions , the client quickly regained the ability to turn his head near normally , the strength in his little and ring fingers returned and he was able to open bottle tops again , and thus far the intensity of paraesthesia in the fingers has reduced by 60 per cent .