Are you having difficulty moving your neck and head, feeling the worsening pain when you hold your head in a certain way when working on a computer or driving? These are the common symptoms of neck pain, which could severely affect your quality of life.
Cervical spondylosis – a common cause of chronic neck pain
Cervical spondylosis refers to age-related wear and tear in the cervical spine in the neck region, which can lead to neck pain that may travel to shoulders and arms, as well as neck stiffness and headache. This condition is also known as arthritis of the neck, which is a very common disorder affecting 85% of people aged 60 and above.
Among the changes that occur in the neck that would lead to cervical spondylosis are:
• Dehydrated discs - The intervertebral discs, which are composed of cartilage tissue, act like cushions between the vertebrae (bones). By the time of 40 years old, these discs may start drying out, causing the cushion between each vertebra to thin (shrinking), allowing more bone-on-bone contact between vertebrae.
• Herniated discs - With aging, the strength of the outer layer of the discs may be affected, causing cracks to appear on the exterior of the discs. This allows the soft interior of a disc to squeeze through these cracks and come out, pressing on spinal nerves to cause severe pain.
• Bone spurs - As a result of disc degeneration, the spine may produce extra amounts of bones in a misguided effort to strengthen the spine. These bone spurs can sometimes pinch the spinal cord and spinal nerve, leading to pain.
• Stiff ligaments - Ligaments are tissues that connect bone to bone. With aging, spinal ligaments can become stiff, leading to less flexible movement of the neck.
Risk factors for cervical spondylosis
There are several factors that would increase the risk of cervical spondylosis, with aging being the greatest risk factor.
• Aging is the greatest risk factor for cervical spondylosis. As a result of aging, changes that happen in the neck, which are disc herniation, dehydration and bone spurs, would lead to the development of cervical spondylosis.
• Holding the head in one position for a long time, such as writing with a head bend for a long time or driving for a long time. Taking a frequent break would help relieve the strain on the neck and shoulder.
• Forward head posture, such as leaning forward while working on your computer or browsing your phone for hours. This would add additional pressure on your neck and spine. For every inch your head leans forward, an additional 10 pounds is added to the weight of your head, which can cause compression on the cervical vertebrae. To minimise the risk of neck pain, you can try chin tucks that can strengthen the muscles in your neck and upper back, which helps to improve posture and reduce pain.
• Routine household chores. For example, hunching over a sink to scrub dirty dishes could put a heavy strain on the neck and back, increasing the risk of cervical spondylosis. What you should do is to take a break every half an hour of household chores to stretch and exercise your neck by looking up and down, left and right to relax the neck muscles.
• Sleeping in the wrong posture. For example, using a too high and stiff pillow, which leads to the neck being flexed overnight, or sleeping on the stomach which would strain the spine. Instead, try using a feather pillow, which can easily conform to the shape of the neck, as well as sleeping on the back or side, rather than on the stomach.
• Heavy bag load. When the load is carried on the shoulders, it would strain the muscles of the spinal column, leading to neck and upper back pain.
• Overexercise. Overexercise could strain ligaments, rupture disks and create forces that the spines cannot handle.
FlexC series – Ultimate care for cervical spine
FlexC PRO EX, FlexC MAX EX and FlexC CARE EX provide nutritional support to maintain the health of cervical spines, protecting against and mitigating neck discomforts.
LABO Nutrition FlexC PRO EX
Formulated with full spectrum types I, II, III, V & X collagen peptides, FlexC PRO EX helps support the growth and repair of cartilage tissue in the intervertebral discs, which acts as a cushion between the vertebrae, preventing the bones rub against each other. In addition, type III collagen helps maintain healthy ligaments, which would otherwise stiffen with aging, affecting the flexible movement of the neck. Besides the instant top up of collagen, FlexC PRO EX contains Silica-Rx99® Bioactive Silica, which helps stimulate collagen synthesis, providing long-lasting protection for cervical spine. Moreover, FlexC PRO EX also contains Curcumin C3 Reduct® Tetrahydrocurcuminoids, which is a powerful anti-inflammatory ingredient that is 250 times more potent than regular curcumin. It helps relieve inflammation and pain, as well as support mobility. The fourth powerful ingredient in FlexC PRO EX is eggshell membrane, which serves as a natural source of collagen, elastin, hyaluronic acid, chondroitin and abundant glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), which are building blocks of joints. Combining the benefits of the 4 powerful, scientifically proven ingredients, FlexC PRO EX helps support joints, bones, muscles and other connective tissues, which are important parts of the cervical spine, reducing the risk of developing neck pain.
LABO Nutrition FlexC MAX EX
FlexC MAX EX is a high-potency formula that targets inflammation, which is the root cause of joint discomfort. This enhanced formula contains the most advanced THC Curcumin C3 Reduct® that is 250x more potent than regular curcumin. FlexC MAX EX also includes the highest grade Boswellin® Super Boswellia Extract to provide relief for discomfort, as well as the purest and safest OptiMSM that can easily be assimilated into the body to support healthy cartilage, protect joints, manage swelling and pain and support a normal range of motion. What’s more, BioPerine® black pepper extract further boosts the absorption of powerful ingredients in FlexC MAX EX.
LABO Nutrition FlexC CARE EX
Developed with proprietary Intrixyl® technology, FlexC CARE EX Transdermal Bioactive Peptide Serum delivers highly concentrated Bioactive Type II Collagen Peptides and Yeast 331 Strain (S-adenosylmethionine) to deeply and rapidly penetrate into skin to reach the affected areas. With aging and repeated movement, the cartilage wears off, causing the tendons and ligaments to stretch and bones to rub against each other, which leads to intense pain and stiffness. FlexC CARE supports the synthesis of extracellular matrix, protecting against cartilage loss, maintaining tendon and ligament health and supporting healthy joint inflammatory response, thereby providing fast and long-term relief.
