Neck Braces
If a person is suffering from chronic neck pain, the probable cause might actually be improper posture. To relieve pressure from a painful neck, it is recommended to try using appropriate neck braces. Neck braces are orthopedic appliances that are used to support a patient's neck and the head. Apart from propping up the neck, they also help to immobilize it too. By using appropriate neck braces, the neck can be put into an upright, neutral, hyper-extended, and flexed position.
Why use neck braces?
There are various reasons why correct neck braces should be used and these include:
- To lessen the pain
- Minimize the chances of further injury
- Quicken the healing process
- Toughen weak neck muscles
- Correct or prevent deformities
Neck braces provide a non-invasive and safe way of preventing further problems, on top of quickening the healing process. However, although they can be beneficial to a patient’s healing process, they can also render the muscles useless because of inactivity. Apart from this, they can often lead people to become over dependent on them. This is a psychological problem as it means that a patient will continue to use them even after the healing has taken place. In simple terms, this is what the medical professional refers to as a psychological addiction.
A brief history of neck braces
The use of braces is not something new; rather they have been in use for decades. The use of such braces as lower back braces dates back to 1999 B.C. As far back as 500 A.D., splint and bandage braces were commonly used to help treat scoliosis. Currently, all sorts of braces are used to help treat or relieve a variety of painful conditions that need some extra support during the healing process.
The use of neck braces and other types of braces is a widely accepted practice the world over. They are an effective tool in the treatment of a variety of physical disorders and conditions. For example, to properly get healed when suffering from such issues as neck problems, spine disorders, dental conditions and the like use appropriate braces. Almost all orthopedic practitioners recommend that people suffering from such conditions as spine injuries, neck injuries, dental alignment issues and so forth should use brace to quicken the healing process.
Types of neck braces
To help stabilize the spine or the neck after an accident or a corrective surgery, the use of proper neck braces is recommended. Neck braces are very common and are openly used to correct a variety of neck and spine discrepancies. These types of braces include:
- Soft collar: This is a flexible type of a neck brace that is worn around the problematic neck. It is used after a stiffer collar has been worn for some time and in preparation to wearing no neck brace at all. It provides support to an injured neck and further prevents more injuries from occurring and as well as helps to immobilize the head.
- Halo: This is a type of a brace that is used to immobilize both the head and the neck. It is commonly used after a complex spine surgery or in the case of an unstable cervical fracture and this is worn twenty-four hours daily until all the injuries are completely healed.