Neck, Upper Back and shoulder pain is very common and potentially disabling conditions in general and particularly in the Bay Area we live in. The prevalence of computer work in our area combined with long working hours often leads to painful neck and shoulder symptoms. The problem is most often ignored at first but then later on compounded engulfing the whole region. This is how the pain starts and gradually evolved: Slight wrist pain that as the time goes by gets slightly worse particularly with computer mouse movements, Then your brain sends a signal to the wrist to ease off and simultaneously send a commend to the same side elbow to pick up the task of mouse movements. The problem is that the elbow joint is not equipped to handle the complex motion of the wrist joint and all it takes to move the mouse in all directions and soon it will also become the next victim and pain starts to settle in the elbow region. Now, all of a sudden you find yourself having pain in the wrist, forearm, and elbow all on the same side. Your brain now faces a crisis with wrist and elbow failing it now commands the shoulder to pick up the task of moving your mouse for you. The shoulder is a compliant member of your body would do that for a while but unfortunately, the shoulder joint like your elbow joint does not have what it takes to do this job repetitively all day and every day and ultimately starts to hurt. At this point, the shoulder pain now extends to the side of the mid and upper back and eventually to the neck. You now face the pain in the wrist, forearm, elbow, shoulder, same side upper back, and neck! What most of us would do then is the amazing part of the dilemma!!! Yes, we switch the mouse movement task to the other upper extremity and starting the same chain of events that have already happened to one side. After a while, if we continue with the same sequence you then would have the same pain on the other side as well. Just a short few months later, you have rather severe pain in both upper extremities, shoulder blades, upper back, and neck. Now you are unable to sleep. Constant pain will interfere with your focus and attention. Your doctors will start you on some anti-inflammatory medications but because the root cause of the problem has not been addressed the pain remains and further spread to other parts of the back as well. Then you will start on some sort of narcotic medications that are totally unnecessary for your pain. In our clinic, we focus on the concept of why the pain occurs in the first place. Also, we know that when the pain becomes a chronic issue your body starts a series of compensation methods, and therefore the area of pain that you currently have may not be the originator of the pain. Dr. Jadali has pioneered the concept of Neuromuscular and Metabolic rehabilitation that in conjunction with work ergonomics evaluation and adjustment can get to the bottom of your pain issues. SIGN UP FOR DR. JADALI'S BLOG Get Dr. Jadali's latest news & health tips. CENTER FOR PAIN & REHABILITATION MEDICINE (CPRM), 3097 MOORPARK AVE, SUITE 200, SAN JOSE, UNITED STATES(408) 244-PAIN (7246)DRJADALI@244PAIN.COM DIRECTIONS TO OUR OFFICE