This organ on a man's body must be protected most

Speaking of transportation hubs, I believe everyone is familiar with them. But if I ask you where the pivot point of the human body is, can you answer it? In fact, whether you are staring at the computer screen or looking down at your mobile phone, you will use this part. Yes, it is the neck. This seemingly simple part establishes various vital "life connections" between the mouth and stomach, nose and lungs, brain and spine, and brain and heart, and is the busiest "hub" in the human body. How does the neck affect human health?

As important as breathing

Just like breathing, we don’t pay much attention to its existence on a daily basis, and only realize its importance when something goes wrong. "Li Jinxue said. According to a survey conducted by the National Health and Family Planning Commission, 70% of white-collar workers suffer from "office diseases" to varying degrees, two of which are related to the neck. Pharyngitis ranks first among the five major "office diseases", and the other is the increasing number of cervical spondylosis. Orthopedic experts from the Peking University Third Hospital conducted a survey and statistics on nearly 300 cervical spondylosis cases from across the country and found that young and middle-aged people under the age of 40 accounted for 48.1% of the cervical spondylosis population.

The main road to overall health

The neck is the thinnest part of the torso and supports the most important head of the human body, so it needs more attention.

Eighty percent of the brain's blood supply is delivered through the neck. The heart delivers oxygen and blood to the brain mainly through four arteries, namely a pair of carotid arteries and a pair of vertebral arteries. Liu Changwei, director of the Vascular Surgery Center of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, said that the carotid artery provides more than 80% of the blood supply to the brain tissue, and people can feel its beating about 5 centimeters on both sides of the protruding part of the throat.

The lymph nodes in the neck are the body's first line of defense. Dong Min, deputy chief physician of the Department of Hematology at the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, told reporters: "The primary channels for viruses and bacteria to invade are the respiratory tract and the oral cavity. When the infected lymph fluid flows back, the first stop is the neck. Therefore, the lymph nodes in the neck are also the most likely to swell, and then spread to the armpits and groin."

The throat is the "main valve" of the respiratory tract. People often use "throat fortress" to describe important geographical locations. As an important organ in the front of the neck, the throat has the important functions of swallowing food and pronouncing words. It is also the only way for the human body to inhale oxygen. Therefore, it is vital to keep the throat unobstructed and healthy.

The seven bones of the cervical spine support the head. The cervical spine, consisting of only seven bones, forms a heavy cross with the shoulders, supporting the heavy head. Li Jinxue said that if the cervical spine is in a tense state for a long time, it is prone to chronic strain and deformation. Once the nerves are compressed, it will cause pain and stiffness in the shoulders and upper limbs and limited movement. Cervical spondylosis has become one of the most common diseases among modern people.

The neck is filled with nerves. 8 pairs of spinal nerves control the body's movement and sensation; 4 pairs of cranial nerves are responsible for adjusting blood pressure, breathing and controlling gastrointestinal motility; the sympathetic nerves can make your heart beat faster, cause blood vessels in your limbs to constrict, and make you sweat; while the excitement of the parasympathetic nerves can slow down and weaken your heartbeat.

The neck is a "signal light" for other diseases. Research released at the annual meeting of the American Professional Sleep Association showed that people with thick necks are more likely to suffer from sleep apnea. The MRC Clinical Science Center and the Framingham Heart Research Institute in the United States surveyed 3,300 volunteers with an average age of 51 and pointed out that the thicker the neck, the higher the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and diabetes.

From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, the neck is also the place where the meridians of the whole body pass through. Li Jinxue introduced that five important meridians of the human body, including the Du meridian, bladder meridian, small intestine meridian, gallbladder meridian and triple burner meridian, all pass through the back of the neck and shoulders. If the meridians are not unobstructed, their functions will be affected.

Keep your head and chest up to protect your neck

Zhou Shiwei, director of the rehabilitation department of Taiwan's Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, gave several simple ways to protect the neck.

Salt cloth bags work great. Sew a long pocket, put the large salt grains in it, seal it and heat it in the microwave for a few minutes. Place your pillow under your neck when you sleep every day, until you feel the warmth, which can relieve neck discomfort.

Fly more kites and swim more. Lowering your head or leaning forward for too long can cause neck pain. Flying a kite or swimming are both good ways to relieve neck stress.

Stand with your head and chest out. Some people tend to hunch their backs and stretch their necks forward when standing, which increases the stress on the neck. The simple action of keeping your head up and chest out can reduce the burden on your neck.

Wear a neck pillow when sitting for long periods of time. A comfortable and supportive neck pillow can help people who sit for long periods of time adjust their necks to the correct position and curve. However, the neck pillow only has an auxiliary role and cannot be used as a treatment method.

Only by lying down can you get a complete rest. Zhang Hude, professor of the Health Care Room at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, pointed out that if you want your neck to have a complete rest, you can only lie flat. For those who are used to sleeping on their backs, you can flatten the middle of the pillow before going to bed and raise the position of the neck. The height of the pillow should be the same as the height of your fist. When lying on your side, the height of the pillow should be consistent with the height of one and a half fists, preferably 10-15 cm.