Neck pain, also known as cervical pain, affects millions of people on a regular basis. It can start as a minor issue and set in motion as a debilitating discomfort in the long run. A variety or combination of risk factors could cause one to suffer from neck pain like trauma or injury, repetitive stress, and other health conditions. Dealing with neck pain is not at all painful or intimidating. Most are easily rectified by using advice and techniques from healthcare professionals such as chiropractors.
The Neck Pain Center
Our neck is a complex structure composed of small vertebrae, intervertebral discs, the spinal cord, nerve roots, vascular elements, muscles, and ligaments. It has amazing mobility capabilities such as being able to move 90° both forward and backward motion, 180° of side to side rotation, and almost 120° of tilt to either shoulder. These fascinating abilities of our neck in terms of structure and mobility make the neck more susceptible to neck problems.
Symptoms
About 2 in 3 people develop episodes of neck pain at some time in their lives. It can disappear in days and the discomfort is often manageable. Neck pain is commonly associated with headache, facial pain, shoulder pain, and arm numbness or tingling. Neck pain can make your neck stiff or tender, headaches that may last for months; the pain radiates to the upper back, shoulders, or arms, and worsens with every movement.
Nerve-related symptoms for neck pain may include numbness, tingling, or weakness in the arm or hand, sudden and shocking pain that extends into the arm or hand, burning sensation when touched on the skin of the arm or hand, leg numbness or weakness, and loss of bladder and bowel control. If any of these nerve-related symptoms are felt, it is important to seek immediate help from a healthcare provider because these can be symptoms of an underlying serious disease.
Causes
Many simple things can trigger neck pain like prolonged poor posture and natural aging. Minor strains and sprains to muscles or ligaments in the neck can cause 'simple' or 'mechanical' neck pains; accidents such as a car crash can also cause neck pain due to 'whiplash' or sudden jolt to the neck; and wear and tear of the spinal bones and the discs between the vertebrae is another common cause of persistent neck pain among older people. More serious and rarer causes can also cause neck pain such as rheumatoid arthritis, bone disorders, infections, cancers, and serious injuries that damage the vertebrae, spinal cord or nerves in the neck.
Chiropractic Neck Pain Treatment
Patients who are suffering from neck pain must see a healthcare specialist to evaluate the cause of the problem for proper diagnosis. Symptoms must be carefully noted because it can be more serious than how it generally feels. Depending on the extent of the problem and severity of pain, there are various treatment plans customised to the need of the patient. Because less than 5% of neck pain patients will need surgery, there are a lot of options for neck pain patients to try before surgery like chiropractic care.
Generally, chiropractors evaluate not just your neck, but the whole spine; the whole person and not just the symptoms. Chiropractic care can improve the following neck conditions such as whiplash, cervical sprain injuries, cervical intervertebral disc injuries that don’t require surgery, degenerative joint syndrome of the neck, or facet joint sprain.
As part of your treatment plan for neck pain, chiropractors may use a combination of spinal manipulation, manual therapy, and other techniques (Trigger Point Therapy, Flexion-Distraction Method, Inferential Electrical Stimulation, Ultrasound, and more).
The longer you have a neck problem the harder it is to get rid of it. So, book a chiropractic assessment now to help get a diagnosis and effective treatment programme for your neck pain.
The Neck Pain Center
Our neck is a complex structure composed of small vertebrae, intervertebral discs, the spinal cord, nerve roots, vascular elements, muscles, and ligaments. It has amazing mobility capabilities such as being able to move 90° both forward and backward motion, 180° of side to side rotation, and almost 120° of tilt to either shoulder. These fascinating abilities of our neck in terms of structure and mobility make the neck more susceptible to neck problems.
Symptoms
About 2 in 3 people develop episodes of neck pain at some time in their lives. It can disappear in days and the discomfort is often manageable. Neck pain is commonly associated with headache, facial pain, shoulder pain, and arm numbness or tingling. Neck pain can make your neck stiff or tender, headaches that may last for months; the pain radiates to the upper back, shoulders, or arms, and worsens with every movement.
Nerve-related symptoms for neck pain may include numbness, tingling, or weakness in the arm or hand, sudden and shocking pain that extends into the arm or hand, burning sensation when touched on the skin of the arm or hand, leg numbness or weakness, and loss of bladder and bowel control. If any of these nerve-related symptoms are felt, it is important to seek immediate help from a healthcare provider because these can be symptoms of an underlying serious disease.
Causes
Many simple things can trigger neck pain like prolonged poor posture and natural aging. Minor strains and sprains to muscles or ligaments in the neck can cause 'simple' or 'mechanical' neck pains; accidents such as a car crash can also cause neck pain due to 'whiplash' or sudden jolt to the neck; and wear and tear of the spinal bones and the discs between the vertebrae is another common cause of persistent neck pain among older people. More serious and rarer causes can also cause neck pain such as rheumatoid arthritis, bone disorders, infections, cancers, and serious injuries that damage the vertebrae, spinal cord or nerves in the neck.
Chiropractic Neck Pain Treatment
Patients who are suffering from neck pain must see a healthcare specialist to evaluate the cause of the problem for proper diagnosis. Symptoms must be carefully noted because it can be more serious than how it generally feels. Depending on the extent of the problem and severity of pain, there are various treatment plans customised to the need of the patient. Because less than 5% of neck pain patients will need surgery, there are a lot of options for neck pain patients to try before surgery like chiropractic care.
Generally, chiropractors evaluate not just your neck, but the whole spine; the whole person and not just the symptoms. Chiropractic care can improve the following neck conditions such as whiplash, cervical sprain injuries, cervical intervertebral disc injuries that don’t require surgery, degenerative joint syndrome of the neck, or facet joint sprain.
As part of your treatment plan for neck pain, chiropractors may use a combination of spinal manipulation, manual therapy, and other techniques (Trigger Point Therapy, Flexion-Distraction Method, Inferential Electrical Stimulation, Ultrasound, and more).
The longer you have a neck problem the harder it is to get rid of it. So, book a chiropractic assessment now to help get a diagnosis and effective treatment programme for your neck pain.