Neck Pain
Without a doubt, neck pain is one of the most common complaints we see at Integrated Healthcare Centers. Considering the time people spend at their workstations or on their digital devices at home, it’s no surprise that many suffer from neck pain.
It’s rare for neck pain to be a symptom of a more serious problem. If, however, your neck pain is accompanied by numbness or loss of strength in your arms or hands or if you have shooting pain into your shoulder or down your arm, seek medical care immediately.
New Patients
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of neck pain include the following:
Muscle tightness and spasms
A decreased ability to move your head
Headache
Common causes
Because your neck is flexible and supports the weight of your head, it can be susceptible to injuries and conditions that result in pain and restricted motion. Here are some of the most common causes of neck pain:
Muscle strains. Things like sitting for many hours hunched over your computer often trigger muscle strains. Even reading in bed—especially if you don’t have proper neck support—can strain neck muscles.
Worn joints. As you age, your neck joints tend to wear down. Osteoarthritis causes the cushions (cartilage) between your bones (vertebrae) to deteriorate. Your body then develops bone spurs that affect joint motion and cause pain.
Nerve compression. Herniated disks or bone spurs in the vertebrae of your neck can put pressure on the nerves that branch out from the spinal cord.
Injuries. A rear-end auto collision often results in a whiplash injury. This type of injury occurs when the head is jerked backward and then forward, resulting in the soft tissues of the neck being strained.
How We Can Help
Depending on the cause of the neck pain, we will use chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue care including cupping, percussion massage, manual myofascial release, Graston, or spinal decompression/laser for disc issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long until patients typically notice relief?
Do you take any special precautions when adjusting the neck?
How do you calm a nervous patient?
A Patient Success Story
A male patient came in with neck strain symptoms due to sport and other activities that severely limited his range of motion. He had pain from turning his head and started to feel some referral to his upper arms and shoulders. He was apprehensive of being adjusted due to pain and general fear of “neck cracking.”
We initially examined him to determine a diagnosis and which technique to use. Our treatment included soft tissue care using Graston, percussion tool, and laser therapy to reduce pain and muscle guarding. We were able to use our instrument to adjust his neck with range of motion, and manually adjusted his upper back instead.
The patient returned within two days and could already turn more, and allowed us to manually adjust the neck, which worked great. He had full restoration of ROM after that visit within 24 hours, and the pain had reduced considerably, allowing him to return to sport. He continued rehab care with us to resolve the underlying cause, which was his shoulder blades and upper back muscles, which ultimately led to his neck strain. This was a case of solving the pain puzzle first, before addressing the root cause.
Schedule an Appointment
You don’t have to put up with neck pain. Take that first step toward relief by contacting us today to book an appointment.
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