Neck Pain
Your neck, also called your cervical spine, starts at the base of the skull and contains seven vertebrae. Incredibly the cervical spine supports the full weight of your head which averages about 10 -12 pounds. While your cervical spine can move your head in nearly every direction, it is this very flexibility which makes your neck susceptible to pain and injury and a significant restriction in movement is a sign of spinal injury or gradual spinal decay and needs attention.
-
★★★★★ When I arrived on Friday I was in agony, when I left an hour later I was able to walk without pain for the first time that day.
-
★★★★★ Since January, I have been having weekly adjustments which have greatly improved my upper back and neck problem, something I have suffered from for 15 years. The staff are friendly and helpful and Dr Wilson certainly knows what he’s talking about.
Causes of Neck Pain May Include:
Injury
When the head and neck are forced suddenly backward and immediately forward with a great deal of force this is referred to as whiplash. The sudden movement can injure the soft tissues along and near the cervical spine and can also cause damage to the ligaments and muscles. This type of injury commonly occurs in a car accident.
Poor Posture
Whether it’s at work or home, poor posture can lead to neck problems. If a person’s head is often tilted forward for long periods of time, then the neck’s muscles, tendons, and ligaments need to work harder. Poor posture can be problematic during any number of activities including working at a computer, watching TV, riding the train, reading a book, gardening and more. ‘Text neck‘ for example is an increasingly common problem that develops in anyone who spends hours looking down at their phone while texting.
Trivial Episodes
This type of injury occurs when you are undertaking normal daily activities which can be as simple as getting out of bed, reaching for a cup of tea, turning your head to talk to someone on the bus behind you. They are characterised by being just part of the normal simple things that you do every day, the things you cannot avoid and would never guess would cause a problem. They let us know that the neck, whilst being pain-free, is not functioning well and needs attention. Problems that have built slowly over a period of time become obvious during times of stress, tiredness, dehydration and sometimes just busyness. These types of injury can be very serious and result in significant tissue damage to joints, muscles, discs, and nerve tissue.
Getting Older
Many people experience wear and tear on the cervical spine over time. It’s common for the discs to gradually lose hydration and the ability to cushion the spine’s vertebrae. This is more common for those who undertake repeated neck movements throughout their lives such as computer work, looking down such as food preparation or for those who do not undertake much movement in their neck and shoulders. However, if a disc degenerates enough it can lead to painful irritation of a cervical nerve in various ways, such as a herniated disc, pinched nerve or changes in the facet joints that can cause arthritis. Even chronic tightness of the delicate muscle of the neck can result in neck pain and stiffness sometimes with nerve referral into other places such as the arm pain or even into the head as a type of neck-related headache.
Other signs of changes to the spine to look out for include being unable to touch your toes or mid-shin when forward bending, having difficulty in getting up off the ground and being unable to perform one sit-up or press-up. Different leg lengths or changes in the level of the pelvis, shoulders or head and an inability to reach both arms above the head are also important indicators that all is not well.
Neck Adjustments
Chiropractors use the term adjustment rather than manipulation because not all treatment that is performed is manipulative and many clients do not have spinal manipulation at all. At Inspired Chiropractic we provide tailored care for each individual to ensure that the best results are obtained as quickly and as comfortably as possible and we will discuss these options with you.
Manipulation for neck pain and for some types of headaches are precise adjustments, gentle controlled forces, which are used to restore motion to the neck and upper back. Cervical manipulation improves joint mobility in the neck, restores range of motion and reduces muscle spasm which helps relieve pressure and tension. Clients typically notice an improved ability to turn and tilt the head and a reduction of pain, soreness, and stiffness. This manipulation, when undertaken by a trained chiropractor, has been shown to be very safe and highly effective.
Another approach is to use mobilisation and tonal techniques that can provide safe and effective restoration to the proper function of the neck and allow the body to heal. By having a large range of different approaches we can provide safe, comfortable care for those with types of arthritis, osteoporosis, for those with a history of vascular problems and also for children.
Our chiropractor will develop a personalised programme of care which recognises that your needs are unique.
Many clients come with pain based issues that they have experienced for several years and are delighted to find that we can help them get better – permanently.
Be the Best Version of You
If you, your family or friends have neck pain, call our office today on 01603 764777 or email reception@inspiredchiropractic.com to make an appointment now.
★★★★★
Inspired Chiropractic has really helped me over the past few years. I first came in when my little boy was only 5 weeks old (he is now 3), having had a ‘crisis’ with my neck. I have had continued care, through all sorts of issues both physical and personal. Dr Jonathan and his staff have helped through all this, even down to advice with childcare! All the staff are so welcoming and friendly, it really is a very caring practice. Samantha S
