Your neck has a tough job. It has to hold, stabilize, and move the weight of your head every day for a lifetime. Holding up 11 pounds may not seem like a lot, but the seven bones and 20 neck muscles need to work together in perfect harmony to move your head around and keep that weight balanced. Postural changes, sudden injuries, and arthritis are a few of the primary causes of neck pain. Pain can often be traced to a problem with your neck’s muscles, bones, discs, or nerves.
Why Does My Neck Hurt?
If you’ve ever been unable to turn your head for a day or two, you know how debilitating and life-changing neck pain can be. The sharp muscle spasms that restrict your ability to move can happen when your body tries to protect a spinal joint that isn’t moving correctly. Almost every bone in your neck has a pair of sliding joints towards the back called facet joints. If an adhesion forms or the joint is stuck, your body will try to compensate or work around the issue for a little while. But, over time, this compensation can cause additional challenges.
Of course, there’s lots of other common causes for neck pain – Sudden injuries, arthritis, and postural issues can all contribute to neck pain, put simply, it’s a fairly vulnerable part of your body.
Pain in your neck is your body’s way of saying “pain attention”! Even if it eases up by the end of the day, it’s smart to look into the issue and try to correct it. At the very least, wouldn’t you rather have a full range of motion! Movement assessments are part of our examination and provide us with incredible information about your body, as Chiropractors, we believe that by taking a proactive approach to your health today, you may be able to prevent future episodes of neck pain and stiffness.
Stenosis – How Neck Compression Affects Your Entire Body
If you’ve been diagnosed with spinal stenosis, you’re not alone. This condition, affecting millions, is a leading cause of spine surgery in those over 65. Spinal stenosis, the narrowing of spinal spaces, results in pressure on the nerves travelling through the spine. While surgery is one option, chiropractic care offers a non-invasive alternative.
Severe pinching in the neck can impact mobility, and many chiropractic techniques focus on relieving spinal cord pressure associated with spinal stenosis. After chiropractic care, patients often report decreased symptoms, improved ability to walk without pain, and an enhanced overall quality of life. If spinal stenosis is hindering your mobility, schedule a consultation to explore the best treatment options for relief.
Is My Arm Pain Connected to My Neck?
Arm pain can be frustrating, and its connection to the neck may not be immediately apparent. However, arm pain often stems from a nerve issue in the neck. A bulged or herniated disc in the neck can irritate or compress nerves, leading to hand, wrist, and arm pain. Chiropractic adjustments have shown substantial improvement in people with cervical disc herniation, offering a non-surgical approach to long-term relief.[1]
Improving spinal mobility, reducing inflammation, and enhancing posture can help prevent future episodes of neck and arm pain. Most cases of painful arm issues due to a pinched nerve in the neck can find lasting relief through conservative care, such as chiropractic treatment.
Finding Relief from Neck Pain
Neck pain can disrupt daily activities and may stem from various causes, including injury, degenerative spinal changes, or poor posture. With up to 70% of people experiencing neck pain at some point, understanding the source is crucial. Strained muscles and stuck spinal joints are common culprits, causing pain that can often be effectively addressed through a comprehensive plan of chiropractic and complementary care. [2] W
Facet joints, located at the back of the spine, can become fixated and cause pain, while muscle strains may result from poor posture or awkward sleeping positions. The journey to relief often begins by reducing inflammation and improving range of motion[3], with our team focusing on enhancing spinal motion and providing at-home stretches and exercises for continued improvement.
When it comes to Neck Pain – a small adjustment can make a significant difference in your quality of life. Our practice is dedicated to helping you feel and function better by enhancing spinal motion and providing you with at-home exercises. If neck pain has hindered your enjoyment of life, why not reach out to our team for assistance?
[1] Symptomatic, Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Confirmed Cervical Disk Herniation Patients: A Comparative-Effectiveness Prospective Observational Study of 2 Age- and Sex-Matched Cohorts Treated With Either Imaging-Guided Indirect Cervical Nerve Root Injections or Spinal Manipulative Therapy. JMPT 2016
[2] Spinal manipulation, medication, or home exercise with advice for acute and subacute neck pain: a randomized trial. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2012.
[3] Intervertebral Kinematics of the Cervical Spine Before, During, and After High-Velocity Low Amplitude Manipulation. The Spine Journal. 2018.
