Neck Pain
Our Spinecare Adelaide chiropractors find that at least half of people consulting our practices are looking for relief from neck pain. Neck pain is becoming increasingly common and at times a debilitating condition that can interfere with a person’s ability to manage their day-to-day activities.
What causes neck pain?
Due to the intricate system of the neck, many different structures can be the cause of neck pain. Sometimes neck pain can begin with trauma such as motor vehicle accidents or falls, which can often result in a whiplash injury. Neck pain can also begin from minor daily activities such as drying your hair, reading a book and more commonly by using the computer or laptop either at work or in the home.Structures such as the joints, discs, nerves and muscles can all contribute or cause neck pain. In most cases neck pain is due to restriction within the joints or to spasm of the muscles and ligaments leading to nerve irritation. When the disc itself becomes inflamed, bulges or even herniates then symptoms can be very severe. When a disc herniation, disc bulge or disc injury are the cause, direct irritation to the nerves exiting the spine can occur. If spinal problems are left uncorrected, spinal degeneration over time can lead to further complications in the future.
Other triggers for neck pain can include: poor posture, excessive and persistent emotional stress, birth trauma, underlying structural abnormalities, disease processes and degenerative changes such as arthritis. Neck pain and dysfunction is not only a problem for adults but can affect people of all ages. Teenagers and school children studying hard at school or improper wearing of back packs can lead to neck strain. Even infants especially with birth complications and trauma can have dysfunction in the neck area.
What does neck pain feel like?
Neck pain can often begin with sharp pain and a very limited range of motion, especially if it is due to trauma. When the problem becomes more chronic, the pain is often a generalized ache with stiffness, tenderness and restrictions in the movement of the head and neck.Frequently, pain is either felt one side or another and can extend down towards the mid-back and across the shoulders causing upper back pain. When there is increased nerve irritation in the neck, further pain can develop down the arms, as well as numbness, tingling and muscle weakness from pinched nerves. As well as pain down the arms, pain is often referred into the head leading to headaches, migraines, dizziness and even facial pain.
How can Spinecare Chiropractic help neck pain?
While many people look for medication such as pain killers and anti-inflammatories when they suffer from neck pain, these should only be considered as temporary relief. While medication may reduce the symptomatic pain, it does not address the underlying problem.
Chiropractic care has consistently been shown to be effective in relieving neck pain in the short and long term, by addressing the deeper problems connected to the spine. Spinecare’s Adelaide chiropractors can help by firstly providing a thorough spinal examination to determine the cause of your neck pain during Your Initial Consultation. Once the cause is determined, our Adelaide chiropractor’s will sit down and explain your findings so that you know exactly what we believe is the problem during Your Report of Findings. Our chiropractor’s will recommend a course of care and outline their expectations before beginning any treatment. Spinecare Chiropractic prides itself on providing safe, professional and painless treatment for neck pain relief. As well as our work in the clinic, our chiropractors may also provide advice, stretches or exercises to speed up your recovery and reduce the chance of future relapses.