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What is neck pain?
Neck pain can be so mild that it is
merely annoying and distracting. Or it
can be so severe that it is unbearable
and incapacitating. Most instances of
neck pain (and stiffness) are minor and
commonly caused by something you did.
That is, if you keep your head in an
awkward position for too long the joints
in your neck can "lock" and the neck
muscles can become painfully fatigued.
The price you pay for carelessness in
how you position your head and neck
(say, while working, watching TV, using
a computer, reading a book, or talking
on the phone with the receiver held
against your shoulder and under your
chin), is a pain in the neck. You may be
one of the many unfortunates who, after
a long and tiring day, has "harmlessly"
fallen asleep in a chair or in bed with
your head propped up, only to awake with
a stiff and painful neck. Fortunately,
most minor, posture-induced neck pain
episodes clear up on their own after
rest and efforts not to repeat the
offending stresses on the neck.
But neck pain
that just won't go away after a day or
so is a more serious matter. Neck pain
that lasts for many days or keeps coming
back is a signal that something isn't
right. Disease, an injury (such as
whiplash in an auto accident), a
congenital malformation, or progressive
degeneration that can come with age may
be responsible for the more significant
pain you experience. An expert must
determine the underlying causes of such
neck pain. Examination, diagnosis and
treatment by a doctor of chiropractic
can relieve your mind and may quickly
relieve your pain.
Who suffers from neck pain?
Almost everyone experiences some sort of
neck pain or stiffness at one time or
another. Because you are human and walk
upright, your head is "balanced" atop
your spinal column. If the muscles that
support your head are not kept strong
and in good condition, the upper part of
your spinal column is vulnerable to
strains and injuries.
Older people, whose joints have been
worn by much use over time, are subject
to osteoarthritis (also known as
degenerative joint disease or DJD). When
this form of
arthritis
hits your back and neck, you feel it as
neck pain that gets worse over time. The
pain may radiate into your shoulders and
arms, and you may feel numbness or
tingling in hands and fingers. Arthritis
can also involve
symptoms
including headaches, dizziness, and even
a grating/grinding feeling when you move
your head. It is very important for your
chiropractor to examine you to rule out
osteoarthritis or identify it and see
that it is properly treated.
What can chiropractic do?
Doctors of chiropractic have the
training and skills to relieve your neck
pain, overcome stiffness, and restore
the mobility and range of motion of any
frozen neck vertebrae. They are devoted
to helping you get back to your normal
pursuits and start feeling like yourself
again.
Perhaps their most important
contribution is their ability to bring
their specialized diagnostic skills,
techniques, and equipment to bear in
assessing what is causing your neck
problems. Your chiropractor can
determine if you have a relatively minor
and treatable condition or a more
serious underlying condition (from
disease, degeneration, or trauma) that
may require more intensive, extended
treatment or referral to a specialist.
Your chiropractor will ask you for
detailed information on your behavior,
posture, physical condition, and work
and home environment He or she will
obtain x-rays and other diagnostic
images to pinpoint which of many
possible causes is a responsible for
your discomfort. Only then will the
appropriate treatment be recommended.
Chiropractic, Massage & Spinal
Decompression are the most effective
treatments for Neck Pain.
Once your normal feeling and function is
restored, your chiropractor will be
available to keep the muscles and joints
of your neck and back in optimum
condition to prevent recurrence of neck
pain and related life-restricting
symptoms. |