How Can Chiropractic Care Relieve Neck Pain?

How Can Chiropractic Care Relieve Neck Pain?

The neck, also called the cervical spine, contains several vertebrae and begins at the base of the skull. It supports the full weight of the head, which weighs about 12 pounds on average. The neck can move the head in almost every direction. However, this flexibility makes it susceptible to injury and pain. 

 

Why Is the Neck Susceptible to Injury and Pain?

This susceptibility is mainly due to the neck’s biomechanics. Some of the events, activities, and conditions that can affect your neck’s biomechanics include:

 

• Repetitive movement
   

• Extended sitting
   

• Falls
   

• Accidents
   

• Osteoarthritis
   

• Degenerative disc disease
   

• Spinal stenosis
   

• Aging
   

• Blows to your head or body
   

• Normal wear and tear
  
   

Neck pain can be quite troublesome. Fortunately, chiropractic care can help relieve neck pain and related symptoms. 

 

Chiropractic Care for Neck Pain

Chiropractic therapy is a non-surgical and drug-free treatment option. Common neck conditions that chiropractors treat include whiplash, cervical sprain injuries, and facet joint injury. They also treat cervical intervertebral disc injuries and degenerative joint syndrome. 

 

How Do Chiropractors Diagnose Neck Pain?

Chiropractors evaluate the whole spine to check for any problems in other regions of the neck, lower back, and mid back. In addition to using different techniques to treat the spine, chiropractors also treat the whole person. Essentially, they do not only treat the symptoms of neck pain, but the root cause. 

 

Your chiropractor may also educate you on lifestyle goals, stress management, and nutrition in addition to treating your neck pain. Your chiropractor will conduct a thorough examination to determine the cause of the pain. This will help them choose the appropriate treatment approach. 

 

They will then check for any areas of restricted movement. They will also look at your spinal alignment, posture, and how you walk. These things will help them understand your biomechanics. 

 

In addition to undergoing a physical exam, you will also need to share your medical history with your chiropractor. To help diagnose the specific cause of the pain you are experiencing in your neck, your chiropractor may order an MRI or X-ray. These steps will give them the information required to create a customized treatment plan for you. 

 

Your chiropractor will also determine whether your condition requires surgical treatment. If it does, they will refer you to a spine surgeon. 

 

How Chiropractors Treat Neck Pain

Chiropractors typically use a combination of manual therapy, spinal manipulation, and other treatment techniques to relieve neck pain. Some of the spinal manipulation techniques they use include specific spinal manipulation, instrument-assisted spinal manipulation, and flexion-distraction technique. 

 

Your chiropractor may also use certain manual therapies to relieve your neck pain. These include trigger point therapy, instrument-assisted soft tissue therapy, therapeutic massage, and manual joint resistance and stretching techniques. 

 

Other Chiropractic Therapies Used to Treat Neck Pain

Your chiropractor may use inferential electrical stimulation and ultrasound to ease your neck pain. They may also recommend therapeutic exercises to help improve the overall range of movement in your neck. These exercises can also prevent your neck pain from worsening. However, the actual treatment plan depends on the diagnosis made by the chiropractor.

To learn how chiropractic care can help relieve neck pain or to schedule an appointment, call Ogden Wellness Center at our office in Ogden, Utah at (801) 406-3949 today.