Neck Pain Relief
Neck pain is real and can be severe. The cause of the pain can be numerous things and treatment varies. The problem comes in diagnosing the pain since neck pain can come from various sources. Neck pain is most commonly due to tight muscles, a pinched nerve, or vertebral subluxations (where a bone of the spine, also called a “vertebra,” moves out of alignment).
The most common instances of neck pain do not require surgery or medication. However, if left untreated, these problems can become chronic, which may then leave drugs and surgeries as the only option. If you are looking for a non-
Types of neck pain that are good candidates for chiropractic treatment are:
- Disc injuries where surgery is not necessary
- Injuries involving cervical sprains
- Whiplash
- Mis-
aligned vertebrae - Degenerative joint issues
Before any treatment or programs are designed, a physical exam will be completed. Along with this, your medical history will be documented. This will give our chiropractor the information needed to design a specialized treatment program for you.
During the examination, not only your neck, but your entire spine will be examined. You may have neck pain, but it may be originating in another location. There could be lifestyle issues contributing to the pain including diet and stress. Other areas to be examined may be posture and range of motion. The curvature and alignment of your spine will be documented. There should also be testing of muscle strength and reflexes. All of this information helps the chiropractor diagnose the problem areas and develop a treatment program.
Although neck pain can be caused from injuries due to falls and head knocks, there are other factors associated with neck pain. These include activities and jobs with repetitive motions, sitting for long periods, as well as aging and normal deterioration on the neck and spine area.
When you arrive as a new patient in our office, one of our experienced chiropractors will take a thorough history of your problem to determine if we will accept you for care. If he determines that surgery is not required and that your case is one we can accept, then a treatment plan can be established. Because neck pain has so many variables, our doctor will try to isolate the cause. Some questions may be when did the pain begin? Does it radiate to other areas? How are you treating the pain? Does doing things make the pain better or worse? Rate the severity of the pain. All of your answers will assist in the treatment plan. If surgery is needed, you will be referred to a surgeon. The chiropractic care program may include chiropractic adjustments (a specific type of manipulation of the spine, in which chiropractors are trained) some type of massage therapy, physical therapy modalities, and exercises.
Since chiropractic care is holistic care, the treatment program will include all aspects of your life. Included in your program will be nutrition, exercise, daily activities, as well as regular chiropractic sessions. In order to have the maximum pain relief, the entire treatment plan should be followed. There may be lifestyle changes necessary to relieve the pain in your neck.
Some manipulation methods could include a gentle manipulation to improve and/or restore range of motion. While this is done using hands, there can be a manipulation using a handheld instrument. Use of the instrument allows light force to be used without pushing into the spine. Instrument adjustments are effective for treating any area of the spine, including problems in the upper back and lower back pain.
The massage therapy can also be both manual and instrument assisted. This could include joint stretching and muscle massage as well as soft tissue therapy using instruments.
Other treatments are Interferential Electrical Stimulation or stimulation of the neck muscles by using electrical current of low frequency and Ultrasound for stiff muscles.
An exercise program may be developed for you. Exercises to improve range of motion as well as ones to control neck pain may be included. These exercises are for home use as well as in office.
One of the primary treatments may be a neck adjustment. The medical term for this treatment is cervical manipulation, typically used to treat neck joints by using hands. A benefit of this treatment is a greater range of motion and decrease in stiffness resulting in less pain in the neck.
Call us today and start treating and relieving your neck pain! Call (410) 321-7210. And don’t forget to take advantage of our New Patient Special!