The neck is the back part of your neck. When you suffer in this region, we speak of neck pain. This pain can be either severe or nagging. Two in three people experience some form of neck pain sometime in life. In most cases, the pain subsides within a few weeks. In 1 in 7 people, however, symptoms persist longer than 6 months. We speak of chronic neck pain in that case.
Chiropractic care is the answer to those long-term symptoms for many people. By taking care of not the complaint, but the underlying cause, our chiropractors repeatedly help people get rid of their persistent symptoms.
The causes of neck pain
In some cases, the cause of symptoms in the neck can be pinpointed directly, such as a fall or a hard bump. However, the cause of complaints in the neck cannot be clearly identified in most cases. Below we will discuss some common causes of neck pain.
Stress
If you are dealing with prolonged stress, chances are you will eventually develop neck pain. Stress often causes you to adopt a posture where you unconsciously tighten your muscles. This tense posture, where the neck and shoulders are raised, can cause symptoms. In fact, constant tightening of these muscles can cause them to become overworked.
A fall or accident
A hard fall or bump can cause more force to be put on the neck than it can handle. This can damage structures such as bones and muscles, causing neck pain. A common result of an accident or severe collision is whiplash. A hard blow throws the head forward and back. This movement also causes the joints and muscles in the neck to take a hard hit. This can lead to a lot of damage in the neck and thus a lot of symptoms. In addition to neck pain, whiplash is often accompanied by headaches and dizziness.
Osteoarthritis
As you age, joints will slowly begin to wear down. As a result of this wear and tear, movements may become painful. Osteoarthritis is a joint disease that does not go away. However, symptoms can be reduced as much as possible through adequate care. Neck pain due to osteoarthritis is chronic, nagging pain.
Neck hernia
The neck is composed of an accumulation of vertebrae. Between these vertebrae is a cartilage disc to ensure that the joints move smoothly. Due to damage, the soft inner part of the cartilage disc protrudes in a neck hernia. This allows it to press against a nerve pathway that sends signals to and from the arm. With a neck hernia, you have symptoms in the neck as well as pain in the arm. The pain is a stabbing pain and is sometimes accompanied by loss of strength and tingling.
Chiropractic care for chronic neck pain
When neck symptoms persist for more than a few days, you can benefit greatly from care by the chiropractor. The chiropractor can use various techniques to improve the mobility of the neck. This can be done both by creating more space for the joints, and applying techniques to ensure that the muscles relax.
The chiropractor’s method of approach depends in part on the type of symptoms you are experiencing and the cause of the symptoms. Therefore, the chiropractor will discuss this in detail with you during the first appointment to then be able to create an appropriate care plan for you.