Neck PainRelief Experts
Neck pain often interferes with ability to sleep work, and enjoy time with loved ones. Do not let untreated neck pain interfere with your daily life, schedule an appointment to discover and resolve the root cause.
Neck Pain Relief Experts
Neck pain often interferes with ability to sleep work, and enjoy time with loved ones. Do not let untreated neck pain interfere with your daily life, schedule an appointment to discover and resolve the root cause.
Pain In The Neck!
Neck pain can be a real … pain in the neck. It is experienced by over 30% of individuals yearly and is so common that it is the fourth leading cause of disability in the world.
The worst part is that this terrible pain is not always centralized to the neck. It will often radiate across the entire upper body, which can affect the shoulders, chest, arms, and be a source of headaches. Untreated chronic neck pain can make daily tasks difficult and painful.
Seeking out proper treatment for neck pain is crucial, as debilitating pain may interfere with the ability to sleep, work, and enjoy time with loved ones. Letting a condition such as chronic neck pain persist over time has been shown to have a negative effect on mental health. According to a study on Spine Universe, nearly 85% of patients with chronic pain also suffer from severe depression related to the negative effects of their pain symptoms.
Neck Pain Symptoms
Due to the way that the neck is connected to other parts of the body, symptoms usually expend beyond just the neck muscles. The following pain symptoms are commonly experienced by people with neck pain:
- Loss of normal range of motion (cannot easily turn neck or head)
- Tightened muscles at the back of the head, or “knots” in the muscle. The feeling of tightness can spread to the upper back, shoulders, and arms.
- Headaches are a common in people with neck pain. “Tension” headaches are often caused from the muscle tightness in the neck, which can extend to the top of the head. Many individuals also experience pain in the back of the scalp (occipital region).
- Weakness and pain that shoots down the arm, which is caused by either muscle fatigue or nerve compression. If this is the case, the pain is often experienced along specific nerve roots, such as vertebrae C5 and C6. Vertebrae C5 goes into the deltoids and bicep, while C6 leads to the thumb and index finger.
- When neck pain is caused by compression of the nerves, patients often feel weakness, “pins and needles”, or numbness in the arm, fingers, and hand. Sharp burning pain near the pinched nerve area that will often radiate outwards is common as well.
What Causes Neck Pain?
The neck (cervical spine) begins at the base of the skull and houses seven vertebrae. Overall, it is incredible that the cervical spine is able to support the full weight of the head that weights an average of 12 pounds. The neck also allows for mobility of the head in all directions, but it is this flexibility that also makes it susceptible to various injuries.
Biomechanics are also to blame for neck non-specific neck pain, which are affected during normal activities such as: extended sitting, falls, repetitive motion, accidents, everyday wear, and aging.
According to Mayo Clinic data, some of the most common causes of neck pain are:
- Worn Joints: All joints in the body tend to wear down with age, including the neck. Often times osteoarthritis causes deterioration between bones and vertebrae, which leads to bone spurs that are responsible for joint pain and reduce range of movement.
- Diseases: Specific conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, and meningitis are known to cause neck pain.
- Nerve Compression: The vertebrae in the neck can develop bone spurs or herniated discs which press on the nerves branching out from the spinal cord, resulting in pain symptoms.
- Normal Aging: Normal aging brings health challenges in the form of degenerative disorders such as spinal stenosis, osteoarthritis, and degenerative disc disease.
- Injuries And Accidents: “Whiplash” is a common cause of neck pain, which is characterized by a quick forceful movement of the neck and or head which causes the neck to “rebound” in the opposite direction. This whipping motion is capable of injuring the surrounding tissue of the head and neck. This condition is most commonly experienced in automobile accidents.
- Daily Activities: There are many underlying causes of non-specific neck pain such as obesity, weak abdominal muscles, and poor posture which have a tendency to disrupt spinal balance. This disruption of spinal balance causes the neck to bend forward in compensation.
- Psychological: Emotional stress and tension can also cause neck muscles to tighten and contract, which often contributes to chronic neck pain.
How Is Neck Pain Diagnosed?
When seeing a chiropractic professional for treatment of neck pain symptoms at South Pointe Healthcare, they will generally perform a few exams to identify the root source of pain. They will also ask questions about current symptoms and remedies that you have already tried, and the perceived effectiveness.
It is common for your doctor to observe your range of movement, posture, and physical condition. Your doctor may also feel your spine, noting its alignment and curvature.
When seeing a chiropractor for pain, it is important to note that they are conservative care doctors, meaning that they do not prescribe medication or surgery. If the individual’s case is deemed to be out of the scope of chiropractic care, for example a neck fracture or indications of a disease, they will refer to another medical professional.
Chiropractic Care For Neck Pain
Research evidence has shown that patients who experience chronic neck pain have reported significant improvement in pain relief and range of movement after chiropractic spinal manipulation. According to a study that has been published on the Annals of Internal Medicine, spinal manipulation therapy effectiveness was tested over a period of one year. Some groups received over the counter medications while others received chiropractic care.
The results overwhelmingly showed the benefit of chiropractic care, 53% of patients who received spinal manipulation only, reported a 75% reduction in pain compared to only a 38% reduction in pain for those who took medication only.
Clinic Hours
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
9:00am - 7:00pm
9:00am - 5:00pm
9:00am - 7:00pm
9:00am - 7:00pm
9:00am - 5:00pm
10:00am - 5:00pm
CLOSED
Contact Info
Phone
(303) 665-8444
Fax
(303) 665-8448
Address
150 Old Laramie Trail E #120Lafayette, CO 80026
Take Charge Of Your Health
Primary Care, Chiropractic, and Mental Health – become a part of our integrated healthcare family today!