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What are the Symptoms of Neck Pain?
Here at Pure Chiropractic, we are committed to providing you the highest quality care and to enable our patients to live life to the fullest. Neck pain can come in a number of forms and a variety of differing symptoms. Some of the discomfort is much greater than others and we’re here to help the people of Howell become pain free.
According to spine-health.com, some of the more common symptoms of neck pain include the following:
- Stiffness in the Neck – This can be very common, where the pain is most noticeable in the movement of the head from side to side.
- General Neck Pain – A pain in a particular part of the neck, which might be an ache or sore to the touch.
- Radiating Pain – The neck pain can spread into the both the shoulders, the arms and even the hands. On occasions this can lead to a numbness or a ‘pins and needles’ sensation, making it difficult to hold or grip objects in the more extreme cases. This kind of neck complaint will usually only show these symptoms in one arm.
- Headaches – Neck pain can have an effect on the nerves and muscles connected to the head, leading to headaches. Many patients will suffer from tension headaches due to neck issues.
Neck pain can come on for a variety of reasons. A patient might suffer a simple strain or a sudden movement can cause the onset of pain – whiplash in an automobile accident is a very common cause. Other problems might be caused by a degenerative complaint and poor posture.
Neck pain is caused by a variety of factors. Sometimes the pain is due to an accident or whiplash. Other times it can be caused by a strain or poor posture. Degenerative discs can also contribute to neck pain.
Here at Pure Chiropractic, we are committed to providing you the highest quality care and to enable our patients to live life to the fullest. Neck pain can come in a number of forms and a variety of differing symptoms. Some of the discomfort is much greater than others and we’re here to help the people of Howell become pain free.
According to spine-health.com, some of the more common symptoms of neck pain include the following:
- Stiffness in the Neck – This can be very common, where the pain is most noticeable in the movement of the head from side to side.
- General Neck Pain – A pain in a particular part of the neck, which might be an ache or sore to the touch.
- Radiating Pain – The neck pain can spread into the both the shoulders, the arms and even the hands. On occasions this can lead to a numbness or a ‘pins and needles’ sensation, making it difficult to hold or grip objects in the more extreme cases. This kind of neck complaint will usually only show these symptoms in one arm.
- Headaches – Neck pain can have an effect on the nerves and muscles connected to the head, leading to headaches. Many patients will suffer from tension headaches due to neck issues.
Neck pain can come on for a variety of reasons. A patient might suffer a simple strain or a sudden movement can cause the onset of pain – whiplash in an automobile accident is a very common cause. Other problems might be caused by a degenerative complaint and poor posture.
Neck pain is caused by a variety of factors. Sometimes the pain is due to an accident or whiplash. Other times it can be caused by a strain or poor posture. Degenerative discs can also contribute to neck pain.
What is a Chiropractic Adjustment?
According to the General Chiropractic Council (GCC), chiropractic is “a health profession concerned with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, and the effects of these disorders on the function of the nervous system and general health”.
A chiropractor is a doctor who takes a conservative care approach which will not include the use of drugs, surgery or rehabilitation techniques which might be found in conventional western medicine. A range of techniques will be used to treat disorders in the bones, joints and muscles, using a hands-on approach with a focus on a spinal adjustment. A chiropractor will also consider other lifestyle factors such as:
- Diet
- Exercise
- Lifestyle
- Work Life
How Can a Chiropractic Adjustment Help Neck Pain?
The doctors here at Pure Chiropractic have a passion for having a positive impact on the life of our patients, enabling a fit and healthy lifestyle. Upon becoming a patient at the clinic, care will start with an overall assessment, where the doctor will initially locate the source of the pain or health concern. They will also discuss the symptoms and how they affect the patient’s life. The doctor will also discuss the treatment and care plan.
The chiropractor will perform both physical and neurological tests. The physical tests will involve posture and physical assessments, and an examination of the range of motion and pain causing motion in particular. The chiropractor will also examine the curvature and alignment of the spine and look for any muscle spasm in an examination of the shoulders. The neurological side of the assessment will see the chiropractor check the muscle strength, the spread of the pain and test the reflexes. On occasions a chiropractor may also ask for further tests on the patient, such as an X-ray.
According to spineuniverse.com, some of the most effective treatments for neck pain include the following:
- Therapeutic Massage
- Spinal Adjustments
- Manual Joint Stretching and Resistance Techniques
- Instrument –assisted soft tissue therapy
- Traction on the vibe plates
Our team of doctors at Pure Chiropractic will use these methods and more, each patient receiving appropriate individual treatment based upon our initial assessment. We are committed to offering each and every patient a level of care that will allow them to achieve their own personal health goals. Our doctors pride themselves on taking a more natural approach in aiding our patients to achieve a higher level of well being.
In a number of different studies, chiropractic care has been proven to be more effective than conventional western counterparts.
A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 2002 stated, “In our randomized, controlled trial, we compared the effectiveness of manual therapy, physical therapy, and continued care by a general practitioner in patients with nonspecific neck pain. The success rate at seven weeks was twice as high for the manual therapy group (68.3 percent) as for the continued care group (general practitioner). Manual therapy scored better than physical therapy on all outcome measures. Patients receiving manual therapy had fewer absences from work than patients receiving physical therapy or continued care…”
Another study published in the British Medical Journal in 2003 saw 183 patients with neck pain randomly allocated to manual therapy (spinal manipulation), physiotherapy and general practitioner care (counseling, education and drugs) in a 52 week study. The study concluded that manual therapy resulted in faster recovery than physiotherapy and general practitioner care, while costs for those allocated to manual therapy were significantly lower than the alternatives.
What are the Benefits of Chiropractic Treatment?
At Pure Chiropractic nothing delights us more than being able to offer our patients the opportunity of living a life free of subluxations and providing the best healthcare. By offering a more natural style of care, patients can expect the care at our office to have a positive effect on both their health and lifestyle.
At Pure Chiropractic nothing delights us more than being able to offer our patients the opportunity of living a life free of subluxations and providing the best healthcare. By offering a more natural style of care, patients can expect the care at our office to have a positive effect on both their health and lifestyle.
There are a wide range of benefits a patient can expect after a visit to our clinic and these include:
- Muscle Relaxation in the neck – A therapeutic massage will ease that tension in the neck muscles.
- Manual joint stretching will also help reduce any pain felt in the neck area, while resistance techniques can also help pain relief.
- Range of Motion – The techniques used above will also aid in the pain free range of head and neck movement, especially in the movement of the head from side to side.
- Spinal Alignment – Spinal alignment is achieved using a number of different techniques. Instrument assisted adjustment is used to apply a gentle force into the spine. Flexion-distraction technique involves a gentle spinal adjustment using a pumping action on the intervertebral disc. Specific spinal adjustment targets particular areas of the spine using a gentle, specific technique with the hands.
- Improved Posture – Many forms of neck pain can simply be the cause of a poor posture. A chiropractor will look at how you walk and also look at other factors lifestyle factors, such as whether you are set in one position at work for a number of hours.
- Fewer Headaches - A 2014 report in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT) found that chiropractic care improved both chronic and acute neck pain, which is largest cause of primary headaches. Primary headaches account for 95% of headaches, including tension and cluster headaches as well as migraines.
Chiropractic has also been shown to decrease stress, relieve muscle tension, increase energy levels and give a boost to your immune system.
Come and give us a visit at Pure Chiropractic and see for yourself how our experienced, expert and friendly team in Howell, MI can make a positive impact on your health and lifestyle.
Relieve Neck Pain Today
Don’t settle for a life of discomfort and pain medications. Contact us today to get the best care by a Chiropractic doctor that can help your neck pain at the source and provide you with lasting relief.