Neck Pain – Chiropractic Care

Dr. Anthea Holder – Chiropractor Burwood

 

Neck pain is very common, affecting 30% to 50% of adults in the general population in any given year. Chiropractic can be an effective treatment and management of neck pain.

What causes neck pain:

The neck is the spine portion between the head and the shoulders. It consists of the vertebrae, the discs between them, the spinal cord and nerves, and the soft tissues (muscles, ligaments, and tendons) that hold it all together. The neck is responsible for several roles including, protecting the spinal cord, providing support and movement to the head, and assisting the blood flow to the brain. Stressing the neck through poor posture and everyday activities can lead to a variety of painful conditions. Pain can be felt in the neck itself or referred to the head, arms, hands, fingers, shoulders, and midback.

 

Common forms of neck pain

1. Posture-related neck pain. Poor posture can lead to a forward head carriage. This is when your head juts forward and you get a hump at the base of your neck, between your shoulders.  This places undue stress on the structures of the neck, including the joints, soft tissues, discs, and nerves. It can lead to neck pain, headache (read about tension headaches here). Some causes include poor desk posture, looking down at phones and other screens, sleeping on your stomach with your neck twisted all night.
2. Torticollis or Wry Neck. This is when the muscles of the neck go into an acute spasm. It severely limits movement and may be very painful. The causes are varied and often unknown. Many people just “wake up with it”. Often one side is more affected than the other.
3. Whiplash. The third most common cause of neck pain that I see in my chiropractic clinic. Whiplash to the neck is any injury of the neck when there is a sudden jolt to the neck. Most commonly seen in car accidents when the neck is jerked forwards or backward, but also can be from a fall. 

Neck problems are commonly postural and develop over a number of years from micro-traumas such as: sitting still too long, lying on the couch with neck tilted to the side, repetitive movements, sleeping in poor postures, looking at a computer screen that is too low, looking down at a phone screen, etc. Most of the time these injuries build over time and nothing is thought about it until it hurts too much to bear. Then we seek help.

How chiropractic care can help:

Chiropractic adjustments of the neck and spine correct the biomechanical dysfunction that can cause the symptoms. This can be supplemented with deep tissue massage used to help reduce the muscle spasms around the spinal joint. The treatment often includes at-home stretching and postural strengthening, along with lifestyle advice, to prevent the problem from reoccurring.

 

Dr. Anthea Holder – chiropractor,  is trained and experienced in the management of neck back pain.

 

How to Make an Appointment

You can book online for a free 15-minute chiropractic discovery call. You can ask any questions you might have and find out if chiropractic may be able to help your neck pain. Or you can book in online as a new chiropractic client.

As a chiropractor and nutritionist, I see patients daily that breakthrough aches and pains and reverse the signs of aging joints with chiropractic care. With help, they can turn their life around to a happier, healthier version of themselves. Make yourself a priority today, and get back to living life at your best.