If you’ve got a stiff, sore neck, you’re definitely not alone. With more people spending long hours craned over their laptops and computers, and more people who are heavily reliant upon hand-held devices like mobile phones, the average neck is taking a considerable amount of abuse. In many cases, conscious efforts to assume and maintain good posture while engaging in these activities can promote fast and lasting relief. In others, however, changes in how the spine is aligned may require the application of hands-on chiropractic therapies.
Unlike conventional doctors, chiropractors don’t tackle neck problems by prescribing pain medications or recommending extended bed rest. Instead, they take a proactive and needs-specific approach to resolving alignment issues such as pinched or compressed nerves, spinal subluxations, and joint distress. By visiting a chiropractor, you can experience instant and ongoing improvements in both how your neck functions and how it feels.
Some of the most common neck injuries are the result of jarring, impact events. For instance, even being involved in a moderate, and relatively low-speed car accident can lead to whiplash. Whenever the head rocks back and forth on the neck, various structures are subjected to extreme stress. With every patient, chiropractors use diagnostic imaging and comprehensive initial exams to understand why discomfort exists, why movement is limited, and which treatment strategies will provide the fastest and longest-lasting results. Thus, if you’re looking to alleviate your neck pain, consulting with a chiropractor is likely your best bet.
How Chiropractors Address Neck Pain
The best methods for alleviating neck pain are determined by the cause of the discomfort, it’s severity, and the health needs and history of the individual. Many times, chronic neck pain can be relieved and prevented from recurring by simply assuming the right life habits. When this is case, patients are often advised to adjust the heights of their computer screens so that these are at eye-level, and to invest in ergonomic work equipment that helps limit the physical effects of their work days. For some patients, additional lifestyle changes may be recommended as well. These can include:
- Limiting repetitive motion activities
- Correcting bending and lifting techniques
- Performing needs-specific strength-building and stretching exercises
- Weight loss
Postural correction services can teach people how to position and use their bodies effectively, and without causing injury. Sometimes, building strength in the core or abdominal muscles is essential for limiting spinal stress. If you visit an integrative chiropractic clinic for natural neck pain relief, you may even receive nutritional advice and prescriptions for nutritional supplements for correcting deficiencies.
When neck pain is the result of a car crash, a slip and fall event, or any other similar type of accident, spinal manipulation can be used to correct any resulting alignment issues. When the spine is subluxated or misaligned, people can experience sharp, shooting pains in the neck or other areas due to nerve compression. Misalignment of the spine causes both pain in the immediate area of injury, and in multiple secondary areas due to other structures having to overcompensate. Overcompensation often results in muscle spams, decreased mobility, and widespread tension and stress. Both manual and computer-assisted adjustments can promote rapid relief by alleviating this stress, restoring overall balance, and promoting natural healing.
There are many other therapies that can be used with adjustments to expedite improvements in spinal alignment. These include inversion, massage, and acupuncture among others. Services such as hot and cold therapy and ultrasound therapy can additionally be applied to reduce any resulting inflammation, pain, and dysfunction. Given that the spine is both the body’s central support structure, and the “highway” by which nerve to brain and brain to nerve messages are sent, correcting alignment issues can have widespread health benefits. When these messages are able to flow effectively, problems such as:
- Chemical imbalance
- Insomnia
- Lowered immunity
are less likely to occur. In fact, when the spine is properly balanced and aligned, the body becomes infinitely better at both protecting and healing itself. As such, even if you’re already receiving treatment for your neck pain from a conventional doctor or from another practitioner of alternative medicine, chiropractic care can be used to effectively supplement these services and enhance their overall efficacy. If you’ve been living with neck pain and want rapid relief that lasts, we’re here to provide it. Call our office today at 205-637-1363 to learn more about the services we provide, or to schedule a consultation appointment.
