It’s no exaggeration to say that when you’re suffering from neck pain, it feels as though your whole world is put on pause. Suddenly, even the simplest tasks become complicated endeavors accompanied by a symphony of pain. You can’t exercise. You can’t turn your head suddenly, making even driving hard. You can’t even lift objects, not mention your own neck off your pillow.
Nearly everyone has encountered a stiff neck, strained muscle, or even a sprained ligament in the neck before – but when it comes to this neck pain, it’s different. It’s not just your neck that feels like it’s exploding with pain: your back, shoulders and even your head are all constantly uncomfortable, no doubt as a result of your excruciating neck pain. You’ve tried self-medicating, ice, over-the-counter pain medication, massage, stretching and rest – all to no avail.
Unfortunately, chronic neck pain is often a sign of a far more serious injury, which needs immediate treatment from a medical professional, such as your chiropractor. Neck pain can often be caused by a serious spinal or head injury, so it’s important to leave the treatments to the professionals. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, contact your chiropractor immediately for treatment:
- A shooting pain in your arm whenever you move your neck;
- Frequent headaches;
- Your hands or arms are tingly, or often go numb for long periods of time;
- You cannot touch your chin to your neck without experiencing pain.
- You are moving your body like a robot when turning to look behind you or the side.
- Unable to lift your neck off the pillow and having to use your hands to support.
After seeking out help from your chiropractor, he or she will help to identify and diagnose the actual cause of the neck pain. Oftentimes, neck pain is caused by spinal injuries arising from vigorous activity, or by whiplash. Whiplash is one of the most common causes of neck pain, as sudden and jerking head movements cause the muscles and tendons within the neck to tear. Additionally, neck pain can result from improper posture(which leads to a loss of spinal curvature), spinal conditions like herniated discs, or from the natural aging process, which can be slowed down if the spinal curvature in the neck is maintained, thru chiropractic care, decompression, traction, and exercises.
Your chiropractor may opt for the following to alleviate your neck pain and to stabilize your neck, so to ovoid re-occurrences.
- He or she will treat the painful area with ice (heat can actually aggravate neck pain), electrical muscle stimulation, ultrasound, as well show you the proper way to rest your head.
- Additionally, your chiropractor will walk you through correct body biomechanics to avoid further strain to the neck.
- Mostly correction of the spinal bones can be made, thru chiropractic adjustments, which not only alleviate the pain, but will reduce early arthritis and degeneration which most people refer to the natural aging process.
- In severe cases, your chiropractor may recommend that you get a surgical consult, when it is absolutely necessary and every other conservative treatment has been exhausted; however, surgery should always be a last resort after getting a second, third, and fourth surgical opinion.
If you want to diagnose and treat your neck pain, then visit the Tustin Bodywork Bistro in Tustin, CA, where Dr. Laila Nayab-Murshidi can treat your back, neck and shoulder pain with an assortment of innovative spinal treatments.
Contact Dr. Laila today by filling out the form in the top right corner, or simply call 888-899-3315.
