7-ways-to-improve-chronic-neck-painNeck pain is nothing new. However, it has been becoming a more popular topic the past decade.  Part of the reason this is happening is because of the increase mobile technology use, causing an issue called “text neck” and postural problems that are directly linked to the unusual forward neck position that is becoming more and more common.  There are some complex aspects of neck pain as it can originate from several causes, and for chronic neck pain sufferers, can greatly impede upon their quality of life.

 

Common Reasons for Neck Pain

If you’re experiencing stiffness in your neck that is painful, there a few reasons this could be happening. Your neck is composed of seven cervical vertebrae and all the soft tissues (ligaments, tendons, discs, and muscles) that are responsible for stability and flexibility. You will experience pain and discomfort if any of these parts is injured, and the severity of the pain can vary.  For some people, it may feel like a sharp pain when they move, while others can be completely still while having a constant dull pain. A few of the most prevalent causes of neck pain are as follows:

  • Muscle strain – overusing the neck muscles due to spending long lengths of time hunched over a computer or phone, or from reading in bed in a strange posture, can be causes of neck pain.
  • Osteoarthritis – when your neck joints between the vertebrae wear down, it can lead to restricted range of motion with the pain.
  • Injury – whiplash is one of the most well-known neck injuries.  It happens when the head is violently thrown back and forth, putting strain on the soft tissues in your neck.
  • Nerve compression – when the nerves of the spinal cord become irritated from disc herniations, bone spurs, and spinal misalignments (subluxations), it can lead to pain, numbness and tingling in different parts of the arm and hand.
To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and chronic neck pain download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.

Small Adjustments Can Provide Neck Pain Relief

There are a few things you can do to help alleviate your neck or spine pain.  More and more people are becoming concerned with the use of medications for pain relief, whether prescription or over-the-counter.  These drugs provide short-term relief from the symptoms but do nothing for resolving the problem and often come along with undesirable side effects.  Here are a few ways to help relieve your neck pain:

  1. Check your sleeping position – the best position to sleep in is either on your back or on your side, with a pillow that very mildly raises up your head. If you are on your side, it is important to place a pillow between your knees to align the hips and the lower spine.
  2. Use technology with discretion – long periods of time on mobile devices wreaks havoc on the neck.  Looking down at a smartphone (or any other mobile device) strains the spine and neck muscles. Try holding up your phone at eye level to help with this problem.
  3. Set up your workstation for optimal posture – standing desks have become exceedingly more popular with the office jobs that many of us have today. To truly benefit your posture and to help with neck pain, raise the monitor of your screen to eye-level. If seated, be sure that your knees are slightly lower than your hips. Avoid squeezing the phone between your ear and your shoulder. Try using a headset if you are on the phone for long calls.
  4. Do daily stress relief practices – often times, stress increases neck pain. Adding a few simple lifestyle changes such as meditation, yoga, and walking can help release stress in a healthy way.
  5. Staying adequately hydrated – drinking plenty of water has many health benefits.  One of these includes benefitting the mobility of your spine. The discs in your spine are made up of 80% water. These discs play a key role in between each vertebra by helping to absorb some of the stress we put our spine through daily activities. A major factor in neck pain can be disc degeneration.
  6. Regular movement and activity – gentle exercise can help relax the neck, relieving pain and stiffness.  Swimming, walking, cycling or stretching can all help to ease neck tension and reduce your pain levels.
  7. Proper spinal alignment – many of the causes of neck pain are greatly reduced by having proper spinal alignment.  This can reduce stress and strain on the spine and soft tissues of the neck and even relieve nerve compression so that the body can heal naturally.

 

Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care Is Both Effective and Gentle

Most people think of chiropractors when looking for help with back and neck pain.  Not everyone knows about the unique specialty of chiropractic care that upper cervical chiropractors offer.  One of the main differences that sets us apart is that our adjustments are designed to be gentle and hold for as long as possible, allowing for the body to heal and restore, so you do not need to return again and again for adjustments. These types of adjustments are also unique because they are individually tailored to the needs of each patient.  Healing takes place by maintaining normal spinal alignment.

Upper cervical chiropractic care focuses on the top two bones in the neck.  These unique bones are the atlas (C1) and axis (C2), and they are very different from the rest of the vertebrae in the neck.  They make the majority of the head’s mobility possible, while also sustaining the entire weight of the head. Any time a misalignment occurs to this part of your body, it can cause a domino effect of compensations all the way down the spine, impacting the way it functions and feels.  It can also disrupt effective brain-body communication by irritating and putting pressure on the brainstem. In order for the spine and nervous system to function optimally, it is vital to maintain proper alignment in this region of the spine.

The relief we provide is gentle, precise, and effective.  Without correcting a misalignment in the upper cervical spine that could be causing your neck pain, the body may not recover as thoroughly as possible.  Contact us at Upper Cervical Chiropractic San Diego to learn more about how we can help you.

References

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/neck-pain/basics/causes/con-20028772

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2015/05/do-you-have-a-stiff-neck-try-these-simple-remedies/

 

To schedule a consultation with Upper Cervical Chiropractic San Diego, call 858-434-5926 or just click the button below.

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If you are outside of the local area you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.