Neck Pain Treatment From Trusted Bournemouth Chiropractors | Charminster Chiropractic Clinic
Neck Pain Treatment From Trusted Bournemouth Chiropractors | Charminster Chiropractic Clinic
Neck pain can come from many different reasons, like problems with how your neck moves, injuries, or medical conditions. It’s important to understand the signs of neck pain and what type you have so you can get the right treatment. While some neck pain gets better on its own, it’s important to know when you need to see a chiropractor. These factors can be determined by how old you are, what you do for work, and your daily habits can all affect your chances of having neck pain requiring chiropractic treatment.
Receiving the right diagnosis, which could also include a thorough check-up, special tests, imaging and scans, are important to provide the best care for your needs. Chiropractic care is one option that can help with neck pain, using methods like spinal manipulation of your spine, muscle therapy, rehabilitation and exercises. Most people with neck pain tend to get better if they start treatment early.
Dealing with neck pain means looking at the whole picture, from figuring out what’s causing it to finding treatments that work for you. By doing this, you can manage neck pain well and keep living an active, healthy life. The Bournemouth chiropractors at Charminster Chiropractic Clinic are continuously striving to understand, diagnose and treat neck pain with chiropractic treatment.
What is Neck Pain?
Neck pain is a common problem that can affect anyone, causing discomfort or pain in the neck area where the spine meets the skull. This area, called the cervical spine, includes seven bones (vertebrae), discs that cushion them, muscles, tendons, and nerves. Any of these parts can be a source of neck pain. The pain can vary from mild and easily handled to severe and harder to treat. It can also vary in duration from short-term (acute), lasting a few days to weeks, or long-lasting (chronic), persisting for months or even years. Because the cervical spine is both complex and very flexible, it’s prone to various injuries and conditions that lead to neck pain.
Common Causes of Neck Pain
Neck pain can happen for different reasons, which can be put in two groups. One of the groups are mechanical issues and the other group is divided into injuries, medical conditions, and lifestyle habits.
Mechanical Issues
Muscle Strain
Muscle strain is a common cause of neck pain, often from using and loading the muscles too much or having poor posture. Activities such as using a computer for a long time, reading in bed, or sleeping in an awkward position can strain the muscles and tendons in your neck. This can lead to pain and discomfort in and around the neck.
Cervical Spondylosis
Wear and tear (also known as neck arthritis, cervical spondylosis or osteoarthritis) is a condition that comes with age. It occurs when the discs and joints in your cervical spine wear down over time. This can cause chronic neck pain and stiffness, making it harder to move your neck comfortably.
Herniated Disc
Herniated disc occurs if the soft inner part of a spinal disc pushes through a tear in its outer layer. When this happens in the neck, it can press on nearby nerves. These nerves will not be pleased, and can give you pain, burning sensation, numbness or weakness in your neck, shoulders, arms, hands and fingers.
Injuries
Whiplash
Whiplash can hurt your neck by a sudden and strong force into a certain direction, often in car accidents. These forceful movements can hurt the ligaments, muscles, and soft tissues in your neck. Because of this strain it can give you a lot of pain, stiffness, and make it hard to move your neck.
Fractures
Severe accidents like falls, sports injuries, or car crashes have the potential to fracture bones or part of bones in your neck (cervical vertebrae). Neck fractures are serious and need immediate medical attention. They often cause a lot of pain and make it very difficult to move.
Medical Conditions
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is an ongoing disease that causes your immune system to attack your own joints in the body (autoimmune disease). It often causes swelling and pain in your joints, including those in your neck. It can make your neck stiff and make it difficult to move.
Meningitis
Meningitis is an infection of one of the layers of the spinal cord. Imagine for a second that your spinal cord is like a leek. If you cut through it you will see a lot of layers. The spinal cord has a few layers, and for you to understand it better, imagine if the layers of the leak have gone bad. In the spinal cord this would look like an infection of one of these layers (or membranes). The infection will affect the membrane that surrounds your brain and spinal cord. Important signs and symptoms of this infection (meningitis) are stiff and painful neck muscles, along with fever, headaches, and sensitivity to light.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a long-lasting condition that causes widespread pain in your muscles and bones, including your neck. It often comes with tiredness, trouble sleeping, and problems thinking clearly.
Lifestyle Factors
Poor Posture
Not maintaining a good posture or frequent changes of postures, like slouching or hunching over a desk over long periods of time, can strain the muscles and ligaments in your neck. This can lead to pain and discomfort later on.
Sedentary Lifestyle
Sedentary lifestyle and inactivity whilst sitting for long periods can weaken the muscles that support your neck. This can make them more likely to get strained or injured.
Obesity
Carrying extra weight puts more stress on your neck’s bones and muscles. This can lead to neck pain and make it harder to move comfortably.
Smoking
Smoking lowers the blood flow to the cushions (discs) in your spine and speeds up the time it takes to get wear and tear. The chance of having neck pain and other spine problems get higher.
Common Symptoms of Neck Pain
The symptoms of neck pain can vary a lot depending on what’s causing it and how serious it is. Here are some common symptoms.
Pain in One Spot
You might feel pain that’s only in your neck. It can be sharp, like a stabbing feeling, or more like a constant dull ache.
Stiffness
Your neck might feel tight, and it could be hard to move your head from side to side or up and down comfortably.
Pain that Moves
Sometimes, pain from your neck can spread to your shoulders, arms, or upper back. This might mean that the joints or muscles could be restricted or tight and radiate pain out from the neck. The other reason could be that a nerve is sqeezed from structures nearby.
Numbness or Tingling
You might feel numbness, tingling, or numbness like your arms or hands are asleep. This can happen when a nerve is pinched or irritated.
Headaches
Headaches that start in your neck (cervicogenic headaches) can cause pain in the back of your head and temples. Additionally, you may be suffering from migraines and/or visual disturbances.
Muscle Spasms
Your neck muscles might tighten up and spasm, causing headache (tension-type headache), more pain and making it hard to move your head smoothly.
These symptoms can vary from person to person, so it’s important to talk to us if you’re having any neck pain or discomfort with or without headaches. We can help figure out what’s causing it and how to make you feel better.
Common Types of Neck Pain
Neck pain comes in different types based on what causes it and how it feels.
Acute Neck Pain
This starts suddenly and is often from an injury or muscle strain. It usually gets better within a few weeks of chiropractic treatment.
Chronic Neck Pain
This lasts for more than three months and is often linked to ongoing problems like wear and tear (arthritis) or muscle strain.
Axial Neck Pain
This stays in your neck and doesn’t spread to other parts of your body. It’s usually from muscle strain or changes in your neck bones.
Radicular Pain
This spreads along a nerve, like into your shoulder, arm or hand. It’s often caused by swelling around the nerve root canal, surrounding the nerve root, or if a protruding disc (herniated disc) is pressing on a nerve in your spine.
Myofascial Pain
This comes from sensitive spots or knots in your muscles called trigger points. It often makes your muscles feel sore and tender to touch.
Referred Pain
Referred pain could be pain felt in your neck but it could come from elsewhere, such as your shoulder or upper back. Root cause could be muscle strain or poor biomechanics in those areas.
These types can feel different for everyone, so it’s important to talk to your chiropractor about your symptoms. We can help figure out what’s causing your neck pain and the best way to treat it.
When to Seek Urgent Help with Neck Pain
While most neck pain can be managed with chiropractic treatment, certain signs mean you should seek medical help right away.
Severe, Persistent Pain
If your neck hurts a lot and doesn’t get better with rest or medicine, or if it gets worse over time, book an appointment here for a consultation with one of our chiropractors.
Neurological Symptoms
Numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arms or legs could mean a nerve is affected. This needs chiropractic attention and medical assistance.
Loss of Bladder or Bowel Control
Suddenly not being able to control your bladder or bowels could be from a serious problem with your spinal cord. You should get emergency medical care.
High Fever
If you have a high fever with a stiff neck and pain, it could be a sign of an infection like meningitis. This needs urgent medical help.
Severe Headache
A very bad headache, especially with nausea, throwing up, or sensitivity to light, might mean a serious condition like meningitis or a brain issue. This will have to be taken seriously and seek urgent medical help.
Recent Injury
If you recently fell, had an accident, hurt your neck, and now it hurts a lot, book an appointment with one of our chiropractors here for a detailed consultation to rule out any serious issues.
These signs can be serious, so don’t wait if you notice them. Getting quick medical care can help find out what’s causing your symptoms and how to treat them quicker.
Risk Factors for Neck Pain
Several things can increase your chances of having neck pain.
Age
As you get older, you’re more likely to have neck pain from conditions coming from complications of wear and tear (cervical spondylosis), where your neck bones and cushions (discs) wear down.
Job
If your work involves sitting for a long time, doing a lot of repetitive neck movements, or lifting heavy objects, you might be at higher risk. Jobs like office work, construction, or using computers a lot can contribute to neck pain.
Posture
Not sitting or standing up straight, like slouching or leaning over a desk, or driving long distances, can strain the muscles in your neck over time and cause pain.
Lifestyle
Not being active enough and not doing enough physical activity can weaken the muscles that support your neck. This makes them more likely to get hurt.
Smoking
Smoking makes your spinal cushions (spinal discs) get less blood flow and age faster. This can raise your chances of having neck pain.
Past Neck Injuries
If you’ve hurt your neck before, like in a car crash or breaking a bone, unfortunately you’re more likely to have long-lasting neck pain.
Stress
Feeling stressed out a lot and having anxiety can make the muscles in your neck and shoulders tense up and hurt.
These things can make neck pain more likely, but there are ways to help prevent it, like improving your posture, staying active, and managing stress.
Examination and Diagnosis of Neck Pain
Finding out what’s causing your neck pain involves a careful and detailed process in order to receive chiropractic treatment.
Medical History
Your chiropractor will do an assessment and ask about your symptoms, any past injuries, and how you live your life. This helps them figure out what could be causing your neck pain.
Physical Examination
During the physical examination, your chiropractor will check how well you can move your neck, test your muscles, and see if any areas feel sore. They’ll also look for signs that your nerves might be compressed or not working right.
Neurological Examination
Your chiropractor will always perform a neurological examination to check how well your nerves are working. We will test things like your reflexes, muscle strength and whether you can feel things normally in your arms and hands.
Imaging Studies
Imaging studies are special tests that give the radiologist detailed pictures of what’s going on inside your neck.
X-rays
X-rays show if you have any broken bones, bones out of place, or signs of wear and tear (arthritis).
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) gives clear pictures of your soft tissues like discs, muscles, and nerves. It helps find problems like herniated discs or spinal stenosis.
CT Scan (Computed Tomography)
CT Scan (Computed Tomography) shows detailed cross-section images of your neck. It’s good for finding complex issues like fractures or problems pressing on your spinal cord.
Electrodiagnostic Tests
Electrodiagnostic tests check how well your nerves are working by measuring electrical activity in your muscles and nerves. They help find if nerves are being squeezed or damaged.
These tests help your chiropractor and other healthcare professionals understand what’s causing your neck pain so they can recommend the best treatment to help you feel better.
Chiropractic Treatment for Neck Pain
Chiropractic care is a popular and effective option for treating many types of neck pain. Chiropractors are healthcare professionals who work with diagnosing and treating problems with muscles and bones, especially in the spine. Here’s what you can expect from chiropractic treatment for neck pain.
Spinal Manipulation
Also called chiropractic adjustment, a spinal manipulation involves gentle, controlled movements to the spine to make the movements better and reduce pain. It’s often used for conditions like neck arthritis (cervical spondylosis) and herniated discs.
Mobilisation
This technique uses gentle stretching and movement to help with the flexibility of your muscles and joints. It’s often used together with spinal manipulation or as an alternative.
Soft Tissue Therapy
Techniques like massage, trigger point therapy, muscle release (myofascial release) are used to relax muscles, improve blood flow, and help your body heal.
Exercise and Rehabilitation
Chiropractors may give you specific exercises to strengthen the muscles that support your neck and improve your posture. These exercises can also help make your neck more flexible and less prone to injury.
Lifestyle Advice
Your chiropractor may offer tips on your lifestyle habits such as how to sit or sleep in ways that reduce strain on your neck. They might also suggest changes to your daily activities to help prevent future neck pain.
Research has shown that chiropractic treatment can be especially helpful for neck pain that’s short-term (acute) or lasts a little longer (subacute). For example, studies have found that manual therapy, including spinal manipulation, can make a difference to reduce pain for people with neck pain. Other studies have shown that chiropractic care can also help patients with long-lasting (chronic) neck pain function and how they feel overall.
Chiropractic care can be a valuable part of your treatment plan if you’re experiencing neck pain. Your chiropractor will work with you to find the best approach to relieve your pain and help you get back to feeling your best.
Prognosis for Neck Pain
The outlook for neck pain depends on the cause, how severe it is, and the treatment that is being used for the patient. With the right care most people can find a lot of relief and a better quality of life. Here’s what you can expect.
Acute Neck Pain
This type of neck pain comes on suddenly, often from an injury or muscle strain. It usually gets better within a few weeks with the correct treatment, such as rest, chiropractic care and physical therapy.
Chronic Neck Pain
Chronic neck pain lasts for more than three months and can be harder to treat. Many people see good improvements with a mix of treatments, including chiropractic care, physical therapy, and mild medication (NSAIDs). Long-term treatment might also be to make lifestyle changes and doing regular exercises.
Degenerative Conditions
Conditions like neck arthritis (cervical spondylosis) worsen over time but can often be treated well with conservative treatments like chiropractic care, physical therapy and pain management strategies. In some cases, surgery may be needed.
Post-Injury Pain
Recovery from neck injuries varies based on how bad the injury is and how well you stick to your rehabilitation program. Early treatment and a well-rounded approach are important for the best outcomes.
In general, the key to a positive outcome is early treatment, getting a proper diagnosis, and following a well-rounded treatment plan tailored to the patient. Regular check-ups and sticking to your treatment recommendations are very important for managing neck pain and preventing it from coming back.
By following these tips and working with our Bournemouth chiropractors at Charminster Chiropractic Clinic, you can improve your chances of managing and preventing neck pain. Book your chiropractic appointment here today!
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