There are countless reasons why a person might experience neck pain, but the good news is that regardless of the cause, a quick visit to your Seminole chiropractor is guaranteed to be the effective treatment you need for proper healing.
Obviously, the neck is one of the most sensitive parts of the body, one that is highly susceptible to injury. Simply sleeping on it the wrong way can cause severe discomfort for days to come—and it’s not like discomfort in this area is easy to ignore either; it is, after all, the structure holding your head up! As chiropractors, we know that there is nothing like soreness in the neck to remind someone of just how important it is to our day to day functioning. Below are some of the other most common causes.
Causes of Neck Pain
Also referred to as cervical pain, it is often caused by:
- Injury such as whiplash from auto accidents
- Strain from overstretching or overusing certain muscles
- Sprain from an injured ligament
- Infection from swollen lymph nodes/glades
- Herniated disc
- Pinched nerve
Side effects can include dull aching, numbness, tingling, or a shooting pain that can also cause headaches and/or shoulder discomfort. Other disorders than can cause neck pain include:
- Antlantoaxial subluxation, which occurs when the first and second vertebrae are misaligned
- Cervical spondylosis, which occurs when vertebrae and the surrounding discs start to degenerate, causing a pinching in the nerve, narrowing of the spinal canal, and compressing of the spinal cord
- Fibromyalgia which causes widespread pain in the muscles and soft tissues
Diagnosing & Treating Neck Pain
When you visit a chiropractic clinic in Seminole, you will be diagnosed by your doctor evaluating and analyzing the location, intensity, duration, and radiation of the soreness. Chiropractors are especially helpful in diagnosing and treating this type of discomfort because they specialize in the central nervous system, which will also need to be examined to determine whether or not your pain can be attributed to any nerve damage. In addition to a physical exam, diagnosis may also include an x-ray, CAT scan, and EMG.
Of course, proper treatment will depend on the cause of the pain, though typical treatments will include rest, applying hot and cold compresses, physical therapy, and sometimes muscle relaxants.
Although your neck pain might be brought on by something seemingly “silly,” like turning your head too quickly, that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be taken very seriously. If you are experiencing any discomfort in this area it is imperative you see an experienced, Seminole chiropractor for proper diagnosis and treatment. Putting this off, or attempting to let it heal on your own, can sometimes lead to further damage—and, as we’ve already established, this is not an area of your body you want to mess with!
To schedule an appointment with Coastal Chiropractic Rehab and Wellness, give us a call today—or schedule an appointment online.