What causes neck pain?
Neck pain is common after car accidents, work-related injuries, and other types of accidents. The neck is especially vulnerable to injury because it’s incredibly flexible. Your neck also bears the 12-pound weight of your head, so any injury within the neck can quickly worsen due to that consistent pressure.
Neck injuries can disrupt the proper balance of your vertebrae (spinal bones), discs (pads between the vertebrae), and connective tissues like ligaments and tendons. This causes inflammation, irritation, and often, serious pain.
Other problems can also cause neck pain, such as arthritis, degenerative disc disease, and cervical spinal stenosis. Those issues are usually related to the aging process.
When should I get help for neck pain?
It’s important to contact Post Oak Chiropractic as soon as possible if your neck pain:
- Starts after a car accident, workplace accident, or other sudden incident
- Lasts longer than a few weeks, despite rest and nonprescription pain relievers
- Happens alongside a decrease in your neck’s range of motion or neck stiffness
- Happens alongside tingling or numbness in your neck, shoulder, or arm
You should take neck pain seriously. Without treatment, whiplash (neck pain and other symptoms after an auto accident) can become a permanently disabling injury. Fortunately, though, treatment that’s geared toward healing has an excellent recovery rate.
How is neck pain treated?
Post Oak Chiropractic focuses on noninvasive and non-medication avenues to recovery. Chiropractic care encompasses several types of care, including:
Chiropractic adjustmentsChiropractic adjustments involve precise hands-on manipulation of the neck joints and tissues. This improves spinal movement, increases range of motion, and eases stiffness and pain.
RehabilitationRehabilitation includes special exercises that strengthen the support muscles and other tissues in your neck. This improves your flexibility and range of motion, and helps reduce pain.
TherapyA variety of noninvasive alternative modalities can help with neck pain. These therapies, like heat and cold packs, can greatly reduce your discomfort and may improve your ability to participate actively in your rehab.
Research shows that the chiropractic approach has excellent results for neck pain. In a study from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, nearly 60% of people who used chiropractic methods reported a 75% reduction in neck pain. Only 33% of people taking medication experienced that result.
Call Post Oak Chiropractic or book your appointment using online scheduling now.
