Neck Pain

Consulting a chiropractor for neck pain might seem obvious to a patient who has experienced chiropractic and who associates an adjustment with the release of tension, increased motion, and pain relief. For others, chiropractic treatment of the neck brings to mind a different picture. What could be the benefit of ‘popping’ the bones in the neck? When family doctors are asked about neck manipulation, they often visualize an abrupt twisting of the neck and are apt to sound a note of alarm when a patient seeks chiropractic care for a cervical injury.

Similar to medical doctors, chiropractors use diagnostic indicators to differentiate types of neck problems. How these indicators are used and what occurs during a cervical adjustment will help to increase awareness of the indications and limitations of chiropractic care for neck conditions.

Chiropractic offers a unique and valuable mechanical approach to a wide range of cervical problems. Chiropractors do not ‘twist’ the neck or perform painful maneuvers. Manipulation or adjusting as performed by chiropractors is a precise and gentle therapy whose aim is to return motion to restricted spinal joints and to improve the overall mechanics of the spine.

Shielded by the cranial dome, the brain orchestrates all of the complex, dynamic operations of the body. In the brain-body circuit, messages pass through trillions of nerve fibers, simultaneously prompting innumerable conscious and unconscious functions. The “wires” of this communication network are bundled tightly at the base of the brain (brainstem meets spinal cord), and are sheathed by the atlas (C1) and axis (C2) vertebrae.

The point at which your head attaches to your neck – the upper cervical spine – is the most mobile part of your body. Bearing the weight of the skull, the atlas vertebra accepts the rounded protrusion of the axis vertebra, allowing rotation. Unlike a metal pivot, which can easily snap, this unique pair of bones is supported by stabilizing ligaments, but flexibility is impaired by trauma and is taxed by routine.

Given the centrality of the atlas and axis vertebrae, distress may be localized or misalignment may gradually extend to other areas. Significantly, when the upper cervical region is compromised, neurotransmission is impeded, leading to a breakdown of bodily systems. As the brain struggles to adjust, vitality fades in a cycle of dysfunction and chronic disease.

Shielded by the cranial dome, the brain orchestrates all of the complex, dynamic operations of the body. In the brain-body circuit, messages pass through trillions of nerve fibers, simultaneously prompting innumerable conscious and unconscious functions. The “wires” of this communication network are bundled tightly at the base of the brain (brainstem meets spinal cord), and are sheathed by the atlas (C1) and axis (C2) vertebrae.

The point at which your head attaches to your neck – the upper cervical spine – is the most mobile part of your body. Bearing the weight of the skull, the atlas vertebra accepts the rounded protrusion of the axis vertebra, allowing rotation. Unlike a metal pivot, which can easily snap, this unique pair of bones is supported by stabilizing ligaments, but flexibility is impaired by trauma and is taxed by routine.

Given the centrality of the atlas and axis vertebrae, distress may be localized or misalignment may gradually extend to other areas. Significantly, when the upper cervical region is compromised, neurotransmission is impeded, leading to a breakdown of bodily systems. As the brain struggles to adjust, vitality fades in a cycle of dysfunction and chronic disease.

Whiplash is a non medical term used to describe neck pain following an injury to the soft tissues of your neck (specifically ligaments, tendons, and muscles). It is caused by an abnormal motion or force applied to your neck that causes movement beyond the neck’s normal range of motion.

Whiplash typically happens in motor vehicle accidents such as car crashes, auto accidents, and truck accidents, as well as during sporting activities, accidental falls, and assault.

The most frequent cause of whiplash is a car accident. The speed of the cars involved in the accident or the amount of physical damage to the car may not relate to the intensity of neck injury; speeds as low as 15 miles per hour can produce enough energy to cause whiplash in occupants, whether or not they wear seat belts.

Other common causes of whiplash include contact sport injuries and blows to the head from a falling object or being assaulted. Also, Repetitive stress injuries or chronic strain involving the neck (such as using your neck to hold the phone) are a common, non-acute causes.

The body is meant to move. Muscles allow that movement to happen by contracting and making joints flex, extend and rotate. Muscles attach on each side of the joint to bone by thick bands of fibrous tissue called tendons. When a muscle contracts, it shortens and pulls on the tendon, which allows the joint to go through a range of motion.

A strain occurs when the muscle tendon unit is stretched or torn. The most common reason is the overuse and stretching of the muscle. The damage may occur in three areas:

Joints are stabilized by thick bands of tissue called ligaments which surround them. These ligaments allow the joint to move only in specific directions. Some joints move in multiple planes; therefore, they need more than one group of ligaments to hold the joint in proper alignment. The ligaments are anchored to bone on each side of the joint. If a ligament is stretched or torn, the injury is called a sprain.