How to Reduce Neck Pain

Neck pain is something that most of us have experienced at least a few times in our lives. Whether we slept funny or spent too many hours slumped over a project, neck pain is a common occurrence. Thankfully, neck pain most often resolves on its own in a day or two. However, occasionally, neck pain can start affecting your quality of life when it occurs repeatedly or results in severe symptoms that can even lead to headaches or an inability to concentrate.

Today, we will dive into some of the potential causes or remedies for decreasing neck pain.

Causes of Neck Pain

Neck pain is most often due to mechanical issues and imbalances in the upper spine, also known as the cervical spine. Here are the most common causes:

• Muscle strain and spine misalignment secondary to poor posture with sitting, standing or sleeping
• Injury or trauma to the neck secondary to heavy lifting, a fall, or a car accident- the high impact forces often lead to spine misalignment, imbalances, and muscle tension
• Spine degeneration with chronic neck misalignment, aging, and past injuries
• Secondary underlying causes, such rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, meningitis, or even a heart attack

If your symptoms come on suddenly, are severe, or result in neurological issues (sharp shooting pain, tingling, numbness, or sudden loss of arm strength), make sure to seek medical attention immediately.

Effectively Treating Neck Pain

As you read through the top three causes of neck pain, you should have noticed an underlying theme: spine misalignment. When the cervical spine is out of alignment, it compromises nerve integrity and flow. Spine misalignment is often subtle in nature and hard to detect on your own. That’s why assessment, guidance, and treatment from a spine professional is essential. A chiropractor certified in Chiropractic BioPhysics (CBP) is trained to recognize any underlying spine issues that are causing your neck pain. They can then systematically address your spine health with a research backed protocol.

When spine alignment is restored as the first step in addressing neck pain, it helps you make sustainable progress with other treatment options from there. For example, once the nerves in your neck can work uninhibited, your chiropractor can recommend massage, exercise, posture changes, and more to expedite your recovery and reduce the chance of future neck pain problems.

Find a CBP Provider in Your Area

Chiropractic guidance from a CBP practitioner is one of your best bets for getting lasting relief from neck pain. This can translate to better participation in your daily activities without loss of productivity or concentration. There are only a handful of CBP experts throughout the U.S. Thus, do your research to see what is available close to you and get in touch with their office to schedule a consultation. Together, you can figure out what the best treatment options are for tackling your neck pain.