The Chiropractic Adjustment for Neck Pain
By Dr. Molly Casey
Neck pain can be extremely frustrating. Chronic neck pain can become debilitating. This Harvard Medical article states 80 percent of people experience neck pain at some point in their lifetime and 20-50 percent of people deal with it annually. Neck pain, when not addressed, can grow into headaches, more backaches, and chronic pain. Pain is one of your body’s ways of communicating with you -- it’s wise to listen.
You know what else is wise to do? To leave your spinal care in the hands of a professional, a chiropractor. That’s because a doctor of chiropractic -- commonly referred to as a DC in the same way a general practitioner is referred to as an MD -- is the expert on the back and spinal cord. Doing something silly like letting your uncle or your buddy from school “crack your back” may be worth a laugh, but it carries with it a very real risk that could leave you regretting such a decision forever.
Don’t take any chances with your neck and spine. If you feel pain in the neck, don’t be afraid to seek help from a licensed chiropractor. A neck injury can be among the most debilitating of injuries. Take care of it in the most professional manner possible; in fact, routine chiropractic care is the best maintenance of all.
Why Do I Have Neck Pain?
There are a variety of reasons neck pain can occur. There is no one way to answer this. However, there are some basic foundations to understand about the neck, how it functions, and what happens when there is dysfunction (including pain) and what you can do about it.
Neck Function, Performance, and Structure
Your body is a machine, and optimal function and performance for any machine requires that the frame of it be well-maintained. Your spine is the frame of your body, and it also follows this rule of optimal maintenance for optimal performance.
What Is the Anatomy of the Neck?
A bit of information about the basic structure of the spine is required to understand how to care for it properly and how to address problems that may arise. The neck is called the cervical spine. There are seven spinal vertebrae in the cervical spine, and all have at least three joints. The top two cervical bones have names (C1 atlas, C2 axis) while all other vertebrae of the spine are numbered.
The joints are where two bones meet. Joints include cartilage, synovial fluid, a capsule of tissue that encases it, as well as ligaments and tendons associated with the joint. The joints produce motion, which allows your body to move. When the joints become restricted in their range of motion, or stuck, it is referred to as a subluxation. The function of the spine is compromised when a subluxation is present; because your spine protects and promotes proper functioning of the nervous system, the level of nervous system function is diminished as well.
Chiropractic Care and the Neck
Chiropractic care is about improving your quality of your life and health through spinal care. Your spine has to be in tip-top shape to experience optimal health and performance. Your spine houses and protects the nervous system. The nervous system controls all aspects of your health and life. You live your life through the nervous system as your brain sends information down the spinal cord through miles of nerves into every cell, system, and organ of your body. Your body sends information back up through the nerves and spinal cord to the brain. The brain processes information and makes adjustments as needed, such as moving your hand away from a flame or taking an extra long step to get over a puddle. But it’s also the reason you breathe, wink, and yawn. When your spine functions and moves the way it is intended, it allows for optimal nervous system functioning. When your spine is subluxated and there is a lack of motion, the nervous system encounters interference, which reduces optimal function.
The neck is an important area to get checked for subluxation because, if and when there is interference in the cervical joints, the entire system below is negatively impacted.
When Should I Seek a Chiropractic Treatment?
Chiropractors treat the neck, spine, and other joints throughout the body, to provide pain relief, maintenance, and range of motion. However, it’s important to note that only about 10 percent of the nervous system can transmit pain, which means that even if you don’t have pain, you should see a chiropractor to get checked for subluxation.
If you are feeling pain, don’t fret; chiropractic adjustments are gentle and, in some cases, can relieve suffering immediately depending on the issue, how long you have been dealing with it, and other variables.
The most important takeaways are in understanding that the spine -- including your neck -- is the frame for your body. The health and functioning of the spine directly affects the health and functioning levels of your nervous system, which controls all aspects of your health and life. So your spine health is the foundation to overall health. Just because one doesn’t feel pain doesn’t mean there aren’t subluxations, and if you are experiencing pain, it is safe to have chiropractors treat you after what amounts to a physical exam and evaluation.
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