When Neck Pain Becomes Serious
By Randi Morse
Back and neck pain can be scary. Our spine and our neck always seems like a very vulnerable part of the body, and that's because it is. While the spinal column is generally more robust than most people give it credit for, it can still be fairly easily injured. People often get concerned when they are dealing with neck pain because they're unsure if the pain they're feeling is something will heal easily or if it's a sign of something more serious.
A Pain in the Neck
Our bodies are tricky things and can make us scared unnecessarily. Head wounds, for example, tend to bleed a great deal, making it seem like the injury is far worse than it truly is. The same is true with neck pain. On average, most neck pain feels worse than it actually is. Pain is the body's way of telling your brain that something is wrong and needs to be fixed. The more you ignore the pain, the stronger the pain is likely to be. That's because your body thinks that you're ignoring the signs it's trying to send you.
Serious Signs
While it is rare, there are some cases in which neck pain can be a serious problem. The pain might be a sign of an infection, a structural problem, such as having a spinal cord injury, or an autoimmune disease. There's a rule of thumb that your neck pain has to meet three requirements, or "red flags," in order to indicate that something more serious is going on. These red flags include:
- The pain has been bothering you for more than six weeks
- The pain is severe, hasn't improved, or is getting worse
- You've been experiencing severe headaches with the pain
- You've experienced nausea and dizziness
- You've had recent severe weight loss
If you have three of these symptoms it is a good idea to get your neck pain professionally examined.
Chiropractic treatment is a safe, non-pharmaceutical way to care for most neck pain. The Joint Chiropractic has walk-in office hours and affordable rates so that you can easily walk in and have your neck pain examined. Your chiropractor will help diagnose your neck pain and will work with you to come up with a treatment plan. With multiple plan and package options, The Joint Chiropractic makes having your neck pain cared for as simple as possible.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Valencia, Calif.