Neck Pain
Neck pain can be completely debilitating, preventing restful sleep and simple daily activities such as driving the car. It may also necessitate taking time off work. Gentle exercises can help; painkillers and anti-inflammatory medications can ease the symptoms but do not deal with the cause.
Chiropractic care avoids any worries about the possible side effects of medicines, as it is entirely drug-free. The conservative care provided by a Chiropractor, combined with the gentle exercises he can suggest is effective in treating neck pain with a biomechanical cause.
Please call us today on 9303 9952 (Roxburgh Park) or 9746 3977 (Sunbury) and arrange an initial appointment. You may be surprised at how quickly you will be out of pain and feeling your old self again. Neck pain does not have to be, well, ‘a pain in the neck’!
Common Causes of Neck Pain
- Degenerative Disorders Due To Age: It is generally true that the more birthdays we have had, the more likely we are to suffer neck pain.
- Osteoarthritis is a progressive deterioration of cartilage and results in the formation of bone spurs restricting the movement of joints.
- Spinal Stenosis is a narrowing of the channel through the vertebrae that carries nerve bundles, causing compression and trapping the nerves. This can cause neck pain as well as pain and numbness in the shoulders, arms and hands
- Degenerative disc disease can cause reduction in the elasticity and height of intra-vertebral discs. This can cause one or more discs to ‘bulge’, putting pressure on nerves and causing pain radiating into the arm and hand, often accompanied by numbness and/or tingling.
- An estimated 20% or more, of over 70s suffer from neck pain. Getting regular, ongoing maintenance treatment from a Chiropractor can help tremendously in this age group. Because neck pain can also cause dizziness and unsteadiness on the feet, Chiropractic care may lessen the risk of falls and other injuries that can be life threatening in the elderly.
- For all of us, the stresses of daily living can cause neck pain
- Poor Posture can result from weakening of muscles, gaining weight and many other factors that affect the correct balance and positioning of the spine resulting in a bending forward of the neck in an effort to compensate.
- Being under chronic stress or emotional tension can cause a tightening and contraction of the muscles in the neck and jaw. This leads to pain, headache and stiffness that may affect the shoulders and upper back as well.
What to Expect from Chiropractic Care for Neck Pain
- A thorough initial assessment will help your Chiropractor to understand the cause of your neck pain problem. This will include:
- Questions about when the pain started – whether it radiates to other parts of your body and if you have found anything helps the pain or makes it worse.
- A physical examination – Doctor of Chiropractic, Daniel Chatfield will check your posture and range of motion; he will check your spine for any misalignments and/or muscle spasms.
- A neurological examination – Daniel will check reflexes, muscles strength and check for any other neurological changes.
Depending on his findings, further diagnostic tests might be necessary; for example, a simple X- Ray will show up narrowing of the channel within the vertebrae or the presence of bone spurs. If your neck pain problem is not suitable for Chiropractic care, assessment by another healthcare professional in the appropriate specialty will be needed.
In cases of neck pain where Chiropractic is appropriate, a program of care may incorporate more than one type of treatment. In addition to the gentle adjustments to improve mobility and restore the range of motion to the neck, your holistic treatment plan might also include lifestyle advice on stress management, advice on workplace ergonomics and exercises that you can continue at home.