Neck Pain Relief | Centennial Chiropractor

Feel Better; Get Chiropractic and Experience Less Discomfort

As a chiropractor for neck pain, I’ve seen many different factors cause discomfort. Sitting at a desk, looking down at your phone, anxiety and emotional stress, bad pillow or mattress, etc., all can contribute to the pain. But, while these things may trigger pain, there’s usually something deeper that makes a person more vulnerable to neck pain.

Most neck pain improves on its own. This is probably why most people choose to do nothing when they feel it. Think of neck pain like you would the tip of the iceberg. Neck pain is the superficial layer, the part that sticks out of the water. At Prime Chiropractic, neck pain is almost always seen as collateral damage. In other words, it’s something that happens as a result of a deeper problem.

Can adjustments truly help? Let’s look deeper at neck pain relief.

What kind of deeper problems could cause neck pain?

-Muscle imbalance

-Shift in the structure of the spine

-Loss of the normal cervical curve

-Irritated neurological system

-Muscle strain/sprain

-Injury/Car Accident

When someone seeks out a chiropractor for neck pain, they are usually looking for a doctor that will get them some immediate relief, or help them with a pinched nerve in the neck. While this sounds amazing to someone in significant discomfort, it may not be the best path for long-term change.

Are you tired of feeling neck pain and ready to try something new?

As a neck pain chiropractor in Denver, CO, I’ve seen my fair share of cases over the years. One thing I’ve noticed is the dramatic differences I see in someone who has been dealing with neck pain for less than 3-months, versus someone who has had neck pain on and off for years or even decades.

The person who is brand new to neck pain usually doesn’t have as serious of changes in the neck and spine, specifically when it comes to arthritis or shifting of the vertebrae. When I compare them to the more advanced neck pain case, the differences are like night and day. The person who has just chosen to deal with their pain over the years, or simply get some quick relief typically presents with significant degeneration and arthritis in their spine. They will also most likely have moderate to severe shifting of the vertebrae in their neck.

These changes will most likely contribute to neck pain as well as a host of other issues.

When it comes to neck discomfort, there are a few important things to consider…

1) Was there a trauma to the neck?

2) How long has the damage been present?

3) How is the health of the cervical spine?

4) How is the health of the soft tissues?

No neck pain case is the same. Working as a chiropractor for neck pain for the better part of a decade, what I’ve found is the more factors from above that a neck pain case has, the more complicated it becomes.

For example, if the neck pain is due to a shift in the spine, then the cervical spine may need to be corrected. However, the neck pain could be originating elsewhere, which could make it necessary to correct problems in the thoracic area to restore proper spinal health.

In other cases, there may be a need to correct soft tissue problems through training and exercise/rehabilitation.

Options for Neck Pain Treatment in Centennial CO

If someone opts to go to a medical doctor instead of coming to a Neuro-Structural Chiropractor, they should expect to be prescribed pain relief medication, physical therapy exercises, or in extreme cases, surgery.

This route is not good or bad. It’s simply important to understand the tools that these professionals have in their toolbox.

Regardless of the complexity of the case, there are some action steps anyone dealing with neck pain can take to get some short-term relief, without relying on drugs.

Cervical Pain Relief Exercises

The cervical curve is critical if someone is looking to have a healthy spine and be pain-free. The natural curve is often lost through years of looking down at a mobile phone, computer, or paperwork. Once the curve is lost, most doctors don’t know what to do to restore it.

The first step is to begin to mobilize the tissues near the spine. There are many different exercises that can do this, however, we’ve found the exercises demonstrated in the video, which is housed inside this very article do as a good a job as any, require no extra equipment, and are easily repeatable.
The second step is to create a fulcrum in the neck to act as a pivot point. This is done by using a cervical role of some kind. This could be as simple as a towel role, wine bottle, or pool noodle. Instructions to this exercise can be found inside the video.
The third step is to get motion inside the joints or segments that have been stuck for months/years/decades. Once motion is restored, the tissues will move better, and the bones won’t degenerate as quickly. Motion is created by using a specific instrument, which is the main objective of Neuro-Structural Restoration, as performed at Prime Chiropractic in Centennial, CO.

Red Flags For Neck Pain

There are certain instances where neck pain is more significant than just pain. For the sake of this article, I think it’s important to highlight these situations, which albeit are rare, they are critical to determine if the case is life-threatening.

-Tingling, numbness or weakness in arm, shoulder or hands

-Radiating pain

-Difficulty walking or balancing

-Loss of bladder or bowel control

-Fever or chills

Also, a car accident or fall that begins neck pain should seek out care immediately. As I mentioned above, most neck pain cases do not meet these criteria.

Other Factors That Could Contribute To Neck Pain

There are a few other factors that could be contributing to the neck pain.

-Lack of quality sleep could affect neck pain because the body doesn’t have enough time to heal from the previous day’s stressors. Furthermore, laying on a pillow that’s too soft, or too big can also contribute to neck pain.

-Poor nutrition loaded with lots of processed food can create inflammation inside the body which could ultimately lead to increased pain in the neck.

-Too much computer time. Looking down at technology can begin to warp the cervical spine and the soft tissues around it which will lead to neck pain and discomfort.

The cause of neck pain can be hard to identify because of how many factors are involved. This can be frustrating to those dealing with it. However, when you begin to understand the major factors involved and eliminate them, the likelihood of neck pain often goes down as well.

If neck pain has been bothering you for a long time, or what you’ve tried hasn’t been helping you to get relief, such as: pain killers, rest, or exercises. Then it may be time to consult with a neck pain specialist. Dr. Pennetti is a chiropractor for neck pain in Centennial, CO at Prime Chiropractic. He has helped hundreds of neck pain cases correct the underlying core problem and get lasting change.