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Neck Pain ChiropractorThe neck has the least muscular stabilization of any part of the spine, yet it supports and moves a 14 to 16 pound head. Picture a bowling ball held on a stick by thin elastic bands: it doesn't take much force to upset that balance and cause neck pain. Our chiropractors are trained to help correct these issues.
How Neck Problems Affect the Rest of the Body
Between each pair of cervical vertebrae, the spinal cord sends off large bundles of nerves that run down the arms and upper back. If your arm is hurting, the problem may actually be in your neck, with numbness, tingling, cold, aching or "pins and needles" sometimes confused with carpal tunnel syndrome.
Neck problems can also contribute to headaches, muscle spasms in the shoulders and upper back, ringing in the ears, TMJ dysfunction, restricted range of motion and chronic tightness in the neck and upper back.
Common Causes of Neck and Upper Back Pain
- Whiplash: a sudden movement of the head that damages supporting muscles and ligaments. Symptoms can take weeks or months to appear.
- Poor posture: even reading in bed can lead to pain and headaches. Keep your neck neutral and avoid hunching or sitting in one position too long.
- Subluxations: signs include a tilted head, one shoulder higher than the other or a necklace hanging off-center.
- Stress: unconscious "muscle guarding," often in the trapezius, leads to chronic tightness and trigger points.
- Disc herniations: less common in the neck than the low back, but they occur, especially after whiplash.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the neck so easily injured?
The neck has the least muscular stabilization of any part of the spine while supporting the full weight of the head, making it especially susceptible to injury from even relatively minor forces.
Can neck problems cause arm pain or numbness?
Yes. Nerves that run down the arms originate between the cervical vertebrae, so a neck problem can cause numbness, tingling or aching in the arms, sometimes mistaken for carpal tunnel syndrome.
How long after a whiplash injury can symptoms appear?
Symptoms can take weeks or even months to fully manifest, which is why it's important to get checked out even if you don't feel seriously injured right after an accident.
Can poor posture really cause neck pain and headaches?
Yes. Poor posture, including habits like reading in bed, is one of the most common causes of both neck pain and headaches over time.
What does a subluxation in the neck look like?
Signs can include a visibly tilted head, one shoulder sitting higher than the other, uneven sleeve length, or a necklace that hangs off-center.