Neck pain can be a result of accident, sports activities, straining during work tasks or degenerative conditions. A variety of treatments are available for neck discomfort and limited mobility. Icing, massage, over-the-counter pain relievers, stress management and attention to posture and good sleep position can be helpful in reducing neck pain.

Red flags to look out for

There are a few red flags in regard to neck pain that indicate more than just a simple muscle strain and may require intensive medical treatment.

Severe or persistent neck pain

According to the Harvard Health site, severe or persistent neck pain indicates you should seek out medical care immediately to determine the cause of the discomfort, which could be a serious condition, such as a stroke.

Neck pain following trauma or accident

If you have neck pain following a car accident, a fall or an injury from an impact during recreational activities, it could mean a serious injury of the upper spinal column that requires treatment.

Neurological symptoms such as numbness, tingling, or weakness in the arms or hands

Any feelings of numbness, tingling or weakness in the arms or hands could indicate an injury to the upper spine that is affecting normal nerve function.

Fever or Chills

Fever or chills can be a sign of infection, which can occur as a result of damage to the vertebrae in the neck and upper spinal column or in surrounding tissues. Medical attention is generally required for this type of condition.

Why are they important to identify?

Some types of neck pain can indicate a serious medical condition that requires immediate treatment, so identifying the cause of your neck pain could be critical in preventing worsening health issues.

Risk factors for serious underlying conditions

Certain factors can put individuals at increased risk for serious underlying health problems, in regard to uncomfortable neck symptoms.

Age over 50 years old

Individuals who are over the age of 50 are at higher risk for dysfunction in the neck, due to aging of tissues and wear and tear on the neck joint.

History of cancer

If you have a history of cancer, you should be especially vigilant about unexpected discomfort in the spine or neck, which could indicate new tumor growth or aftereffects from treatment.

Previous history of spinal cord injury or surgery

If you have had previous spinal surgery or an injury to your spine, you may be predisposed to neck injuries.

Prevention and Self-Care

You can take active steps to prevent neck injury such as maintaining good posture, positioning yourself properly for sleep and other measures. Ice packs, heat packs, bracing and over-the-counter medications can be used for self-care when minor neck pain occurs.

Maintaining Proper Posture

Try to avoid slouching when sitting, leaning on one hip when standing for long periods and holding the head in one position for long periods of time, such as when at the computer.

Ergonomic Considerations

Make sure your seating at work supports your neck and spinal column to avoid strains. Adjust your computer monitor to allow your head and neck to be held in a comfortable position.

Stretching and Strengthening Exercises

Regular exercising and stretches for neck muscles can help to avoid strains that lead to pain and stiffness.

Stress Management Techniques

Managing stress is an important part of caring for your health. Learn meditation techniques, yoga, mindfulness training and breathing exercises can help you to lower stress levels.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you know if neck pain is serious?

If your neck pain is serious, it will not get better with normal ice packs and over-the-counter medication. It may cause inability to turn the head. Pain will be persistent and may intensify with movement.

When not to ignore neck pain?

Any pain that severely impacts your daily life should be investigated by a health professional. Chronic pain that doesn’t do away after normal at-home methods should have medical attention.

What diseases start with neck pain?

A number of conditions can have neck pain as a symptom, including osteoarthritis, cancerous tumors on the upper spinal column, rheumatoid arthritis and meningitis.

What are 4 symptoms of text neck?

“Text neck” is a condition that occurs from bending the head over smartphone screens for long periods of time, which can lead to neck discomfort. The Spine-Health site notes that four common symptoms include pain, impairment of neck mobility, forward head position and frequent headaches.

What are the top 5 reasons for neck pain?

The top 5 reasons for neck pain include car accidents, muscle strain, nerve compression from degenerative conditions, osteoarthritis and prolonged use of computers.

How to solve neck pain at home?

When you have minor neck pain, applying ice packs and warm packs in an alternating manner can help to reduce pain. Massage can also be effective in relieving neck discomfort. NSAIDS medications such as ibuprofen and naproxen, available at your local pharmacy, can help to reduce inflammation and pain.

Is daily neck pain normal?

Generally, daily neck pain is not normal and is a sign that something is not right with the bones, muscles and nerves in the upper spine. The problem can be a result of an underlying health condition, poor ergonomics at work or poor sleep position.

How to sleep to avoid neck pain?

Experts at The Sleep Foundation recommend sleeping on the side or the back to avoid neck pain. Use a rounded pillow that allows you to have normal positioning of the neck and head. A rolled towel placed under the neck to support the natural curvature will help to avoid stress on neck structures.

Can stress cause neck pain?

Yes, stress can cause contraction of the muscles in the neck and upper back, which can lead to neck pain and stiffness.

What blood test is done for neck pain?

According to the Healthline site, when attempting to diagnose a problem that might be related to infection in the body, a complete blood count, or CBC, test is usually ordered. This test provides a range of information about the general condition of the body.

The post What Are Some Red Flags For Neck Pain? appeared first on Healing Hands Chiropractic.

Why Get Chiropractic Adjustments?

Doctors of chiropractic often try to remove vertebral subluxations in the spine. These subluxations are misalignments in the spine that compress and irritate nerves. When the spine is compromised, the body’s nervous system cannot function as it should. Since the nervous system controls every single function in the body, it’s crucial to have it working at its best.

There are many causes of vertebral subluxations. Common causes include:

• A vertebra becoming misaligned due to a slip or fall
• Poor posture
• Joint swelling
• Inflammation in the body due to poor diet, stress, or other factors
• Degenerative changes in the spine
• Tight back muscles or trigger points pulling the spine out of alignment

Vertebral subluxations can have negative impacts on your health. They may lead to headaches, back pain, allergies, TMJD, athletic injuries, and more! Do not let your life be run by these spinal misalignments. Chiropractic can help!

8 Researched Benefits of Chiropractic Care

1. Sciatica

In a recent study done by the European Spine Journal, chiropractic adjustments had a 72 percent success rate in treating sciatica. Physical therapy only had a 20 percent success rate, and corticosteroid injections had a 50 percent success rate.

Most modern medical treatments treat the symptoms of sciatica pain, not the cause. Chiropractic identifies the source of sciatica pain and treats it. Dr. Dee  at Healing Hands Chiropractic will identify what subluxations are causing your sciatic nerve pain and treat them with spinal manipulations. This is a safe, natural, and effective way to combat sciatic nerve pain at its source!

2. Low Back Pain and Neck Pain

The British Medical Journal published a study in 2003 of 183 patients with neck pain. Participants were randomly chosen to receive chiropractic care, physiotherapy, or see a general practitioner over the course of a year.

The clinical results showed that chiropractic adjustments lead to faster recovery than both physiotherapy and general practitioner care. It also showed that the total costs of patients treated with chiropractic care were about one-third of the costs of physiotherapy or general practitioner care.

The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics studied patients suffering from low-back pain. Their findings showed that patients with chronic low-back pain who were treated by chiropractors saw greater improvement and patient satisfaction after one month of treatment, than those treated by family doctors.

3. Headaches 

Headaches are one of the most common ailments treated by chiropractors. There have been over 230 peer-reviewed articles that showed chiropractic’s ability to help prevent and treat headache pain. In fact, chiropractic care even helps reduce the frequency and severity of headache and migraine pain!

One group trial found that of the 22 percent of patients treated with chiropractic, they saw a 90 percent drop in their number of headaches. 49 percent also said their headache and migraine pain was reduced.

4. Colic and Ear Infections

In 2012, the Journal of Manipulative Physiological Therapeutics found that chiropractic adjustments reduced colic symptoms. Dozens of studies also report a link between chiropractic adjustments in kids, and reduced frequency of ear infections.

Birth and childhood are both very active and physically demanding processes! It makes sense that kids would suffer from subluxations that could lead to their nervous system not functioning as it should. Treat your child’s colic or ear infections with chiropractic.

5. Blood Pressure 

George Bakris, a leading expert on hypertension, published a study in 2007 on chiropractic care and blood pressure. In the Human Journal of Hypertension, his study proved that just one upper cervical chiropractic adjustment had the same impact as two blood pressure lowering drugs. Even more, the effects of one adjustment lasted more than 6 months!

6. Surgery Prevention

The Journal of the American Medical Association recently published its low back pain guidelines. These guidelines recommended that those suffering from back pain should seek chiropractic care before resorting to surgery.

7. Frozen Shoulder

A recent clinical trial showed that patients suffering from frozen shoulder responded well to chiropractic care. In the 50 patients studied, 16 saw their frozen shoulder healed. 25 showed a 75 to 90 percent improvement. 8 showed a 50 percent to 75 percent improvement. One showed 0 to 50 percent improvement.

8. Athletic Performance 

Many top athletes use chiropractic care to help enhance their performance. In fact, every NFL team has a chiropractor on its medical staff! Athletes such as Michael Phelps and Jordan Spieth are under regular chiropractic care.

Regular chiropractic care has many benefits for athletes:

• Boosts immune system
• Recover faster
• Relieves muscle tension
• Increases energy
• Restores nervous system function

Healing Hands Chiropractic Can Help

Chiropractic care has many proven benefits. From birth and beyond, it has something to offer for everyone. At Healing Hands Chiropractic, located in Murfreesboro, TN., Dr. Dee and her highly trained staff can help treat life’s aches and pains.

Whether you’re suffering from headaches, seasonal allergies, back pain, neck pain, migraines, shoulder pain, or anything in between, chiropractic care can help. There are countless research studies proving time and time again that chiropractic care works. It saves patients time and money, while giving them a natural and safe treatment option.

As a 2008 graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic, Dr. Dee went to one of the most prestigious chiropractic universities available. She has co-owned practices in Chicagoland and Wisconsin before opening Healing Hands Chiropractic in Murfreesboro in 2015.

Healing Hands Chiropractic seeks to instill knowledge in each patient, improve their life through the power of chiropractic, and help them along in their journey to wellness. Each patient at Healing Hands Chiropractic is treated like family, and that is why Healing Hands and Dr. Dee have consistently been voted Murfreesboro’s favorite chiropractor.

Call our offices today to schedule your appointment and consultation — we look forward to hearing from you and walking this wellness journey together! 615-203-3505

The post 8 Researched Benefits of Chiropractic appeared first on Healing Hands Chiropractic.