Neck pain can make life unbearable, and it can radiate pain
and symptoms to other parts of your body, including the rest of your back.
While it may seem like your neck pain is just a part of life, chiropractic
treatments may be able to help. Before you schedule your appointment, however,
check out these three common causes of chronic neck pain so you know what to
expect.
1. Arthritis
Arthritis is a common condition that presents joint pain and
stiffness. It has many causes and comes in many forms, but the most common type
of arthritis to affect the neck is spondylosis: a form of osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis is usually caused by wear and tear. Risk factors for
osteoarthritis include smoking, injury to the neck, and obesity.
In some cases, rheumatoid arthritis can cause neck pain, but
this form of arthritis usually affects smaller joints like the fingers. Unlike
osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis is a form of inflammatory arthritis
because it is caused by an autoimmune disease. This disease causes your immune
system to attack joints, which can cause severe stiffness, pain, and limited
mobility.
Chiropractic manipulations and modalities can't cure arthritis,
but they can ease the pain associated with arthritis by reducing strain and
pressure on joints. Adjusting joints also helps relax affected muscles, which
further takes the strain off joints because the muscles engage and take some of
the pressure and stress.
2. Strained Muscles
For many people, neck pain is caused by stiff muscles. The
two most commonly affected muscles are the levator scapulae and the trapezius.
The levator scapulae are responsible for bending and rotating the neck from
side to side, and the trapezius helps with many movements, particularly tilting
the head upward. For this reason, if you do have strained neck muscles, it may
be hard or painful to tilt your head up, bend it, or turn it from side to side.
One of the leading risk factors of strained neck muscles is
poor posture (or staying in one position for too long, like when you sleep on
your stomach). Poor posture overstretches some muscles, forcing them to
elongate and weaken. At the same time, other muscles contract and lose
flexibility. Over time, poor posture can irritate more and more muscles.
An injury can also cause strained neck muscles.
Rear-end-collisions are notorious for causing whiplash, which occurs when the
neck is forced forward and backward fast. This damages the soft tissue,
including muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Other causes of strained neck
muscles include lifting something heavy, performing a new activity, and
repetitive movements.
3. Compressed Nerves
Strained muscles or damaged joints can also lead to cervical
radiculopathy or compressed nerves. For example, inflammation from
osteoarthritis may put pressure on a nerve, which will cause pain, tingling,
numbness, or weakness.
Of course, nerves in the neck don't just affect the neck.
Depending on the location of the nerve, the symptoms of a pinched nerve can
radiate down the arms, affecting the elbow, hand, wrist, and fingers. This can
make it hard or painful to do everyday tasks, such as writing, brushing your
teeth, cleaning, etc.
Chiropractic manipulations and modalities help take the
pressure off the nerve so it can function properly again. If left untreated,
however, compressed nerves can lead to damage that leaves behind scar tissue,
torn disc material, and even pieces of bone. These may need to be removed with
surgery.
Neck pain can devastate your life and cause you to miss out
on the activities you used to love. If you're sick of struggling with pain and
limited mobility, seek treatment. For more information, or to schedule a visit, contact us
at
Corner Chiropractic Center today.
