Getting chiropractic care can be helpful for managing and relieving neck pain. Chiropractic care is a safer option as opposed to prescription medications or over-the-counter painkillers for neck pain relief. A chiropractor provides gentle, non-invasive, non-addictive treatments commonly known as chiropractic adjustments.

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By adjusting the joints of the spine and other joints in the body, chiropractic adjustments reduce joint restrictions or misalignments, reducing inflammation and improving joint function. Your body will be able to better manage neck discomfort after improving joint mobility and strengthening your nervous system and spinal health. 

The manipulation of the cervical spine or neck region is one of the most common techniques used by chiropractors to relieve neck, upper back, and shoulder/arm pain, in addition to headaches. The effects of chiropractic care on the cervical spine are comparable to the treatment provided for conditions affecting the low back. Chiropractors use chiropractic care to reduce pain, improve motion, and restore function to the head and neck.  

This is accomplished through a number of different approaches. This article focuses primarily on those methods, understanding neck pain, and common causes. Continue reading to learn more about neck pain and how a chiropractor could help.  

What is Neck Pain?  

You neck is made up of seven vertebrae and is supported by many muscles and ligaments, acting as a bridge between your head and torso that allows your head to move freely. Neck pain most often occurs when the joints and muscles in the neck become sore or so irritated that they become inflamed. Neck pain can be minor and easily ignored or debilitating and excruciating. When combined with other symptoms, it often indicates that immediate medical assistance is needed. While neck pain and discomfort are common occurrences, they should not be tolerated. Around 17 percent of the adult population are currently suffering from neck pain and discomfort. Symptoms of neck pain include:   

• Neck stiffness and limited range of motion 
• Pain that is sharp or stabbing in nature 
• General soreness or tenderness 
• Pain radiating from the neck and into the shoulders, elbows, fingers and head. 
  

Typical Neck Pain Causes 

Biomechanics play a part in the neck's susceptibility to injury. The cervical spine is affected by many activities and events, including extended sitting, repeated movement, accidents, falls and blows to the head and normal aging. There are a variety of reasons why neck pain occurs. Some common causes of neck pain include the following:  

• Accident Injuries: Whiplash occurs when the head or neck suddenly moves forcefully in any direction. This sudden movement causes injury to the supporting tissues around the neck and head. In response, muscles tighten and contract, creating muscle fatigue, which can result in pain and stiffness. Car accidents are the most common cause of whiplash. Severe whiplash can also damage the intervertebral joints, discs, ligaments, muscles, and nerve roots. 
  

• Aging:  A number of degenerative diseases, including osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, and degenerative disc disease, have a direct impact on the spine which affects the neck. 
  

• Osteoarthritis: is a progressive deterioration of cartilage caused by a joint disorder. The body reacts to this by producing bone spurs that affect joint motion. 
  

• Spinal Stenosis: This causes the small nerve passageways within the vertebral column to narrow, compressing and trapping nerve roots. If these nerves are unable to function normally, stenosis can cause chronic pain in the neck, shoulders, and arms. 
  

• Degenerative Disc Disease: Disc degeneration occurs when the elasticity and height of an intervertebral disc decreases over time. Eventually, a compression or herniation may cause tingling, numbness, and pain radiating into the arm. 
  

• Daily Life: The neck often bends forward to compensate for poor posture, obesity, and weak abdominal muscles. When we are stressed and emotionally tense, our muscles are prone to tightening and contracting, which can lead to pain and stiffness. Symptoms of chronic neck pain can extend into the upper back and arms as a result of postural stress. 
  

How a Chiropractor Will Diagnose Neck Pain   

During an examination, your chiropractor will check your spine as a whole because other regions of the neck, mid back, and low back may also be affected. The chiropractor not only treats the spine — but also takes care of your entire body, and not just your specific symptoms. Additionally, to treating your neck pain, your doctor may provide educational information about nutrition, stress management, and lifestyle goals. They will examine your posture and spinal alignment, as well as locate any areas where you have restricted movement. 

This will enable your chiropractor to better assess your body mechanics. Your chiropractor will know more about your neck pain after completing these tests, which will lead to a customized treatment plan for you. 

The chiropractor will examine your neck thoroughly, in order to determine the specific cause of your neck pain. A chiropractor will review your medical history with you along with a physical exam. He or she may order imaging tests (eg, an X-ray or an MRI) to make sure the diagnosis is accurate. 

Your chiropractor will also rule out neck pain conditions which would require surgery; if your chiropractor feels your condition would benefit from surgery, then you will be referred to a spine surgeon. 

Chiropractic Treatments for Neck Pain  

Chiropractic treatment includes spinal manipulation, manual therapy, and other techniques to relieve neck pain. Your chiropractor may use the following techniques below when manipulating your spine:  

• Flexion-distraction technique. This consists of a gentle, hands-on spinal manipulation that involves putting pressure on an intervertebral disc, instead of direct force. 
  

• Instrument-assisted manipulation. Your chiropractor applies force with a hand-held instrument instead of pushing into the spine. 
  

• Specific spinal manipulation. Uses a soft thrusting technique to restore joint movement. 
  

• Instrument-assisted soft tissue therapy. Diagnoses and treats muscle tension using special instruments. 
  

• Manual joint stretching and resistance techniques. Helps relieve symptoms of neck pain and other conditions. 
  

• Therapeutic massage. Can help relieve muscle tension. 
  

• Trigger point therapy. Used to relieve both muscular pain and tightness. 
  

• Inferential electrical stimulation. Stimulates neck muscles with a low frequency electrical current.
  

• Ultrasound. Sound waves are sent to the muscles and tissues of the neck to help reduce stiffness and pain. 
  

The treatments listed above are not your only treatment options for neck pain; your treatment will depend on your diagnosis. You should fully understand the treatment options available so that you know what to expect. Your chiropractor may also use manual therapies to treat your neck pain.  

Chiropractic Manipulation for Neck Pain  

A couple of examples of gentle chiropractic techniques to treat neck pain include the following: 

• Cervical Mobilization: involves the patient lying on his or her back, relaxed, while the chiropractor manually adjusts the vertebrae in the neck left and right alternately, and similarly applies a figure 8 motion moving the head forward, backward, to the side, and in rotation. A smooth, non-thrust stretch is used to ease cervical spinal joint fixations or areas of restricted motion. An oscillatory movement with the hands is also often used during cervical spine mobilization. 
  

• Cervical Manual Traction: Usually, the patient is lying on their back or sitting, or less commonly lying flat on their stomach. The chiropractor gently pulls on the neck, stretching the cervical spine forward and backward, based on comfort and finding the correct angle to most efficiently reduce the tightness. Many chiropractors combine this technique with mobilization, switching between the two and/or performing both simultaneously. 
  

• Cervical "Drop" Techniques: The patient is either lying on their stomach or on their side on a table with a special head drop-piece that is lifted into a set or locked position. After placing his or her hand and/or finger over the spinal segment which requires the adjustment, the chiropractor applies a high velocity, low amplitude push, or gradual downward pressure until the headpiece of the table releases and drops a short distance. In order to reduce cervical vertebra fixation or restricted motion, a special table is used. The traditional chiropractic adjustment typically does not involve rotation or twisting of the head and neck, and the common crack (joint cavitation) may or may not happen with this method. 
  

Will You Need a Cervical MRI Scan?  

In the event you suffer neck pain or back pain, your doctor may recommend an MRI of the cervical spine. This is located directly above the spine at the top of the spine. An MRI usually indicates the presence of serious spinal or nerve abnormalities and can provide better images than other imaging techniques like x-rays and computerized tomography. An MRI of the cervical spine can also provide information about cerebellum and other brain structures.   

In an MRI scan of the neck, doctors can examine the cervical spine bones, discs, spinal cord, muscles surrounding the spinal cord, and lower brain. An MRI may detect fractures, tumors and infections in the bones; bulges, infection, and disc flattening in discs; infection and cystic collections in the tissues and muscles around the cervical spine; spinal blockages.  

For more information on the best chiropractors for your neck pain, contact DOCS4PI. Our specialists are carefully screened so that patients experience the best care possible. We have an extensive network of specialists able to diagnose and treat your injuries. These professionals will be able to identify the best treatment for you and make a plan to correct your injury at the source and eliminate your neck pain for good.