Neck pain affects over half of the population in their lifetime. Neck pain is second only to lower back pain as a cause of lost workdays. One of the most common causes of neck pain comes from a slightly misaligned or restricted joint in your neck.
Your neck is made up of seven bones stacked on top of each other with a soft “disc” between each segment to allow for flexibility. Normally, each joint in your neck should move freely and independently.
One of the most common forms of neck pain arises when one or more of the joints in your neck are slightly misaligned and/or restricted. We call this condition “cervical segmental joint restriction” or more simply a “subluxation.” The term “subluxation” literally means “less than a dislocation.”
To help visualize this, imagine a normal neck functioning like a big spring moving freely in every direction. A neck with a joint restriction is like having a section of that spring welded together. The spring may still move, but a portion of it is no longer functioning. Joint restrictions can develop in many ways. Sometimes they are caused by an accident or an injury. Other times, they develop from repetitive strains or poor posture. Restricted joints give rise to a self-perpetuating cycle of discomfort.
Joint restriction often causes swelling and inflammation, which triggers muscular guarding leading to more restriction. Since the spine functions as a unit, rather than as isolated pieces, a joint restriction in one area of the spine often causes “compensatory” problems in another. Think of this as a rowboat with multiple oarsmen on each side. When one rower quits, it places the others under additional stress and can become overworked.
Joint restrictions most commonly cause local tenderness and discomfort and a noticeable decrease in range of motion. Moving your head and neck often increases discomfort. Pain from a restricted joint often radiates down to your shoulders and upper back. Headaches, light-headedness, and/or jaw problems may result from joint restrictions in the upper neck.
Long-standing restrictions are thought to result in arthritis – much like the way a slightly misaligned wheel on your car causes premature wearing of your tire.
Chiropractic care has been shown to be the safest and most effective treatment for joint restrictions. Our office offers several tools to help ease your pain, including chiropractic, acupuncture, manual therapy, and customized stretches and exercises for your neck pain.
Credit: Information on this page provided by ChiroUp.
Dr. Matthew squeezed me in on short notice and took very good care of me. He was very thorough and didn’t just adjust me and let me walk out. Amazing experience here and the receptionist is a sweetheart.
Dr. Matt and the entire staff have been GREAT! I went in for some issues I was having with my neck and back and Dr. Matt also helped me with some other issues I was having with my calf and shoulders that have made a HUGE improvement in my overall health and comfort.
I highly recommend using Dr. Matt!
Dr. Matt has done wonders for me and I recommend him highly – I can’t say enough good things about him. Dr. Matt and staff are good people and will take great care of you.
Dr. Wilson and Dr, Alec (PT) are both top-notch, and I’ve trusted my whole family with Dr. Matt Wilson for the last couple of years. My father was a chiropractor for over 40 years, so I knew what I was looking for, and he’s the best we’ve found in the area. Their approach is to get you feeling better, and not to string things out, costing you more time and money than necessary. While they have all the equipment necessary (x-ray, etc) they don’t push unneeded services or snake oils. Both are caring, competent, and compassionate. The staff is good about finding appointments when you need them, and scheduling you with multiple people in a visit whenever possible. The new building is clean, well-appointed, and comfortable. Wait times are short, too. My husband has also had a therapy-based deep tissue massage from one of the two new massage therapists, and said it really helped!
I really love it here! They are very friendly and I feel Dr. Wilson is giving me great treatment! I also don’t feel pressured into coming back too frequently. The adjustments are great! Great office!
Very professional and in depth consultation. These people seem to genuinely care about people’s health and progress.