This is one of the most common concerns for which people seek chiropractic care. Your neck is very vulnerable to strain and injury.
What can cause neck pain?
- Muscle toxicity
- Joint fixation limiting normal movement
- Joint or Muscle Injury
Muscle toxicity usually comes from normal function gone wrong when the muscle is too tight. The muscle gets too tight in a few different
circumstances.
- Postural Strain - Working on the computer, reading a book, or just watching TV can put your neck under strain. The head weighs
8-10 pounds. If your head is out in front of the center of your shoulders, the muscles along the back of your neck and head and
attaching to your upper back and shoulders are required to hold onto MUCH more weight than they are used to.
- Subluxation Complex - The joint is injured or damaged (gradually or suddenly), resulting in irritation of the joint surface, nerves,
and surrounding muscles. This can come from a car accident, but it more often comes from gradual stresses and injuries to our
neck, like postural strain and emotional stress. (Please refer to SUBLUXATIONS Complex PAGE for additional information.)
- Emotional Stress - Not that any of us are stressed, right? This is an important contributor to may of our woes, including neck
pain. Massage is a great tool to relieve both the toxins from the muscles and the stress of the emotion -- at least for a short time. As
the problem persists, the subluxation complex often develops.
- SOLUTION: Massage, Trigger Point Therapy, Chiropractic Adjustments, Reduce Postural Strain and Emotional Stress
- Prevention: Reduce Postural Strain and Emotional Stress, and Occasional Massage, Trigger Point Therapy, and Chiropractic
Adjustments, and maintain good eating an drinking habits.
Joint Fixation is usually the attempt of your body to compensate or heal some damage of dysfunction of your body. Joint fixation is one
part of the subluxation complex.
- SOLUTION: Massage, Trigger Point Therapy, Chiropractic Adjustments, Reduce Postural Strain and Emotional Stress
- Prevention: Occasional Massage, Trigger Point Therapy, and Chiropractic Adjustments, as well as Reduce Postural Strain and
Emotional Stress, and maintain good eating an drinking habits.
Joint or Muscle Injury happens when the muscle is sudden or very forcefully stretched beyond what it can bare. This results in 'splinting'
(a reactive overtightening) of the muscle in an attempt to prevent further damage. This is good for a while, but muscle waste products
quickly build up and become toxic. This toxicity results in irritation to the muscle and nerve endings. This often results in a subluxation
complex.
- SOLUTION: Movement in your full (as far as it doesn't hurt) range of motion, Massage, Trigger Point Therapy, and Chiropractic
Adjustments, Nutritional Supplements and a good Diet of quality food.
- Prevention: Don't get hit by that linebacker or car next time...not that you had a choice.
|
