Neck Pain Treatment
Over the years, we've successfully treated thousands of patients with neck pain in Baltimore MD, Laurel MD, and Takoma Park MD. We use proven, non-invasive methods of relieving neck pain including trigger point therapy dry needling, chiropractic care, and physical therapy.
Neck pain, like any type of spinal pain, is symptom rather than a diagnosis. It is typically the result of damage, disease, or injury within the cervical spine, or in the surrounding ligaments and tissues. The cervical spine is the part of the spine within the neck.
Below are some of the most common causes of neck pain we see in our offices in Baltimore MD, Laurel MD, and Takoma Park MD.
Common Causes of Neck Pain:
Auto Injuries and Whiplash: Neck pain after an auto accident is extremely common, affecting up to 90% of patients with auto injuries. During a rear-end collision, your body is thrust forward while your head lags behind. This difference in motion forces the ligaments and tissues to stretch beyond their normal limit, resulting in whiplash injuries. Overtime the damaged tissues can become inflamed, leading to a number of chemical and physical changes in your body that can cause a range of symptoms including neck pain, shoulder pain, headache, dizziness, and temporomandibular joint disorders. Learn more about our auto injury care here.
Aging and Spinal Degeneration: Over time, the joints in your spine (vertebrae) naturally degenerate with the wear and tear that comes with aging. This may lead to degenerative disc disease, disc herniation, osteoarthritis, or spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spine).
Disc Herniation: Disc herniation occurs when the soft, jelly-like interior of a spinal disc begins to protrude outside the tougher exterior. This places pressure on the surrounding spinal nerves which sends pain, tingling, and numbness down the pathway of the affected spinal nerve. Patients with disc herniation often experience cervical radiculopathy, or radiating pain and tingling shooting from their neck down their arms and hands. Disc herniation can be caused by aging, auto accidents, or other injuries.
Poor Posture and Muscle Strain: Hours spent hunched over a computer or a steering wheel at work can place significant strain on the muscles and ligaments in your neck. Overtime, this strain may cause you to develop chronic neck pain. Sleeping in the poor position, turning your neck the wrong way, or overexertion may also cause muscle strain, or acute (shorter periods) neck pain.
Other causes of neck pain:
Meningitis, tumors, and cancers are also possible causes of neck pain. If we suspect your neck is a result of cancer or another disease we do not commonly treat, we will help refer you to an appropriate physician.
How Does Back and Pain Clinic Treat Neck Pain?
Identifying the source of your neck pain is tantamount for effective relief. Our Baltimore chiropractors will work with you to address the root of your neck pain, and develop a treatment plan based on your specific needs.
Multiple medical studies have shown that chiropractic spinal adjustments, combined with exercise therapies, are an effective solution for chronic neck pain. For instance, one study demonstrated that chiropractic plus exercise rehabilitation were better than drugs for alleviating neck symptoms.
Don't let your neck pain interfere with your life and ability to work. Contact Stutman Chiropractic for relief of neck pain today.
References
Bronfort G, et al. Spinal Manipulation, medication, or home exercise with advice for acute and subacute neck pain: a randomized trial. Annals of Internal Medicine 2012; 156 (1): 1-10.
Hoy DG, et al. The epidemiology of neck pain. Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology 2010;24(6):783-92. doi: 10.1016/j.berh.2011.01.019.
Chiropractic care and neck pain: conservative care of cervical pain, injury. American Chiropractic Association.
