What Causes Neck Pain?
The neck is vulnerable to pain and injury nearly by design. Whenever we sit for long periods, engage in repetitive movements, sleep in certain positions (especially on the stomach), or suffer a fall or an accident, the neck is often one of the first areas affected. A number of conditions that arise from aging can also cause neck pain or discomfort.
Some of the most common causes of neck pain include:
- Degenerative disc disease – As the padded discs between our vertebrae stiffen or become brittle, the discs can herniate or bulge. This affects the nerves emerging from the cervical spine, or neck vertebrae, resulting in pain, tingling or numbness down the arm.
- Osteoarthritis – Another common result of the aging process, osteoarthritis causes degeneration of cartilage. The body’s reaction is to form bone spurs, which make it difficult and painful to turn the head.
- Spinal stenosis – Spinal stenosis is a condition that sometimes goes hand-in-hand with osteoarthritis. With spinal stenosis, the canal within the spine begins to narrow. The neck bones move out of place and make the canal smaller, which compresses the nerves inside and eventually causes them to be pinched. Spinal stenosis is a painful condition that can cause neck, arm and shoulder pain.
- Accidents and injuries – We’ve all heard of whiplash, particularly associated with car accidents, but whiplash can occur from other accidents as well, including sports-related injuries. Any sudden movement of the head in one direction causes an equally forceful rebound in the opposite direction. The neck is not built for these types of situations, and the joints, discs, muscles, ligaments and nerves of the neck can be severely impacted.
- Everyday wear and tear – The spine is incredibly tough, but it can also be delicate. It doesn’t take much for the spine’s alignment to be disrupted. Poor posture, weak abdominal muscles, obesity, stress, and more can contribute to spine misalignment, and when the spine is affected, so too is the neck. Neck pain and stiffness are often the result of misaligned vertebrae.
- Text neck – This is a growing condition in our modern world with the constant use of mobile devices. Flexing the head forward to look at your smartphone for more than two hours a day directly affects the spine and can cause pain in the neck as well as the shoulders and upper back. Learn more from our blog post, Do You Have Text Neck?.
Symptoms of Neck Pain
The body can respond to the irritated and inflamed joints, ligaments, and muscles of the neck in more ways than one. If you experience any symptoms, don’t hesitate to seek treatment from our neck pain doctor in Jonesboro. Commonly observed symptoms include:
- Sharp, stabbing pain concentrated in one area
- Stiffness and limited motion
- Radiating pain that originates in the neck and descends to other parts of the body
- Generalized tenderness or soreness
How Does Myshka Chiropractic Diagnose Neck Pain Problems?
Dr. Susan Myshka has successfully treated neck pain and its root causes at Myshka Chiropractic in Jonesboro, Arkansas since 1984. Dr. Myshka begins each treatment plan with a comprehensive chiropractic examination to determine the reason for your neck pain. She will assess your entire spine, not just your neck, as other areas may also be affected.
Questions Dr. Myshka will ask include:
- How long have you had pain?
- Did the pain start with an injury or accident?
- Does the pain radiate down a shoulder, arm, or any other part of your body?
- How have you tried to treat your neck pain?
- Does anything help the pain or make it worse?
Your examination will include a neurological and physical examination, during which Dr. Myshka will evaluate your posture, range of motion, spinal alignment, muscle tension, and nerve responses. She may even perform an x-ray to check for fractures, arthritis, disc issues, or bone spurs. All of these tests give Dr. Myshka greater insight into your body’s functions and your neck pain, allowing her to create a customized plan.
Chiropractic Neck Pain Treatment & Crick in the Neck Treatment
To begin, it’s important to note that treatment by our Jonesboro neck pain doctor does not include drugs, which only mask the pain and do not treat it. Nor does it include surgery, which we consider to be a last resort only after a number of other proven solutions have been exhausted.
Chiropractic Neck Adjustment Techniques
Neck adjustments, also known as cervical manipulation, are most often used to improve mobility of your neck, as well as to address pain and stiffness. Neck adjustments often allow the adjoining muscles to relax, giving you more range of motion and easing discomfort. By increasing mobility through manipulation, your body can better manage the symptoms.
Chiropractic adjustments may also be recommended alongside therapies such as cold laser therapy, mobilization, and rehabilitative exercises.
Of course, Dr. Myshka will work with you to develop a personalized care plan to address your unique needs.
Receive Relief from Our Neck Pain Doctor in Jonesboro Today
If you are suffering from neck pain due to a car accident, injury, age-related problems or any other reason, make Myshka Chiropractic your first choice for care. Dr. Myshka is a licensed and experienced doctor of chiropractic care, and patients of Myshka Chiropractic often experience relief of pain and other problems without the use of pharmaceutical medications or surgery.
Schedule an appointment with our Jonesboro neck pain doctor for relief.