Dealing With Neck Pain?
Whether You Think So or Not…
Your neck has a tough job. A very tough job.
The neck, and the rest of the spine has to hold, stabilize, move, and control the entire weight of your head EVERYDAY…for your ENTIRE lifetime.
The average head weighs around 11 pounds. And as mentioned in previously blogs, if your head drifts forward during your posture that weight increases 3-10 times!
Holding up 11 pounds may not seem like a lot, but when you have so many body parts that have to work together, it can get tricky.
How many body parts are we talking about? In the neck alone there are 7 bones, over 20 joints, and 20 muscles of your neck have to work together to balance that. When they are working together perfectly, you are able to move pain-free.
I like to think about each section of the body like a work site…when each part is playing their part and doing their job everyone (the muscles) is much happier. When one person (muscles) is doing more work than it is use to, it will probably be the one that get’s angry first.
Postural changes, sudden or repetitive injuries, sleeping “wrong”, and arthritis are just a few of the primary causes of neck pain. Often times the pain can often be traced to a problem with either the muscles, bones, joints, discs, or nerves in your neck.
This Is Why It Matters…
Have you ever been sitting at work or at home and wondered, “why does my neck hurt”? Then over the neck few days your ability to move and turn your head decreased? Not only are you unable to move, but tightness and discomfort has slowly been increasing.
If you feel a tight muscles spasm that causes some pain in your neck, often times it is just protecting a spinal joint that isn’t moving properly. When the brain is not receiving proper input from the joint’s receptors, it goes into protective mode.
Almost every bone in your neck has a pair of sliding joints towards the back called facet joints. If those joints become “stuck” or restricted, that compensation can cause a cascade of additional challenges. Yes, these challenges may take some time to overcome but are certainly achievable.
Here are a few things that you should know:
· Sudden injuries, sleeping abnormally, arthritis, and postural issues can all contribute to neck pain.
· The small sliding joints of the neck can become "stuck" or restricted, leading to muscles spasms and possibly pain.
· Spinal adjustments or manipulation, manual therapy to address tight muscles combined with daily stretching can help restore proper motion in the joints of the neck and reduce pain.
Here’s What To Do Now:
Pain is always the body’s way of saying “PAY ATTENTION SOMETHING MAY BE WRONG”!
Even if your neck pain decreases or goes away periodically, it is still a great idea to get evaluated to find the cause of your neck pain. Dr. Sealey would love to assist you!
Movement assessments and orthopedic testing provide us with an incredible amount of information about your body and its ability to move….or the inability.
Being proactive in your approach to your health can help eliminate the chances of encountering neck or back pain in the future.
It all starts with a call, or a visit to our website. Chances are, we’re available when you need us so schedule today!
Dalton Sealey DC, CSCS
ProMove Chiropractic & Performance
402.915.4901
drsealey@promovechiropractic.com
Science Source(s):
Intervertebral Kinematics of the Cervical Spine. The Spine Journal. 2018.