Suffering from Neck Pain in Grand Rapids MI?

Almost everyone has experienced neck pain once in their lives in Grand Rapids MI. Whether it’s from an exercise strain or a kink after a long day at work, neck pain is quite common. Lasting neck pain often makes even the simplest movements incredibly painful. This pain often leads to headaches that decrease your quality of life. Neck pain often causes its victims to avoid using the muscles in their neck resulting in muscle degeneration over time, further exacerbating the problem.

Discovering the source of neck pain is essential to receiving proper treatment. Our chiropractor in Grand Rapids MI has helped neck pain many times. This article explains the causes of neck pain and demonstrates how chiropractic care at Kaminski Chiropractic PLLC is able to provide long-lasting relief.

Neck Pain Treatment in Grand Rapids MI

The neck is not the largest part of the body but it is one of the most important. It is the bridge between the head and body and needs to hold the head in proper alignment. Vertebrae in the neck are quite small and allow for mobility. However, they lack strength which can give way to injuries and pain. There are numerous causes of neck pain but these are some of the most common:

• Trauma, such as whiplash
• Awkward Sleeping position
• Poor posture
• Repetitive stress
• Abnormalities in the bone structure
• Joint issues
• Muscle strains and pulls

Most neck pain arises from or has an impact on, the alignment of the spine. Muscles often spasm during times of neck pain which pulls on the spine causing pain and further misalignment. When the spine is tampered with, the nerves in the spinal cord are irritated which impacts the rest of the body. Neck pain can be dangerous for this reason, causing problems in other essential systems throughout the body.

People often ignore neck pain and believe it will go away without consequence eventually. Sometimes the pain does go away but the lingering effects on the spine can cause problems in the future. Over time, without treatment, the pain can become recurring with certain movements becoming almost impossible. In extreme cases, patients have waited so long that they need surgery to fix the problem.

Conventional vs. Holistic Treatments

Most commonly, people try to deal with their neck pain using prescription or over the counter medications. This may help to relieve the symptoms in the short term, but not only are patients dealing with side effects, but the underlying issue goes unaddressed. Massage Therapy has become more popular over the years and this can help to relieve some muscle tightens, but if the issue is in the bones or joints, the problem will remain.

Chiropractic treatment is a holistic practice that addresses the structural cause that leads to the majority neck pain. Following a thorough chiropractic assessment aimed at ruling out other issues and finding the exact source of the problem, a personalized recovery plan is developed. Gentle adjustments to the spine can bring instant relief and restore long term health to the neck and the entire body. Call our team at Kaminski Chiropractic PLLC today to set up a consultation and bring an end to the pain in your neck.

Region Description and Overview

The technical term for the neck is the cervical spine. It consists of 7 vertebrae (spinal bones) as well as the Occiput (lowest portion of the skull). These vertebrae are labelled using the letter C and the number of the vertebrae (example C3 is the third cervical). The normal curvature of the cervical spine is a lordosis (or backward C). An example is shown in the photo gallery below. The lower cervical spine (C3-C7) is where the majority of flexion, extension and lateral flexion take place. The upper cervical spine consists of unique, specialized vertebrae and this is where the majority of rotation occurs. C2 is referred to as the "Axis" and C1 is referred to as the "Atlas."

Most Common Causes

The most common cause of Neck Pain is subluxation. A subluxation is the posterior misalignment of a vertebrae that is pinching or interfering with a nerve. This can be the result of a sudden trauma (hard fall, car accident, etc.), repetitive use injury (prolonged postures, repetitive motion, etc.), sports injury, or normal day-to-day wear and tear. The disc can also be involved which complicates the issue as well as the possibility of adding symptoms and increase discomfort.