Life A Pain In The Neck?
by Dr. Martin Schmaltz
Your Daily Life Can Cause Neck Pain
Computer work. Watching TV. Game stations. Cell phone usage. Poor posture. Stress. All these can literally make life a pain in the neck!
Your neck is the most vulnerable par of your spine. This delicate structure consists of 7 bones called vertebrae. These vertebrae are aligned in such a way that it effectively supports your 10-12 pound head, yet allows maximum flexibility and rotation. Along with the support and mobility, the neck also has nerves that pass between the spinal bones, supplying nerve impulses to the head, face arms and hands.
While we all occasionally suffer some discomfort and annoyance, intense or chronically reoccurring neck pain or stiffness is a sign something is wrong.
While many of our daily routines such as computer work, watching TV and phone usage are innocent in themselves; it is the regular and prolonged body positions day in and day out that can result in neck pain.
The Cause of Neck Pain
The most common cause of neck pain is a mechanical malfunction of the spinal bones resulting from vertebral misalignment. These misalignments are seen in the cases of a reverse of the normal neck curve, whiplash and joint instability. The body responds by tightening muscles in the neck, “splinting the joint to protect it from further insult.
Most of the pain-sensing nerves in the neck are located in the small joints in the back of the neck called facet joints: they are located on the backside of each vertebra. These interlocking joints allow for the smooth mobility of your neck. If these joints become misaligned or loose their normal motion, neck pain can result. Chiropractic care is successful in restoring proper joint motion.
A more difficult problem to correct is the degenerative changes that result from neglect. Years of uncorrected spinal misalignment can cause these joints and the discs to slowly grind away. This can result in thin discs (disc degeneration), bone spurs and degenerative arthritis. These conditions can respond quite well to chiropractic care, however, they may take more time and ongoing support.
Stress is another cause of neck pain. Pressure on the job, at home, relationships and just life can start a stress reaction in our body. The typical response to stress is a tightening of the muscles of our neck and upper back, subtly misaligning the vertebrae of our neck. Even after we have de-stressed, the vertebra may remain misaligned and locked, causing inflammation of these facet joints. If the weakest link in our bodies is our neck, stress shows up there.
While chiropractic care cannot reduce the stress of your busy life, it can help improve your ability to handle and tolerate it!
If life for you is a pain in the neck, why not call us now and find out how chiropractic care can help! Dr. Martin Schmaltz has year of experience treating the cause of neck pain. Whether it is a misalignment of the spinal bones, arthritic degeneration, whiplash or sports injury: in most cases he can help you feel better!