Have you ever had neck pain that you were sure would go away if you were just able to crack your neck? This is referred to as self-manipulation and is a very dangerous practice. It has been seen that doing it repeatedly can result in a person experiencing more pain. It also can increase your risk of having a stroke. We strongly encourage you to not continue doing this if you already have been cracking your own neck.

Neck pain is very common and can be due to strained neck muscles or poor posture. It is often caused by such things as leaning over your computer, hunching over your workbench, or looking down at your cell phone repeatedly while texting or playing games. It rarely indicates a serious problem, but if it is accompanied by loss of strength or numbness in your arms or hands, seek medical care. The same holds true if you have a shooting pain in your shoulder or down your arm.

Symptoms of Neck Pain

Symptoms of neck pain can vary depending on the person. They can include:

• Muscle tightness and spasms
• Headaches
• Decreased ability to move your head
• Pain that becomes worse when holding your head in one spot for extended periods, such as doing computer work or driving

Causes of Neck Pain

The bones of the neck are very flexible, making it possible to support the weight of the head while allowing it to move in all directions. However, this makes the neck bones vulnerable to getting injured and developing conditions that make movement difficult and cause pain. Some of these can be:

• Worn out joints: As do other joints of the body, the joints of the neck wear down with age. When the cartilage between the vertebrae begin to deteriorate, you have what is called osteoarthritis. This causes the body to form bone spurs that impact joint movement and cause pain.
• Injuries: Whiplash due to auto accidents or blows to the head strains the soft tissues of the neck and often causes neck misalignments.
• Muscle strains: This is due to overuse, such as hunching over your phone or computer. Even small things like reading in bed or gritting your teeth can cause muscle strain.
• Diseases: Rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, or meningitis can all cause neck pain.
• Nerve compression: The nerves branching from the spinal cord can be pinched because of herniated discs or bone spurs and lead to neck pain.

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and neck pain, download our free e-book by clicking the image below.

Home Care Tips for Neck Pain

• Carefully rub or massage the area to relieve pain and encourage blood flow. If this hurts, do not continue.
• Try to do your daily routine unless your pain is severe. If so, modify or avoid these activities.
• Maintain good posture at all times. Do not allow your head to move in front of your shoulders and do not slouch.
• Use a small pillow to support your neck when you sleep. It is recommended to sleep on your back if at all possible.
• As the pain improves, it is a good idea to begin doing neck exercises to strengthen and stretch the muscles. You can speak with your chiropractor or physical therapist about these.
• If you smoke, consider quitting. Smoking slows the healing process and impedes tissue repair because of a decrease in blood supply.

Properly Icing for Pain

Here are some tips for reducing neck pain by icing.

• Icing is most effective immediately following the injury and its effectiveness decreases significantly after 48 hours. Apply ice as soon as possible after the injury.
• Do an ice massage. When you apply the ice to the injury, continuously move it around and do not allow it to sit in one spot for too long.
• Keep an eye on the clock. Never leave ice on the body for more than 20 minutes at a time. If you do, you can get frostbite.
• Take your time between treatments. Allow the area to warm up for at least 45 minutes or an hour before reapplying the ice. While repeating this process is a good idea, let your body recover in between applications.
• Ice as often as you want to as long as the area you are icing is warm to the touch and has a good feeling. With icing as often as you can, your chances of recovery will speed up.

Getting Professional Help for Neck Pain

A great place to find relief for neck pain is here at Precision Spine Specialists in Brentwood, Tennessee. It is possible that you have a misaligned bone in your upper cervical spine. As mentioned above, the C1 (atlas) and C2 (axis) vertebrae are easily moved out of place due to whiplash or other blows to the head and neck. Also, anything that overextends the muscles of the neck can lead to a misalignment. If these bones are out of alignment, they can wreak havoc on the entire body, including causing neck pain.

We understand the complex relationship between the bones of the neck and how their misplacement leads to many health problems. We have been specially trained to find and then correct these misalignments using the assistance of imaging and scientific measurements. Once the exact location of the problem has been detected, we then employ a technique that is more natural than forcing the bones back into place by popping or cracking the spine. Rather, it is very gentle and encourages the bones to move back on their own, leading to a longer-lasting adjustment. This often leads to a reduction or even elimination of neck pain.

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Hall, call our Brentwood office at 615-488-7891 or just click the button below.

If you are outside of the local area, you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com