Can Neck Pain Be Serious?
Your neck is the vital passageway through which the spinal cord passes
to connect the brain to the arms and legs and key bodily organs and
tissues. The brain and spinal cord, with its important spinal and
autonomic nerves, control and coordinate almost all body functions.
The seven cervical vertebrae (spinal bones) in the neck have highly
mobile joints so that you can bend your head forward and backward,
tilt it to either side and rotate the head an neck. Since the neck is
exceptionally flexible, it lends itself easily to injury and pain.
Depending upon its severity, an insult to the head or neck may injure
the supporting muscles, tendons and ligaments of the neck and perhaps
interfere with essential circulation to the head and brain. A neck
injury may even disrupt the functioning of the spinal cord and the
autonomic nerves distributed by the cervical vertebrae. This can
result in serious interference with the life-support communications
network of the body.
What Can I Do to Ease the Pain
Temporarily?
If you have reason to believe that you have a whiplash injury,
immediately stabilize the head so that it cannot be exposed to further
injury.
Apply an ice pack to the area to help reduce inflammation and swelling
and thereby decrease the pain. Use the ice pack for periods of 15 to
20 minutes with at least a 30-minute interval between each
application.
If you experience neck pain other than whiplash, do not stabilize the
head because you may further stiffen the neck, reduce the range of
motion and cause increased immobility. Keep you neck active and
flexible.
If you have insidious, recurring pain, apply moist heat to the back of
the neck and shoulders. Use the heat for periods of 20 minutes, with
at least a 30-minute interval between each application. These remedies
will provide temporary relief. Please seek immediate attention
from your chiropractic professional for further evaluation.
What Can Cause Neck Pain?
Some neck pain may be job related. Individuals who sit in the same
position and face the same direction for long periods, such as
secretaries and word processor operators, may experience neck
stiffness and/or muscular spasms. Other jobs, such as those involving
the repetitive motions which are common in industry, may also lead to
neck pain. Workers who operate a drill press, power equipment or
continuous assembly-line operations may feel fatigue and soreness in
the supporting head-and-neck muscles. These and similar situations can
bring on muscle tension and irritation of the nerves and blood vessels
in the neck.
Strains to the cervical vertebrae are another common cause of neck
pain. Strains can be brought on by a forceful movement of the neck,
strenuous lifting, swinging or pulling motions of the arms, or a fall.
One of the most frequent of neck ailments - whiplash - can produce
mild or severe reaction, even resulting in debilitating, permanent
damage.
A degenerative disease of the bones and joints - osteoarthritis - can
also be a source of neck pain. Sometimes called "wear and tear"
disease, it can be the result of a lifetime of physical traumas
(shocks) or even poor posture. Slumping, rounded shoulders, and even a
straight military posture can be harmful. Osteoarthritis occurs when
the discs become thin - pulling the bones closer together and
producing grinding sounds. This leads to pain and nerve disturbances,
and may eventually cause the vertebrae to fuse together.
Still other causes of neck pain may include osteoporosis, swelling of
tissue, irritation of joints, damage to the nerves or spinal cord,
fracture of a vertebra, tumors and cancerous conditions, and less
obvious sources such as referred pain from a heart attack.
What Can the Doctor of
Chiropractic Do to Help?
Doctors of chiropractic are educated and trained in the detection and
care of problems of the spinal column and in maintaining the delicate
balance of the neck and spine. Your first visit to the chiropractor
will include a complete chiropractic examination. X-rays may be
ordered to screen for possible underlying pathologies and to reveal
extreme distortions in your spine.
If your chiropractor feels that chiropractic care is appropriate in
your case, you may be given your first adjustment at that time. This
manual procedure will help reduce the misalignments and ease the
pressure on the spinal nerve roots. In addition, your chiropractor may
advise you on therapeutic exercises, job safety, work-related posture,
dietary information and a complete program of chiropractic care.
What Can I Do to Prevent Neck
Pain?
- Don't sleep on your stomach
because this can cause harmful stretching and twisting of the neck
muscles.
- Don't stack several pillows - or
even one very thick pillow - under your head and neck when sleeping;
by doing so you can put stress on the upper back and neck.
- Don't watch television or try to
read while lying down because this can contort the neck; always sit
upright.
- Take frequent breaks or change
positions when doing work which requires you to bend your neck
downward or face the same direction for long periods.
- Don't use purses or bags with a
shoulder strap because the weight can pull on the neck and disturb
the nerves that supply the shoulders, arms and hands. Instead, tie a
knot in the shoulder strap and carry the purse or bag in your hand.
- Consult with your local chiropractor for a
thorough examination and appropriate determination of your injury.
