Neck pain occurs as a result of abnormalities in the soft tissues, muscles, ligaments, discs and nerves, as well as in the vertebrae and their joints. The chiropractic, as an alternative medicine is one of the most used therapies for the treatment and improvement of this pathology which is usually associated with problems of the musculoskeletal system and the spine.
Causes of neck pain
The most common cause of cervical pain is soft tissue injuries, as a result of trauma or progressive deterioration of the same.
We are going to list a series of causes that produce cervical pain.
- Injuries: In most cases caused by a car accident in which a blow is received from behind or as a result of falls. In this type of causes, the cervical ligaments are damaged, leading to their distension. fractures can also occur.
- Herniated Disc: Usually located in a cervical disc. It causes neck and shoulder pain. In the event that a nerve is affected, the pain can extend from the arm to the hand. Cervicobrachialgia (compression of the nerve roots) can cause alterations in the sensitivity of the hands and arms. These disturbances can lead to tingling, loss of strength or numbness. This type of cause usually occurs in young people due to trauma and in older people due to degeneration of the spine.
- Cervical osteoarthritis: Cervical osteoarthritis can cause pain in the neck and it can spread to the neck and shoulders. Abnormal bone growth can compress nerve roots (osteophytes) and lead to cervicobrachialgia.
There are other types of causes that can cause cervical pain, although they are less frequent than the previous ones. We can mention rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, spinal infections, tumors in the vertebrae or metastases produced by cancer in different locations.
Neck pain symptoms
The flexibility of the cervical spine allows greater mobility than other areas of the spine. Therefore it is an area that is subject to pain. This can be located in the area of the neck and arms, head or back. The most common symptoms are usually the following:
- Tingling and numbness in the fingers
- neck pain
- dizziness
- Nausea
- Rigidity
- Headaches
Cervical pain is usually frequent and if it is a consequence of the spine, it appears when moving the neck and is associated with stiffness. If you feel an electric shock sensation in your back when you flex your neck, your spinal cord may be affected.
The most important thing is to rule out diseases of a certain severity when we have cervical pain. A more thorough examination and investigation will be necessary if we have the following symptoms:
- Pain present in situations of rest (especially at night)
- Existence of chronic infections
- Pain associated with other progressive neurological disorders
- Previous trauma to the affected area
- elderly people
- Appearance of pain in people who regularly consume corticosteroids or intravenous drugs
- Pain associated with fever, significant weight loss, or neurological deficit on examination.
- have had cancer
Diagnosis
For a proper diagnosis it is necessary to perform the following actions and medical tests:
- Complete clinical history of symptoms. In it we must collect the maximum data of the patient
- Complete clinical examination with postural assessment, cervical mobility and areas with pain. In addition to evaluating the functioning of the muscles and nerves in the patient's arms and legs.
- Blood and urine tests, if serious illness is suspected.
- X-rays of the cervical area to determine the causes of pain and put a correct treatment. In some cases, it may be necessary to carry out other tests such as CT, MRI or electromyogram.
It is advisable to wait a reasonable amount of time to carry out all this type of exploration and testing. After this time, the deterioration of muscles and nerves can be better appreciated.
Treatment for neck pain
Chiropractic care is one of the most recommended solutions for the control and treatment of cervical pain. Thanks to chiropractic we will be able to improve cervical mobility and relax the muscles.
Chiropractic adjustments can be carried out with other types of therapies that will help us feel a great improvement in our problems, such as:
- Showers with higher water pressure and more temperature on the most affected areas (neck and shoulders)
- Flexion extension exercises and lateralization of the neck (15 minutes)
- Improve our body hygiene: sit in chairs with a vertical back and try not to make unnecessary efforts (lift weights).
- Use of an electric pad that will provide us with local heat.
Surgical treatment is usually infrequent in patients with cervical pain. It may be needed to reduce pressure on the spinal cord or when pain is caused by a herniated disc or bony narrowing of the spinal canal.
Trauma surgery may also be required to stabilize the spine and reduce the risk of paralysis if the fracture or dislocation has caused spinal instability.