If you are one of the many Australians that suffers with neck pain, you will be pleased to know our proven approach by our experienced Sydney Chiropractors may offer the solution you have been searching for. Our results are different because our approach is different.
One out of ten of us will have neck pain at some time in our life. In most cases it is not due to a serious disease or neck problem and often the exact cause for the pain is not clear. Most are probably due to minor sprains or bad posture. This comes as no surprise when we consider the activities of modern life. Sitting in front of a computer, watching prolonged periods of television and an increasing incidence of poor posture – particularly forward head posture – all contributing to neck pain.
Problems within the neck can also cause headache, shoulder pain, TMJ or jaw pain, pins and needles in the hands, carpal tunnel syndrome and upper back pain.
We encourage you to contact us for a thorough assessment with one of our Chiropractors if you regularly experience any of the following,:
- Waking up with a sore neck in the morning
- When reversing the car and turning your head, your neck may become stiff
- When you turn your head, you may hear a clicking sound
- Neck muscles may ache constantly
- A sensation of pins and needles in your fingers and hands
With more moving parts than any other machine, it’s not surprising your body occasionally cries out in pain or refuses to do what you tell it to do. After all, there are hundreds of different muscles and joints that can go wrong. Fortunately, there’s an effective way to treat many of the problems you can experience.
Causes of neck pain
One survey done has found that, of adults aged 45-75 years, about 1 in 4 women and about 1 in 5 men had current neck pain. Types and causes of neck pain include:
By far the most common cause of neck pain relates to the effects of poor posture and breathing habits. In order to understand the impact of poor posture, we must first consider why spinal alignment within the neck is so important.
Coupled with the stresses and demands of modern life, it is no surprise why neck pain is so common. Your head weighs about 5 kgs and in normal alignment it is very carefully balanced on top of your seven neck bones (vertebrae).
- Your muscles work very hard to maintain this postion and easily withstand short periods of variation.
- Problems arise when we assume awkward positions for prolonged periods. Your fine balance is disturbed and the nerves, muscles, joints, ligaments and discs of your neck become strained and irritated.
- The tension in your neck and shoulder muscles doubles for every 2-3 cm’s that your head is forward! Over time, the neck strain and pressure accumulates to a point where it becomes chronic and even the smallest changes in posture cause significant effects.
- Whiplash.
- Arthritis.
- Sporting Injuries.
Because neck pain could be an indicator of various illnesses, your Chiropractor will ask all the special questions such as general health, past medical history, weight loss, quality of appetite and sleep and medication usage.
Treatment for neck pain by our very experienced Chiropractors
Before any action is taken, our Chiropractors will assess your neck pain, diagnose the problem and help you understand what’s wrong. They will work with you to develop an effective treatment plan that takes into account your lifestyle, leisure activities and general health. Active Muscle and Spine offers a very effective treatment for neck pain. Typically, your Chiropractor will recommend the following:
- A series of spinal mobilisations to restore proper movement to the neck vertebrae.
- A gold standard soft tissue therapy called Active Release Technique ® to release tension in your neck muscles. Our Chiropractors not only adjust your joints but also work on releasing tension in your soft tissue (muscles, ligaments, nerves, fascia etc) to give you a total musculoskeletal solution.
- If your neck pain is chronic, we may also use Shock Wave Therapy to kick start your body’s own healing process. This treatment uses intense sound waves, not electrical shocks.
- Postural advice and how to avoid further strain, good posture may help. Check that your sitting position at work or at the computer is not poor (e.g. not with your head flexed forward with a stooped back). Sit upright.
- Breathing and postural exercises with our Move Smart™ program as poor breathing habits are a factor in many cases. Many people develop poor breathing habits over their life time due to allergies, illness and other reasons.
- Neck strengthening exercises to encourage improved movement.
- Keeping active.
- Heat/ice therapy if relevant to help manage your neck pain.
- Possibly recommend a contoured firm supporting pillow to help with sleeping.
- Advice on how you can help yourself. For example, exercises you can do between treatment sessions.
There is no need to live with neck pain. This is a common condition treated by our very experienced Chiropractors. We’ve treated thousands of successful cases over the past 15+ years. Call us now or visit our musculoskeletal clinic on George Street, across from Wynyard station, in the heart of Sydney city.
