Neck Pain is not Normal: How to Cure Neck Pain Fast
Neck pain is an annoying but common problem that you may be experiencing or have had in the past. This is why chiropractors receive extensive training in diagnosing and treating neck problems, including years of research and experience to identify and address the issue.
What Causes Neck Pain
Neck pain can be caused by a variety of factors, depending on the structures involved. There are seven bones, twenty-seven joints, hundreds of ligaments, muscles for movement and stabilisation, nerves, and connective tissue layers. So, regardless of the mechanism of injury, neck pain is likely caused by a combination of these structures.
Some common mechanisms include muscle strain, which can be caused by poor posture or sleeping in an awkward position, or the neck pain may have appeared out of nowhere, from a mechanism that has never caused you any problems before. This could be due to the accumulation of microtrauma, similar to how straws accumulate on a camel’s back, with stressors going unnoticed until there are too many straws! Here are some examples of stressors that can cause neck pain:
- Physical Stressors: Poor posture with the head in a forward position, whether at work, at home, cooking, or in the many other daily activities that we engage in, puts additional strain on your neck and loads your joints in an abnormal way. Over time, this can cause pain and inflammation.
- Chemical Stressors: Chemical stressors disrupt the body’s natural balance, causing inflammation dysregulation and altering the body’s capacity for healing. Diet, air pollutants, ingredients in household items such as soaps and deodorants, and other factors can all disrupt our hormonal balance and neurochemistry. These factors can have an indirect effect on your spinal health, which can contribute to neck pain.
- Mental and Emotional Stressors: Our mood and overall mental well-being can have an indirect impact on your spinal health because of the link to hormonal balance, specifically cortisol and adrenaline. When these hormones become unbalanced, the body’s ability to regulate digestion and sleeping patterns suffers, and chronic hormone imbalances can eventually become a driving factor in overall spinal health and pain.
How To Help With Your Neck Pain
1. Acting To Reduce These Stressors
To manage your neck pain proactively, start by reducing some of the stressors that are interfering with the body’s healing response. Improving your postural habits, stretching your neck, and limiting your time spent in sedentary positions can all help to reduce physical stress. Eating fewer processed and high-sugar foods can help to reduce inflammation and improve the body’s healing by reducing chemical stressors. Finally, exercising, getting outside, and engaging in activities you enjoy can help to reduce mental stress and improve your overall mood.
2. Chiropractic Care For Neck Pain
Your chiropractor can assist you in determining the underlying cause of your neck pain, as well as the structures involved, and whether further investigation or medical treatment is required. Chiropractors can help treat neck pain in a variety of ways, and chiropractic adjustments are only the beginning!
If you’d like to learn more about how we can help with your neck pain, schedule an appointment with one of our chiropractors and begin your journey to health and wellness.
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