Neck pain has become so common that it is considered to be a completely normal part of modern-day life. Yet no pain—even neck pain—is normal.

Whether the issue lies in the soft tissues or the joints, neck pain can cause severe and even cause referred pain and discomfort that affects your quality of life.

The bones that make up your neck are known as the cervical spine, consisting of seven vertebrae known as C1-C7. Between each of these are discs that act as shock absorbers and allow the vertebrae to glide smoothly.

Unlike the rest of the spine, your neck is incredibly mobile, making it possible for you to turn, twist, and tilt your head into many different directions. And while this range of motion is incredibly useful, it also makes your neck more vulnerable to injury.

What Causes Neck Pain?

It can be difficult to pinpoint the exact location of your neck pain, because there are so many things that could be to blame. They include:

• Postural Stress: If you have poor posture, your neck will suffer. This includes sitting at a computer for work or even if you’re on your feet all day. 
• Poor Sleeping Position: Have you ever woken up with a crick in your neck? That’s likely due to a certain position you were in while sleeping. 
• Whiplash: Whiplash is typically seen after a car accident and can cause horrible neck pain.

In addition to your neck muscles, your neck is made up of tendons, ligaments, nerves, vertebrae, discs, and a network of blood vessels—all of which affect each other.

For example, if one of your vertebral discs is ruptured or bulges outward (known as herniation), this can put pressure on the surrounding nerves and soft tissue. A compressed, or pinched, nerve may even send pain signals to other areas of your body, such as your head, arms, wrists, or hands. In fact, tension headaches (one of the most common types of headache) originate from tight muscles in the neck.

While neck pain can be caused by sudden injury, it can also arise from poor posture. With the growing popularity of cell phones and other mobile devices, chiropractors are starting to see an increase in neck pain as well.

Neck Pain After Car Accident

As it turns out, one of the most common car accident injuries involves the neck—whiplash.

During a collision, the human body experiences massive changes in speed and direction. Because of the higher range of motion in the neck, it is much easier for sudden, forced movement to cause the telltale sprains and strains known as whiplash.

This same movement may also cause herniated discs, fractures, and more.

The pain of whiplash, herniated discs, and other neck injuries often takes a while to rear its ugly head. After a car accident, it is very common to feel fine for up to a week before you begin to feel any neck pain at all.

Because of this, it is recommended that you seek medical attention as soon as possible after a car accident, even if you don’t believe you have been injured.

Should I See a Chiropractor For Neck Pain?

Commonly, people seek neck pain relief through medication, physical therapy, or—in more severe cases—surgery. But research has shown that chiropractic care can be equally effective. In fact, the difference between your neck before and after chiropractic adjustment may surprise you.

Realigning the neck vertebrae takes pressure off of the surrounding soft tissues, allowing your body to heal itself naturally, without interference.

Furthermore, chiropractic treatment doesn’t rely on medications or surgery, so patients have little to no side effects. The benefits of chiropractic care, spinal manipulation, neck adjustments, and cervical manipulation have been proven to help patients of all ages. Chiropractors help to reduce pain and will work with your medical doctor on treatment options that work well together.

While chiropractic adjustments are the main part of most treatment plans, chiropractic care is holistic in nature and involves a wide variety of methods. Depending on your injury and condition, you may receive benefits from medical massage, cupping, assisted stretching, and more.

Medical Massage For Neck Pain

When used in conjunction with chiropractic treatments for neck pain, a medical massage can revolutionize the way we relieve pain.

Special types of massages like a trigger point massage can hone in on problem areas (like the neck) and release tension, muscle spasms, and pain.

Long Term Neck Pain Relief

No matter how long you have been coping with and ignoring your neck pain, chiropractic treatment can help.

At Oviedo Chiropractic, our doctors are well-versed in treating neck pain at its source. Whether your pain started after a car accident or while playing sports, we will develop a treatment plan designed specifically for you.

Schedule an appointment today to get back on the road to wellness.