Struggling with neck pain? These might be the cause.
1. Stress
Stress is probably the most common cause of neck pain I see in practice. The body responds to all stress the same whether it is physical (pain, body not functioning properly etc.), chemical (hormones, diet-related etc.) or emotional (upset, anxious, stressed etc.). The body responds to all these stressors by getting tight through the jaw, neck and shoulders. When these areas become tight the surrounding muscles become hypertonic and it can cause pain and dysfunction in these and the surrounding areas. This is why when you come to see your Chiropractor in regards to neck pain we may also focus on releasing these areas, especially in techniques such as neural organisation technique (NOT) which includes certain procedures and practices to try and counteract and undo the effects stress has on your body inadvertently helping to ease your neck pain.
2. Joint Dysfunction
Joint dysfunction is one of the most common causes of neck pain I see and something we treat on nearly every patient that comes through the door. Joint dysfunction can be caused by various things such as incorrect posture, incorrect movement, hypertonic muscles, trauma, and everyday micro trauma (work-related etc.) just to name a few. When the joints are not moving properly it can put pressure on the joints, discs, nerves and musculature. It can also cause the body to compensate in ways that can cause pain and discomfort. Joint dysfunction is what chiropractors most commonly treat through various modalities and techniques and something we undergo 5+ years of study in Perth to know the ins and outs of.
3. Posture
Posture is one of the more common things that can cause joint dysfunction and therefore something that is largely to blame for neck pain. In our lives, we spend a lot of time sitting, on the phone and doing various activities that may not serve our body in the best way. These can include things like lifting, twisting, being at a desk and holding children. These and many others can cause our body to be comfortable in a way that may not be best for us. This can include a forwards head position, the shoulders being rounded forward, dropping one hip to the side, one foot being more turned out than the other and a head tilt. These are all things that can cause more tension in your neck and that your Perth Chiropractor will check and help to correct.
4. Work
Work is the leading cause of bad posture that I see. So many people work in less than desirable positions. This could be sitting with the computer screen in an incorrect position, working in a job that includes sitting for long periods, a job that involves lots of bending, lifting or twisting etc. In our office, we can help assess your working position and make improvements where necessary helping to remove extra pressure or strain on your neck and therefore helping with your pain.
5. Poor muscle tone
Poor muscle tone can contribute to neck pain. Often most people recruit the muscles at the front of their neck more than the back for a variety of reasons. When this happens and the posterior neck muscles are no longer working as well they can become weaker letting the wrong muscles work harder and become tighter. This can pull the head forward causing more pressure and strain to be placed on the neck. After a thorough assessment, Perth Chiropractors are able to let you know if there is an imbalance present and guide you in the ideal way to get rid of this imbalance.
6. Incorrect sleeping position
When we sleep in a position that may not be ideal the neck can become aggravated. This less than desired position could be due to us and our preference or our pillow and the position it is placing our body in. Whilst it is true any sleeping position won’t be ideal with the wrong pillow some position are far worse than others. Pillows and how they fit our body are also a huge contributor. These are things your Perth Chiropractor is able to help you with and advise you on to get you sleeping with maximum comfort whist also being good for your body.
7. Whiplash/trauma
Whiplash and trauma can absolutely contribute to neck pain. If you are in an accident or receive whiplash it isn’t uncommon to have pain afterwards. This could be from fractures, sprains, strains, whiplash or joint dysfunction to mention a few. Whilst you should seek medical advice after a serious accident it is true that Perth Chiropractors are able to help with some of these things in a safe and effective manner.
8. Disc Herniation
A disc herniation can occur anywhere along your spine due to various things, some traumatic in nature some not. Symptoms of a disc herniation can vary from nothing to very painful and many people also experience sharp or shooting pain and numbness and tingling along their limbs sometimes all the way down to your fingers or toes. Chiropractor Karrinyup is well versed in dealing with these injuries and techniques such as neural organisation techniques (NOT) have proven very effective.
9. Jaw tension
Jaw tension is a cause of neck pain that isn’t quite as well known. A large proportion of the population suffers from tightness or dysfunction through the jaw. For some people, this may present as clicking, for some local pain and for some no symptoms at all however if you do get neck pain or discomfort this is definitely something that should also be investigated. Perth Chiropractors are able to do this and some techniques such as NOT (neural organisation technique) assess jaw function and tension in every session.
10. Disease
The last cause of neck pain that I will mention is disease. This is by far the least common but is worth mentioning as it is also the most serious. Certain diseases can affect the neck in particular or may cause discomfort in the area. If you believe you are suffering from something such as this or concerned you may make an appointment with your doctor. If disease is ruled out, it is likely your neck pain may be the result of one of these other common causes. Consult your local chiro in Karrinyup and they will be able to do a thorough assessment and guide you from there.