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When you make an appointment for a chiropractic evaluation
for your neck pain, your doctor of chiropractic will provide both in-office
procedures as well as teach you many self-help approaches so that as a “team”,
together WE can manage your neck pain or headache complaint to a satisfying
end-point. So, what are some of these procedures? Let’s take a look!
In the office, you can expect to receive a thorough
history, examination, x-ray (if warranted), and a discussion about what
chiropractic care can be done for you and your condition. Your doctor will map
out a treatment plan and discuss commonly shared goals of:
- Pain reduction
- Posture/alignment restoration
- Prevention of future episodes.
Pain reduction approaches include (but are not limited to):
- inflammation control by the use of physical therapy modalities (such as
electrical stimulation), ice, and possibly anti-inflammatory vitamin / herbal
therapies.
Your chiropractor will also teach you proper body mechanics for bending, lifting, pulling, pushing and help you avoid positions or situations
where you might re-injure the area.
Posture/alignment restoration can include
methods such as wall stand and/or stork exercises, respiratory "re-training", spinal stabilization exercises, and/or foot
orthotic inserts.
The third goal of future episode prevention is often a combination ongoing
treatments in the office and strategies you can employ at home. This includes
(but is not limited to):
- Whether you should use ice, heat, or both at times of acute exacerbation
- Avoiding positions or movements that create sharp/lancinating pain
- DOING THE EXERCISES that you've been taught ON A REGULAR BASIS
- Eating and an “anti-inflammatory” diet (lean meats & lots of fresh fruits/veggies).
Let’s talk exercise! Your doctor of chiropractic will teach
you exercises that are designed to increase range of motion (ROM), re-educate a
flat or reversed curve in the neck, and strengthen / stabilize the muscles in
the neck. Studies show that the deep neck flexor muscles – those that are
located deep, next to the spine in the front of the neck – are frequently weak
in patients with neck pain. These muscles are NOT voluntary so you have to
“trick” them into contracting with very specific exercises. Your doctor will
also teach you exercises that you can do EVERY HOUR of your work day (for 10-15
seconds) that are designed to prevent neck pain from gradually worsening so you aren't miserable by the end of work.
Along these lines, he/she will discuss the
set-up of your work station and how you might improve it – whether it’s a
chair, desk, computer position, a table/work station height issue, or a
reaching problem; using proper “ergonomics” can REALLY HELP!
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| Posture & Ergonomics Training |
Your doctor will
also advise you not to talk on the phone pinching the receiver between your
head and shoulder, to face the person you are talking to (avoiding prolonged
head rotation), to tuck in your chin as a posture training exercise, and more.
Chiro-Trust.org
ChiroTrust™ members are a group of Doctors of Chiropractic worldwide who have taken “The ChiroTrust Pledge” and are dedicated to providing conservative, mainstream chiropractic care to patients without sales pressure, long-term recommendations, unnecessary therapies or excessive costs.
