Neck Pain – Management Strategies: Vol 15 Iss 5 The In Good Hands Newsletter from Chiro-Trust.org

“To the best of our ability, Life in Motion Chiropractic and Wellness agrees to provide our patients convenient, affordable, and mainstream Chiropractic care. We will not use unnecessary long-term treatment plans and/or therapies.”

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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):

  - joint mobilization and/or manipulation

  - muscle/ligament stretching techniques

  - 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! 

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.

Core Strength and Flexibility

This is Part I of what will be a series of posts regarding core strengthening and flexibility. spkDC

Your core is more than the “six-pack” that is envisioned when the subject is discussed. Your core musculature includes the following areas: back, flank, pelvis, and buttocks all of which are responsible for assisting in the stabilization of your spine when you bend, twist, rotate, sit, and stand. So whether you’re a “gym rat” or an “occupational athlete” your core, and your mindful attention to it, is imperative in preventing back and/or neck pain.

Obviously there are various workouts that can improve core strength but some require a certain level of fitness while others, if not executed properly, can result in further injury and/or pain. However, there are exercises which are appropriate no matter what your reluctance or time constraint is. Because let’s face it, any form of physical activity that can enhance your spinal stability is better than none at all.

No inanimate device or solitary treatment to date is the be all end all cure for low back pain, an issue which ranks second to respiratory infection for primary care visits. That being said, when it comes to musculoskeletal pain, no website or anecdotal opinion is a reasonable substitute for an objective examination by a musculoskeletal specialist to determine the cause and subsequent treatment for your low back pain. Ignoring pain that hasn't gotten better or become worse after 72+ hours will only amplify the issue and altering your body mechanics to decrease its provocation can cause additional problems.  

Studies have shown that regular stretching AND strengthening of core musculature can help you avoid back pain and/or ease chronic pain. The objective of regular core “mindfulness” is to hone conscious control over the position and movement of your body’s center, an area known in traditional Chinese medicine as the “dan-tien” [don-tee-en]. You should think of your core as the “conjunction junction” between your torso and lower extremities (thighs, legs, and feet).

All bodily propulsion either originates or is transferred through the core via the kinetic chain. Muscle weakness/tightness within the chain (i.e. back, flank, pelvis, buttocks) can/will decrease the strength/stability of your movements and set in motion joint misalignments and/or adverse limb placement thereby perpetuating injury over time (“the straw that broke the camel’s back”).

Core strength and flexibility is the key to ambulatory power, balance, and stability which is vital to injury prevention. Your core affects just about everything you do whether it be taking a walk, rising from your chair, putting on your shoes, turning to back your car down the driveway, or simply standing still and a weak inflexible core can make on the job tasks, hobbies, sports, or housework quite unpleasant.

Aside from maintaining a healthy back, core strength and flexibility will help you feel, think, and look better:

• Deconditioned core musculature leads to slouching which in turn places wear and tear on the bones, ligaments,and discs of your spine and decreases your ability to breathe properly. Good posture will not only make you look thinner but project self-confidence and leadership. Strengthening postural muscles also decreases the load placed on your hips and knees which in turn staves off the onset of osteoarthritis.

• Regular exercise has been shown to ease depression and improve mood which in turn will help you not gain weight or regain pounds you've lost

• In older adults, regular exercise improves functional abilities which in turn help to maintain/boost bone density, prevent falls, and sharpen mental function

• Regular Exercise = ↓ Risks ForEarly Death [i.e. heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, etc.]

• Some people [under a medical doctor’s supervision] may be able to cut back on certain medications which can eliminate/ease unwanted side effects as well as save you money