Neck pain
Causes and solutions
Neck pain is a very broad term that could indicate many different diagnoses.
The location of pain (is the pain at the front, on the side, at the back; is it high towards your head or lower towards your shoulders) is usually the starting point to diagnose correctly. Also the intensity of pain (how bad would you rate it from 1 to 10?), the date of onset, the presence or absence of radiation (is the pain traveling towards any other area of your body?) are all crucial questions to ask even before physically examining the patient.
This is because neck pain (like other muskulo-skeletal pathologies) could be caused by many different factors, from a viral infection to the position in which you sleep on; from past road traffic accidents to your posture at work, for example.
Sometimes, neck pain can be accompanied by radiating pain towards the shoulder blade or – in some cases – towards the arms. Radiation of pain, and also changes in sensation (pins and needles, tingling, numbness) always suggests a degree of nerve involvement. In some cases, the compression can be located in one or more cervical vertebrae, and can originate different types of headache and migraine.
Neck pain can also present with a decrease in the normal range of motion, stiffness, pain, and often with a “grinding” feeling when moving. Most of the times, a reduced range of motion suggests a degenerative process, like osteoarthritis. Bear in mind that cervical spinal manipulation is only one of the multiple options available to the client, and not always the most effective one. There can be contraindications to spinal manipulation, like reduced bone density (osteoporosis), previous spinal surgery with or without insertion of metal plates; fused segments, etc. For these reasons a thorough full medical history and examination is absolutely a “must” before carrying out any sort of treatment.
“Tech neck”
Tech neck, also known as text neck or smartphone neck, is a modern-day syndrome that has become increasingly prevalent due to our reliance on technology. It refers to the strain and discomfort experienced in the neck and upper back as a result of prolonged and improper use of electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and computers.
As technology continues to advance, we find ourselves spending more and more time hunched over our devices, often with poor posture. This constant forward head and rounded shoulder position puts excessive stress on the muscles, ligaments, and joints of the neck and upper back, leading to the development of tech neck syndrome.
The symptoms of tech neck syndrome can vary but commonly include neck pain, stiffness, and tension. Individuals may also experience shoulder pain, headaches, numbness or tingling in the arms, and even muscle weakness. Prolonged and untreated tech neck can result in chronic pain and significantly impact daily activities and overall well-being.
The main contributing factor to tech neck syndrome is the position in which we hold our devices. When using smartphones or tablets, we often tilt our heads forward and downward, straining the muscles and putting the spine out of its natural alignment. Similarly, spending long hours sitting at a desk, staring at a computer screen with poor ergonomics, can exacerbate the problem.
Prevention and management of tech neck syndrome are crucial to maintaining neck health in the digital age.
Image courtesy: Health Line
Restoring proper joint motion, allowing surrounding tissues to heal properly, is the objective of chiropractic care when patients walk in with neck pain.
Because your health is our priority, at Alive Chiropractic we never treated and will never treat clients without having conducted a thorough consultation and full examination. Our reputation and our reviews represent our credentials for any prospect client that would like to make use of our services.
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