Are You Still Popping Pills for your Neck Pain?
And yet the pain keeps coming back...
Neck Dysfunction
The neck can be injured in one fell swoop by an automobile accident, and it can be injured by a sustained poor posture. Either way it gets injured, you are probably left with some underlying dysfunction. This dysfunction can be painless, but when left alone the dysfunction can slowly be causing degeneration of the supporting joints, or osteoarthritis. Joint dysfunction can also be painful, and can even cause radiating pain.
The neck needs to work well at all times. When the neck bends to the side, it is expected to follow a pattern of movment that can be visualized on x-ray. We call this "coupled motion". When you bend your neck to the side, the vertebrae should rotate as it tilts. Is this happening to you? This pathological movement alters the biomechanics of the joints, stressing them along with the muscles, and altering the way that the nervous system functions.
The neck has a multitude of neurological receptors that monitor the position of the neck and the movement of the neck. There are reflexes that keep the head level with the horizon, there are reflexes that interact with eye movement and the balance centers, and there are reflexes that maintain your good posture.
When there is dysfunction of the neck, these receptors aren't sure what is going on and the central nervous system will alter these reflexes. This can lead to disorders of balance, or this can lead to postural problems.
Neck Injury and Rehabilitation
When your neck is injured from an accident or other types of injuries, you must take care of it right away. Many people think that they should get the dent in their car pulled before they take themselves to Wellness Chiropractic to start the rehabilitation process.
When the neck is injured, your body immediately starts the healing process. This healing process runs through different phases, and the initial phase involves active swelling of torn soft tissues suchas muscles and ligaments. There may even be some amount of neurological injury present, and you may not realize it. If this phase persists without the proper movement and rehabilitation, there will be scar tissue development that may occur that has the potential to cause chronic problems down the road.
If you have been involved in some type of neck injury. Don't hesitate to get the proper treatment right away. Call our office for a free consultation. If we can't help you immediately, we can refer you to a doctor who can. If it is a life-threatening emergency, call 911.
Santa Rosa, Sonoma, can Dr. Todd help you out?
We offer a free consultation and special pricing if you tell us that you found us on the web.
As a part of our website marketing research, tell us you found us on LloydChiro.com, for a discount you will recieve:
- Comprehensive neurological, orthopedic, and chiropracitic examination.
- Computerized spinal thermography and myotomal examination.
- Cervical spine x-rays (if indicated.)
- Medical report of findings.
- Differential diagnosis.
- Second opinion report for your records or for another medical provider. We will give you an action plan for recovery and better health.