Neck Pain Treatment in O'Fallon, MO
How We Offer Relief for Neck Pain
We use several spinal adjusting and soft tissue techniques to treat neck pain. Spinal adjusting of the vertebrae, gentle traction of the neck, and soft tissue mobilization have great results in managing neck discomfort.
Common Causes of Neck Pain
Major and Minor Trauma are the most common causes for neck pain. Major traumas are acute injuries; meanwhile minor traumas are from more repetitive motions. It is important to know the cause of your symptoms, as that will influence how we will go about getting neck pain relief.
Major traumas include whiplash, falls, or sports injuries such as a neck sprain. These conditions often have considerable acute inflammation.
Minor traumas are the result of repetitive motions such as desk posture, frequently looking up or bending the neck to one side, mental stress that causes clenching, and even the position of your sleep. These repetitive motions or positions cause tiny microtraumas to the joints and muscles that slowly build up over time. Neck pain therapy from minor traumas will include stretching and heat to relax the muscular imbalances.
Common Symptoms of Neck Pain
Neck pain symptoms commonly include stiffness, loss of mobility, pain, and muscle spasms. Some other symptoms may include aching, pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness into the shoulders, arms, hand, and fingers. Specific areas of the shoulders, arms, hands and fingers that are affected can tell us where the source of the problem is.
Common Activities of Daily Living Affected by Neck Pain
Work: Neck pain at work can make it difficult to focus and do your job effectively. If your job requires moving your neck to look into small spaces, pain is going to affect your ability to do that. If your job requires using the computer, neck pain will affect your ability to work for extended periods of time.
Sleep: Neck pain or stiffness can make it challenging to fall asleep or find a comfortable position. Waking up with a stiff neck can impact the way you even start your day.
Driving: Neck pain or trouble turning your head while driving affects your ability to safely drive and watch your surroundings.
Long Phone Calls: Neck pain while on the phone for extended periods of time makes bending your neck uncomfortable.
Goals of Therapy
Therapy for neck pain in O'Fallon involves lowering inflammation, increasing mobility, and strengthening the neck.
Inflammation: Goal is to decrease pain, muscle spasms, and reduce swelling.
Mobility: While the body heals, it is vital to improve range of motion and mobility.
Strengthening and Stretching: When mobility has improved, it is important to strengthen the joints and muscles of the neck to prevent future injury and retain mobility.
Possible Permanent Neck Pain or Stiffness
If neck pain is neglected for long enough, it can heal the wrong way. If it heals wrong, it is possible to end up with some permanent discomfort or loss of mobility for the rest of your life.
When neck issues heal the wrong way, such as whiplash or a neck sprain, overtime it can possibly lead to premature arthritis, headaches, pinched nerves, and in rare cases surgery.
These long-term effects can make it difficult to excel at your hobbies, your work, and enjoy time with your loved ones.