It’s important to keep a few things in mind when considering a visit to a chiropractor for neck pain. Chiropractic began with the intent of working with the spine and back related problems, and while most neck pain is related to spinal alignment, sometimes it’s not.
A chiropractic adjustment to neck or to the cervical vertebrae may carry with it some risks, even though the chance is very low. Your chiropractor should perform a thorough examination, as an improperly done neck manipulation may cause some problems ranging from stroke to severing major blood vessels.
Most, it not all, chiropractors understand the risks involved in spinal manipulation and only perform this procedure when it’s the right treatment for the patient. A case history as well as a physical and neurological examination is done first. I would be unwise for a doctor of chiropractic to perform any treatment without doing these things first. In many cases, the dangerous manipulations are being performed by non-chiropractors and this is what puts the unsuspecting “patient” at risk.
Headaches, neck pain, and numbness or tingling in the arms and hands can be linked back to misalignment of cervical vertebrae. The benefits of a specific adjustment to the bones of the neck often means an end to long term chronic conditions. Many people only seek chiropractic care after they’ve tried every other possible treatment, including medications, injections, and even surgery.
Chiropractic treatment can be very helpful in dealing with neck pain, even if it’s chronic. Many times this chronic neck pain may be caused by muscle tension or posture issues which can be fixed in just a couple of visits with a skilled doctor, even if the problem has been around for years. Because chiropractic is so effective in dealing with the spine, this can also affect how the person deals with muscle tension or how they carry their muscles and whether that translates itself into back or neck pain.
When deciding whether chiropractic is the right answer for your neck pain, the best thing to do is to check in with your general practitioner first if you have any specific concerns about your past history. He or she can help figure out if chiropractic is appropriate to your specific situation or if it would be unsafe. If you do decide to go with the chiropractic option, look for someone who specializes in skeletal, muscular and spinal problems.
This professional will likely do an X-ray on your neck and possibly your whole spine and after an examination may or may not recommend supplementing chiropractic treatment with massage, heat or cold therapy or even ultrasound and other techniques more commonly associated with physical therapy and sports medicine.
