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Our pillow, bed, or sleep position is not always explanation for our stiff and painful neck when we wake up in the morning. We also attempt to figure out what is occurring when we move our neck suddenly and feel a sharp pain that feels as if something has suddenly slipped out of position or is pinching a “nerve.” Though it may seem so, one singular event is seldom the cause of most neck problems, but more often than not the cumulative effects of improper sitting posture, unhealthy work and lifestyle habits, and lack of proper exercise for strength and flexibility. Of course, some neck challenges are due to traumatic events such as a whiplash accident, a fall, or a sports injury.
In order to understand neck pain, it is important to be aware of the anatomy of the spine. The spinal bones or vertebrae of the neck are made up of posterior joints, called facets, that connect vertebrae to one another and serve to guide the motion of the spine. The inter-vertebral discs connect the bodies of the vertebrae and are made of a form of dense cartilage that covers a soft material in the center, called the nucleus. The discs act as shock absorbers and spacers between the vertebrae. The spinal cord is located between the facets of the vertebrae. Spinal nerves go out from the spine between the vertebrae and impart energy to muscles and organs of the body. Additionally, they carry sensory impulses, including pain information, from the body to the brain. The nerves that go out from the neck are responsible for the entire upper extremity including the shoulder, elbow and hand, as well as structures of the head and neck. The natural forward curve of the neck balances the weight of the head and decreases stress on neck vertebrae. For more information please feel free to visit your Colorado Springs Chiropractor.
Risk Factors: Neck Pain and Computer Use
Computer use has risen considerably over the years, at home and in the workplace. Nowadays, a large number of people spend eight to ten hours a day, or more, bent over a keyboard and staring at a monitor. Sitting with the head in a forward bent position (the posture most computer users adopt), puts immense strain on neck ligaments and muscles. In addition, the normal forward curve of the neck becomes reversed producing more stress upon all the surrounding tissues of the neck. All of this can lead to spinal problems including disc herniation and subluxations, which are the primary causes of spinal nerve irritation. In addition to general pain, spinal nerve inflammation in the neck can produce symptoms such as headaches, eye problems, giddiness, arm and hand pain (and paraesthesia), as well as shoulder pain.
Headaches and Chiropractic Care
Headaches or migraines are usually associated with disorders of the cervical spine. When the cervical vertebrae lose their normal position or motion, sensitive nerves and blood vessels that are associated with structures in the head are stretched or inflamed thus producing symptoms from a dull ache to throbbing pain. Trigger points, the tight knots in the muscles of the neck, can also refer pain to the head. Many other factors are related to headaches such as toxic fumes, certain foods, additives such as MSG, alcohol, caffeine, and stress. Still one must always look at the tissues and alignment of the neck when contemplating the origin of headaches and migraines. Chiropractic manipulation and management have proved to be very effective in the treatment of headaches. Ask your Colorado Springs Chiropractor about the benefits of Chiropractic care.
Whiplash and Chiropractic Care
Unfortunately, many people are involved in car accidents. Almost certainly the most common auto accident is when one car collides into the rear-end of another car. During such an accident, the passenger in the front vehicle gets his or her head forcibly jerked backward and then forward causing harm to the structures of the back and front of the neck. This sort of injury is often called a whiplash. Even at low speeds, the amount of force produced by such an accident is very powerful and can cause injury to the ligaments, muscles, facet joints, discs, and spinal nerves. Besides neck pain and immobility, symptoms such as headaches, nausea, vertigo, arm and shoulder pain, tingling in the hands and fingers and weakness of the arm and hand are coincidental with whiplash injury. It is extremely important to get immediate evaluation and x-rays to rule out the possibility of fracture. Usually in almost all cases, the injuries are principally to the soft tissues and joints. Proper management is essential in recovery from the pain and symptoms of whiplash, and also to prevent future disability. Your Colorado Springs Chiropractor is extremely knowledgeable in the area of whiplash injury, and is more than capable of managing the case from injury to recovery.
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