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Chiropractic for Neck Pain

Chiropractic for Neck Pain

At Thrive, chiropractors diagnose patients to put together the puzzle. Patients and chiropractors work together to find the root cause of neck pain, as well as a path towards pain free living. Like most puzzles, the road to completion is slow and steady with more information revealed along the way. Thrive Spine and Sports Rehabilitation has a chiropractic care team in Belmar and Freehold to diagnose the root cause of neck pain and bring about relief through all-natural remedies.

The Benefits of Chiropractic Therapy for Neck Pain

Above all, the main benefits of choosing chiropractic care to combat chronic neck pain are achieved when working with a professional like the chiropractors at Thrive Spine & Sports Rehab. These chiropractic care specialists meet with patients to diagnose the root cause of pain, and to develop a customized plan to heal.

"We get patients back to doing what they love," summarized Dr. TJ Abrams who has worked at Thrive's chiropractic clinic in Belmar…

Otherwise, when working with a chiropractor at Thrive, patients will capitalize on benefits like…

  • Reduced inflammation
  • Restored bodily alignment
  • Improved blood flow
  • Improved range of motion
  • Improved patient education

As chiropractic care progresses, patients will notice an easier time turning their head and tilting side to side. Chiropractic care for neck pain will reduce that pain, soreness, and stiffness.

Thrive's chiropractic care will also help to strengthen muscles around the area of pain through in-clinic exercises as well as patient education for at-home workouts. Healing neck pain through chiropractic care will improve the structural connection in and around the neck. This therapy will stimulate the nervous system to increase range of motion, decrease neck pain, and build a stronger neck.

"We'll use the decompression table to allow pressure to come off joints around the trapezius muscles, levator scapulae muscle, suboccipital muscles, paraspinal muscles, and the back musculature to decrease inflammation and provide more mobility," explained Zappola.

Book Chiropractic Sessions for Neck Pain with Clinicians at Thrive Spine & Sports Rehab

There are many people who may be candidates for chiropractic care to heal neck pain. Most commonly, these individuals are:

  • Stomach and side sleepers
  • People who drive for a living
  • Office workers who sit behind a desk for long periods of time
  • Individuals with past injuries or surgery on or around the neck

"We also tap into the sports community," acknowledged Dr. Vinny. "A lot of wrestlers have neck or shoulder issues, and football players with stingers will come in."

The first session at Thrive is consultative and will help a patient recognize their lifestyle, any potential problems on a daily or weekly level, and will address current pains or stress.

"The sleeping aspect is big because I find people get neck pain sleeping on their stomach. They have to turn their head from right to left… And often, one arm is elevated when sleeping for six to eight hours. This is not beneficial for the body. So, the big questions are how it affects mobility and tightness. And then we have to learn how to break those habits and decrease pain along the way," said Dr. Vinny.

Individuals will also develop neck pain during a sedentary job, or as part of a sedentary lifestyle.

"We can figure that out. Sometimes it's as simple as getting a standing desk to change positions throughout the day," said Dr. Vinny. "A lot of what I do in that first session is picking apart what patients tell me they do daily so I can do a deep dive on their day-to-day life… [Neck pain] could also come from repetitive microtrauma–if you don't get up for eight hours… Before you know it, your neck is jammed up, you have a headache, and your shoulder blade is tingling…"

Chiropractic Care Services to Employ for Back Pain

There are many services related to chiropractic care that can help to heal neck pain. However, there are various ways to implement these healing methods over a period of treatment time. For Dr. Vinny Zappola, he's had success with his unique approach, as well as with the custom plans he's created for patients.

"The treatment I am administering always has several components that have become hallmarks patients fell in love with," explained Zappola. "Maybe another chiropractor would simply adjust [your neck] with a quick session. But what I've built by using the decompression table happened to work well and patients responded great. People got better very fast."

Chiropractors like Zappola have many tools in their toolbelt to cure neck pain. Possible services to employ for neck pain include:

  • Decompression table allows pressure off joints
  • Massage gun
  • Manual, static, and patient education regarding stretching in-clinic and at home
  • Graston tool to help fascia bind better and break up scar tissue
  • Chiropractic adjustment

Zappola spends time talking with patients first. He will prescribe the least invasive healing methods before going to the most manual methods–like the chiropractic adjustment.

"The premise of decompression therapy is to create a vacuum within the spinal column… Say if a disc is bulging, and nerves are inflamed… We are getting separation in that area so that the joint can regain mobility and function. The joints being stuck might be generating the majority of pain and muscle tightness. So, decompression is designed to release that type of tension–especially for a brand-new patient," said Zappola.

Some new patients that come in for neck pain are wary about chiropractic adjustments. While these quick, thrusting adjustments are a great tool for chiropractors–they are not the only tool.

"I try to make a connection with chiropractic adjustments to achieve mobility," said Zappola. "I always tell patients not to self-adjust the neck. Your upper and mid-back is often very involved in the neck, muscles, and shoulder blades. So, we can foam roll the upper and mid-back to get the spine to move into extension–which will mimic what I am doing with the chiropractic adjustment."

Quick Case Study: Freehold Patients Receive Chiropractic Care for Neck Pain

In one unique case, a patient's lifestyle was the main cause of her chronic neck pain.

"I had a woman yesterday who is a nursing student," started Dr. Vinny Zappola. "She also had a 15-month-old baby. With child care and feeding the baby, nursing, holding, and carrying the child it seemed like a recipe for neck pain. Also, she was sleeping on her side and stomach. She'd been doing that for 21 years, but we had to figure out how to break the habit now."

Zappola went through his standard process for diagnosis and to begin treatment that will last as long as both parties feel it necessary.

"We did the typical treatment protocol which I described [above]," said Zappola. "With consistent care, she could feel significantly better in two weeks. Maybe the pain does creep back… Healing is never linear progression, and it fluctuates. But we design these plans to get people better…"

Possible Side-Effects of Chiropractic Care for Neck Pain

As stated, chiropractic patients are most wary of adjustments when it comes to neck pain. This sensitive and important area of the body requires extra care.

Chiropractors will manipulate patients' bodies to relieve pain and tension in the neck. With this healing method, as well as with any form of physical therapy, it is possible for patients to experience pain.

Acute pain during a chiropractic care session can occur. Thrive professionals aim to make this type of pain an exception–rather than something commonplace. Any acute pain should never be worse than the initial chronic pain that initiated treatment. What is more common are feelings of discomfort and soreness after the chiropractic session.

Patients must be 100% honest with the chiropractor in order to ensure there is no re-injury or worsened injury during chiropractic therapy sessions. Patients should communicate clearly if he or she is hesitant to chiropractic adjustments, or if they have some form of discomfort during chiropractic treatments.

Dizziness, faintness, and drowsiness are also possible side-effects of chiropractic treatments. Patients should always eat a healthy meal and drink plenty of water before therapy. After therapy is over, patients should move slowly and stretch to alleviate these possible side-effects.

Overall, patients should expect that chronic neck pain cannot be solved in one chiropractic session. While it can happen–the goal is to develop a relationship with the chiropractor via multiple sessions which heal little by little in a natural, organic way.

Living with Chronic Neck Pain

It's no fun. Chronic neck pain is something that can make even the most normal, everyday tasks annoying and stressful. However, some people choose to live with neck pain in fear of chiropractic care and adjustments.

"When it comes to the neck, patients may be hesitant to adjustments," admitted Zappola. "I always say it's going to be super gentle. The fast movement is designed that way to not cause pain but relief. But I don't force patients into anything. Instead we can focus on stretching and soft tissue work. I also hope that decompression of the neck can serve as an adjustment in a way. By tractioning and elongating the spine and getting slight separation–this acts as a mobilization of the spine. I try to let them know other techniques to utilize if they're uncomfortable."

Most patients can work up to chiropractic adjustments of the neck. Even still, some individuals with chronic neck pain might choose other methods of relief like surgery or pain-numbing pharmaceutical medications.

However, people living with neck pain should note that chiropractic care is an all-natural method of healing. The side effects of choosing chiropractic care are much less than the possible side-effects of life-altering surgery, or pain medications.

Overview

Neck pain is common. Chiropractors work to find out why neck pain is occurring, and how it can be prevented, mitigated, and cured so patients may find long term relief. While issues around neck pain can manifest from daily habits, neck pain can also occur from physical activity or injuries. People with neck pain should always consult their family doctor, along with a specialist, as well as the professionals at Thrive.

FAQs

How do chiropractors adjust the neck to relieve pain?

Chiropractors assess patients to see whether pain is coming from joints, muscles, nerves, or a combination of the three. Hypothetically, pain coming from a joint would necessitate soft tissue work that reaches the superficial layer of tissue. Afterwards, a chiropractor will recommend adjustments to help relieve pain. In the muscles, pin and stretch (PIR) techniques as well as exercise movements will be necessary along with adjustments. And for pain stemming from nerve, a chiropractor will recommend the nerve glide or flossing, along with use of the decompression table which has a cervical portion that tends to give relief.

How long does it take for chiropractors to fix your neck?

Pain in the neck will respond easier and quicker than something like low back pain. The lower back and pelvis are the center of the body. This area is taking the brunt of force from top and from bottom. While the neck is just one joint or muscle. So, within two or three weeks, patients will notice a difference. To find total relief, patients will need to invest four to six weeks based on the root cause and diagnosis. Patients should note that nerves take longer to heal: On average nerves grow and regenerate at 1mm per year.

Who should go to the chiropractor?

Anyone with pain that lasts should go see the chiropractor. Potential candidates for chiropractic care suffer from chronic pain which is pain that has persisted two or three times a day for a four to six month period or more. Anyone that is seeing a physical therapist or acupuncturist may also be a candidate to receive chiropractic therapy. Overall, if a person is being held back from doing what they love due to chronic neck pain (for example), there's a good chance they can benefit from consulting a chiropractor.

Who should not go to the chiropractor?

Anyone with new or acute neck pain should not immediately go to the chiropractor. Acute pain is defined as pain that is new or has only been an issue for one to two weeks. Overall, if you can still play sports, take part in physical activity without pain, and still do what you love–you may not need to see a chiropractor. Otherwise, individuals with broken bones or other non-musculoskeletal injuries should not see a chiropractor.

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