In Oklahoma City, neck pain relief can be yours easily. Are you one of those who regularly wake up with a stiff neck after sleeping in an awkward position? For many people, chronic neck pain can be more than just annoying. It can hinder you from doing your regular tasks efficiently. 

Imagine driving with a stiff neck. You can’t look over your shoulders to change lanes. You have difficulty keeping your head up or moving from front to side while working. Most of the time, muscle stiffness goes away on its own. However, some types of neck pain won’t go away quickly enough.

Take note that the neck is a very complicated and often overworked part of the body. The neck has muscles, vertebrae, ligaments, and other tissues that work together in sync to do various functions. Also, it is responsible for supporting the head and allowing it to move in multiple directions. If any components of the neck malfunctions or are not working at its best, it will result in neck pain or neck stiffness.

Eight Causes of Chronic Neck Pain

Chronic neck pain can be due to an assortment of problems with the upper cervical spine or neck. In Oklahoma City, neck pain relief is ready for the taking, highly enjoyed by many patients. Some of the most severe reasons for neck pain, such as tumors, occur very rarely. Listed here are eight common causes that trigger chronic neck pain:

  • Muscle Tension

Muscle tension can gradually increase over a period. Most people usually ignore the early warning signs of tense muscles and fatigue. In most cases, until the pain becomes more noticeable and incapacitating, people will just overlook it. As a result, when it becomes a stiff neck or excruciating neck pain, the action is taken to find relief.

To prevent the build-up of muscle tension, doing daily gentle stretches of the neck and the whole body helps immensely. Also, getting a massage can help. However, if you suffer from any injury to the head or neck, vigorous massage or stretching can worsen it.

  • Bulging Or Herniated Disc

There are spinal discs in addition to the cartilage between the vertebrae. The spinal discs act as shock absorbers and cushion your movement. These discs contain a jelly-like substance in the center that may become herniated or bulge through its outer rings. Herniated discs frequently trigger numbness or tingling in the arms or hands. These sensations happen because they are exerting pressure on the branched out nerves from the spine.

  • Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia patients experience tender points and pain throughout their bodies. It is a pain-processing disorder that heightens typical or non-painful touch to extremes. Those with fibromyalgia often have their necks and base of their skulls become areas that feel highly sensitive to pain. Imagine having your pain receptors set at maximum so that a simple touch can cause a heightened sense of pain. How about a simple scratch that feels like a slash of pain that can last far longer than usual?

  • Spinal Stenosis

It happens when the spinal column becomes narrower. Thus, it puts pressure on the nerve branches and the spinal cord. When chronic inflammation from various health problems occurs, spinal stenosis becomes the result.

  • Osteoarthritis

This condition frequently happens in the hips, hands, knees, and also the spine. Osteoarthritis of the neck has a particular name: cervical spondylosis. A person who experiences pain in the neck from osteoarthritis wakes up stiff, and the pain increases throughout the day. Possible causes would include wearing down of the cartilage between the vertebrae, or bone spurs may have started to form.

  • Sprains Or Strains

When the neck extends past its normal range of flexibility, muscle strains and ligament sprains occur. It can also happen if the neck exerts effort to resist a force beyond its limits (this includes keeping the head steady during a sudden collision on the sports field). Therefore, whiplash can also trigger strains and sprains.

  • Whiplash

The word whiplash is notorious for being a trauma or injury that athletes frequently experience during competitive sports like football or combat sports. It also happens when people are involved in a car accident. The abrupt stopping of a car or excess force from getting rear-ended will cause an individual’s head to whip from side to side or forward and backward. As a result, this can damage the spinal discs, ligaments, and muscles.

Whiplash can trigger even at low speeds of five miles per hour. It explains why slight misalignments in the neck or spine can happen even from seemingly simple incidents such as slipping, sliding, tripping, and falling.

  • Spinal Misalignments

The first bones in the neck are very flexible and highly movable. These uppermost two vertebrae, known as the (C1) atlas and the (C2) axis bones, provide most of the head’s mobility. However, because these vertebrae are so easily moveable, they become highly vulnerable to misalignment.  When this happens, misalignment causes stiffness, pain, and discomfort, and also the development of several other health problems.

Fortunately, in Oklahoma City, neck pain relief is easily accessible for patients suffering from a stiff neck, chronic neck pain, and other neck related problems. It is possible through the practical and long-tested skills and medical experience of an upper cervical doctor or upper cervical chiropractor.

Studies Back Upper Cervical Chiropractic

In one study, a 78-year old female patient suffered from immobility and severe neck pain. The patient had degenerative disc disease, severe osteoporosis in the neck, and misalignments in the C7 and C1 vertebrae. Later, she received six weeks of upper cervical care and experienced significant improvements in her condition. At the end of her upper cervical care, she finally was able to move her neck in many directions and had no more neck pain. 

Another study involved a 23-year old female who suffered from chronic migraines for at least ten years, neck pain, and low back pain. She had prescription medications, which proved ineffective later on. Following a course of care that included upper cervical care, she experienced significant improvements in her health problems and neck pain reduction. 

Upper Cervical Chiropractic – Solving Chronic Neck Pain Naturally

Most individuals with neck pain frequently deal with it by ignoring it or toughing it out. It does not have to be that way. Some people rely on over-the-counter painkillers or medications or use a heating pad or an ice pack to endure discomfort and pain. Unfortunately, these solutions only provide temporary care. If the problem’s source is left unsolved, its lingering effects and other complications can still happen later. Therefore, finding the root source of chronic neck pain is vital to prevent future problems from occurring. 

Upper cervical chiropractic care is the care option you have been searching for. It has proven useful, safe, and successful for more than two decades. Upper cervical chiropractic is a niche within the chiropractic profession. 

Visit us at Precision Chiropractic in Oklahoma City, OK. Our upper cervical chiropractors dedicate themselves to the alignment of the uppermost two vertebrae, the atlas, and the axis bones. The adjustment procedures we use are known for being especially gentle, precise, and long-lasting. Our spinal corrections stay longer, thus enabling your body to be better positioned for ongoing healing and significant freedom from neck pain, stiffness, and other neck related issues. 

The spine’s optimal health and function rely on how aligned and correctly positioned the uppermost vertebrae are. Call us at 405-378-3100 or contact us online to get Oklahoma City neck pain relief.

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Sheppard, call our Oklahoma City office at 405-378-3100. You can also click the button below.

If you are outside of the local area, you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.