Are you suffering from neck pain? If you are, you have plenty of company. Neck pain has a prevalence rate of about 30% among American adults every year. As an Oklahoma City neck pain chiropractor, Dr. Jennifer welcomes residents who suffer from neckache.
When asked about their pain and symptoms, patients often share varying descriptions. But, based on their stories, we get an idea of the most common roots of neck pain. One of which is subluxation. So, what is subluxation, and why is it a big red flag? This article will get to these questions as well as educate you on how to get Oklahoma City OK neck pain relief that is safe and natural.
Subluxation Explained
Subluxation is a chiropractic term that describes the altering position of the spinal vertebrae. It’s an abnormal separation or misalignment of the joint. Several symptoms arise when you are suffering from a subluxation. Here are some of them:
- Inability to move – a spinal misalignment causes some parts of your body to become stiff. That stiffness often causes you to have difficulty doing movements. As an Oklahoma City neck pain chiropractor, Dr. Jennifer often sees this symptom in some patients.
- Headache – people who suffer from subluxation may experience headaches. Your headache may result from stress or pressure build-up in the misaligned vertebrae. Therefore, if you have a subluxation, you may experience some headache that occurs out of nowhere.
- Neck Pain – neck pain is one of the most common symptoms of subluxation. You may experience various levels of neck pain depending on the severity of the misalignment in your joints. Neck pain is also a common reason why patients consult an Oklahoma City neck pain chiropractor.
What Causes Subluxation?
Subluxation is a condition that may result from the following:
- Accidents
- Falls and slips
- Stress
- Lifting heavy weights in an improper position
- Bad posture
Five Other Causes of Neck Pain
Aside from subluxation, there are other causes of neck pain that you need to be aware of. Neck pain can be a result of several disorders, diseases, or poor lifestyle choices. Before you can get the correct diagnosis and care for your neck pain, you need to determine first what causes it. Here are five other causes of neckache:
1. Disc degeneration
When one or more discs in your upper cervical spine break down, disc degeneration occurs. It results from the tearing and wearing of the spine. Following the wear and tear, symptoms, such as neck pain, slowly develops. The pain can be mild, moderate, or severe for every person.
2. Neck injury
A neck injury is any trauma that happens to the neck. Common causes of neck injury include falls, vehicle accidents, sports injuries, and diseases. Strain, whiplash, neck fracture, herniated disc, and spinal cord injury are examples of neck injury. They can damage some of the major areas in the neck, including nerves, soft tissue, and your upper cervical spine. In severe and rare cases, neck injuries may cause paralysis to the victim.
3. Arthritis
When thinking of arthritis, you might picture swollen feet and painful knees. However, the stiffness and pain in your neck could also be a sign of arthritis. The wearing and tearing of the joints in the area of your neck may cause this condition. It could also develop due to aging or an injury. Aside from neck pain, neck arthritis may show symptoms like headaches, trouble walking, and loss of balance.
4. Poor body posture
Neck and back pain will constantly creep on you when poor posture has been part of your lifestyle. It’s because poor posture can negatively affect your nerves, muscles, joints, tissues, and spinal discs. Poor posture also creates muscle imbalance which leads to misalignment in the spine or instability of the joints.
5. Spinal Stenosis
This term pertains to the narrowing of the neck’s spinal canal. Destruction of tissues and excessive bone growth in the joints due to aging can narrow the spinal canal. The squeezing and tightness that happens in the cord and nerves of the cervical spine results in debilitating pain. Symptoms like stiffness, pain, weakness, and numbness can occur in the neck, hands, and legs.
Oklahoma City OK Neck Pain Relief Through Upper Cervical Care
Are you seeking an Oklahoma City OK neck pain relief? Fortunately, upper cervical chiropractic care can eliminate symptoms of neck pain caused by the factors mentioned above. Precision Chiropractic is an upper cervical practice that addresses some of the most common pain that an individual may feel, including neck pain. There are three things that you can expect from the chiropractic care that we provide.
- Relief Care – our first and primary objective is to help you reduce the pain that’s causing inconvenience in your life. The upper cervical care that you will receive depends on the severity of what’s causing your condition. You can expect to meet us 2-3 times per week for 4-12 weeks.
- Corrective Care – during this phase, your tissues and muscles are under a restoration process. The goal of our corrective care is to bring you back to your optimal health and functioning. Also, corrective care can help your neck and other vital parts of your body prevent future injuries. The duration of this phase may depend on the severity of your condition.
- Wellness Care – even after your body is entirely free from neck pain symptoms, we can still give you wellness care. You can still come to visit us for adjustments to guarantee Oklahoma City OK neck pain relief.
Please consult with us using our contact form. We’ll respond to your queries and messages as soon as we can.
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.