Category: Neck Pain

Last month, we looked at the published evidence that overwhelmingly supports the use of cervical traction. As promised, this month’s focus is the proper methods of applying it. The type of traction that this discussion will address will be limited to the kind that can be purchased and then used in the home, usually multiple…

Traction is defined as, “…the act of pulling a body part.” Therefore, it is commonly used in many regions including legs, arms, low back, mid-back, and the neck. We will be limiting this discussion to cervical or neck traction, and the question of the month is, “…does it help patients with neck pain and headaches?”…

Neck pain can arise from many different sources, and the patient’s clinical presentation can be quite similar making it a challenge to diagnose. One of those related, and sometimes co-existing conditions, is called thoracic outlet syndrome, or TOS. Let’s first discuss the anatomy of the neck and the thoracic outlet so we all have a…

It’s safe to say that if you haven’t had neck and/or shoulder pain, you probably will. Like low back pain, there is a statistical increase in probability that once you’ve had neck pain, the chances of having another episode are significantly increased. A recent study reported that over a 12-month period, 16-18% of the population…

Neck pain is one of the most common complaints for which patients present to chiropractic offices. Headaches are also another very common problem and often go hand-in-hand with the presence of neck pain. So, the question that is frequently asked is, “…why do headaches and neck pain often travel together?” There are many types of…

Does mobilization (MOB) get less, the same, or better results when compared to spinal manipulative therapy (SMT)? To answer this question, let’s first discuss the difference between the two treatment approaches. Mobilization (MOB) of the spine can be “technically” defined as a “low velocity, low amplitude” force applied to the tissues of the cervical spine…

Mechanical neck pain affects an estimated 70% of people at some point in their lives. Many different treatment approaches are available for neck pain, making it very difficult for those suffering from neck pain to know which treatment approach(es) to choose. Research in this topic has revealed some very interesting information that places chiropractic and…

We have all heard about the “placebo effect” and the “power of positive thinking.” A placebo, according to Wikipedia, is “…a simulated or otherwise medically ineffectual treatment for a disease or other medical condition intended to deceive the recipient.” When a placebo is used, it will sometimes have a perceived beneficial effect. When this occurs,…

When we hear the term headache, we don’t usually think about the neck. Rather, we focus on the head, more specifically, “…what part of the head hurts?” But, upon careful questioning of patients, we usually find some connection or correlation between neck pain and headaches. The key to this connection can be found in looking…

Neck pain is one of those conditions that affect most people at some point during their lifetime. All you have to do is ask just about anyone, “…have you ever had neck pain?” Then again, maybe you shouldn’t since you’ll probably get overloaded with way too much information from several people willing to share every…