Category: Neck Pain

Is there a “normal” or “best posture” out there? If so, what is it? Posture is largely inherited; however, there are also environmental, social, and other forces that can affect posture. Some say “good posture” is the position that places the least amount of strain on the body, particularly the muscles and ligaments that hold…

We in the healthcare management world are all biased. If a patient with neck and arm pain presents to chiropractic clinic, the doctor of chiropractic will usually recommend a non-surgical trial of care as long as “red flags” don’t exist (that is, “bad” things like bowel/bladder weakness, rapidly worsening symptoms, and a few others). Frequently,…

A slouched body posture decreases arm mobility and changes muscle recruitment in the neck and shoulder region European Journal of Applied Physiology December 2015, Volume 115, Issue 12, pp 2491–2503 Eva-Maj Malmström Abstract PURPOSE: Long-term use of unfavorable postures, congenital deformations and degenerative processes associated with aging or disease may generate an increased thoracic curvature…

Although both medication and chiropractic are utilized by neck pain sufferers, not everyone wants to or can take certain medications due to unwanted side effects. For those who aren’t sure what to do, wouldn’t it be nice if research was available that could answer the question posted above? Let’s take a look! When people have…

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could assess three common types of treatment for neck and back pain to determine which is the most effective? Here is a look at three studies that compared three popular forms of care for chronic spinal pain to determine the short-term and more importantly, the LONG-TERM benefits of chiropractic…

This series has included exercise recommendations to self-manage neck pain, headache, upper back pain, and dizziness. This month’s topic involves enhancing coordination, which may be the most important topic in this three-part series! Coordination-based exercises are important because they stimulate our neuro-motor system and can help restore normal function. We can all relate to the…

As stated last month, exercises that focus on improving posture, flexibility, strength, and coordination are important for creating a well-rounded cervical rehabilitation program. Our discussion continues this month with stretching and strengthening exercises. STRETCHING: Since our neck muscles have to hold up our 12 pound (~5.5 kg) head, it’s no wonder why our neck muscles…

As discussed last month, when you make an appointment for a chiropractic evaluation for your neck pain, your doctor of chiropractic will provide both in-office procedures as well as teach you many self-help approaches so that as a “team”, together WE can manage your neck pain or headache complaint to a satisfying end-point. So, what…

Neck pain can occur for many different reasons, but what can you do about it? That’s the BIG question! As discussed last month, exercise training is an important part of the chiropractic management process. Let’s take a close look at which exercises are MOST important with respect to self-management strategies. There are several goals or…

In the nervous system, there are three primary areas that regulate our balance: the cerebellum (located in the back of the brain), the dorsal columns (located in the back of the spinal cord), and the inner ear (the “vestibular” part of our cranial nerve VIII). There are also small, microscopic “proprioceptors” or mechanical receptors located…