Neck Pain: What Causes It and How We Can Help
If your neck hurts, you are far from alone. Neck pain is one of the most common reasons people visit a chiropractor. It can make it hard to sleep, drive, work at a computer, or turn to check on your kids. The good news is that most neck pain is not caused by anything serious, and there is a lot we can do to help you feel and move better.
What Is Neck Pain?
Your neck is made of small bones, discs that act like cushions, small joints, and many muscles. These parts work together to hold up your head and let you look around. When one of them gets irritated, you may feel stiffness, aching, or a sharp pinch when you turn. Sometimes the pain spreads into your upper back, your shoulder blade, or your head.
Common Causes
Desk work and screen time. Long hours looking down at a phone or laptop can tire out the neck muscles.
Strain. Lifting, sports, yard work, or a sudden awkward move can irritate muscles and joints.
Sleep. An odd sleeping position or a pillow that does not suit you can leave you stiff in the morning.
Stress. Stress often shows up as tight shoulders and a tense neck.
Disc or joint irritation. The discs and small joints in the neck can become sore. They can even send pain to the shoulder.
A Hopeful Outlook
Many people with neck pain improve with time and the right care. A large review from the Bone and Joint Decade Task Force (Carroll and colleagues) found that neck pain often comes and goes over the years. That is why we focus on helping you feel better now and on giving you tools to handle flare ups later. Staying active and understanding what is going on are two of the best things you can do.
What a Visit Looks Like
Your first visit starts with a conversation. We want to know when the pain started, what makes it better or worse, and how it affects your day. Then we do a thorough exam of your neck, upper back, and shoulders, along with a movement screen. We check all three areas because shoulder problems and neck problems can feel very much alike.
You will leave knowing what is going on, why it is happening, and what your plan is. If your exam shows you need imaging, we can write the order and refer you to a trusted imaging center. If another type of care would help you more, we will refer you there too.
How We Treat Neck Pain
Our care follows a three part approach: joint work, soft tissue work, and exercise. Most plans combine these, tailored to you.
Chiropractic adjustments. These are gentle, hands-on movements to help stiff joints in the neck and upper back move more freely. The 2017 neck pain guideline from the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy (Blanpied and colleagues) supports manipulation and mobilization of the neck and upper back, especially when combined with exercise. A Cochrane review by Gross and colleagues also found these treatments can help.
Soft tissue release. We use our hands to work on tight muscles and the tissue around them. This often helps your neck feel ready to move before an adjustment or exercise.
Dry needling. Thin needles are placed into tight, tender spots in a muscle, called trigger points. A review by Navarro Santana and colleagues found that for neck pain linked to trigger points, dry needling can ease pain and make daily tasks a bit easier for a short time. The quality of that research was rated low to moderate, so we use dry needling together with other care, not on its own.
Cupping. Suction cups gently lift the skin and muscle underneath. Many patients find it eases tension in the neck and upper back. Research on cupping is still limited, so we use it as a helper alongside other treatments.
Taping. Athletic tape, including RockTape, can give the area support and a reminder to move well between visits.
Rehab exercise. This is the part that helps results last. We teach exercises for your "deep neck flexors," the small muscles in the front of your neck that help hold your head steady. We also work on your "shoulder blade stabilizers," the muscles that keep your shoulder blades in a good position. A Cochrane review of neck exercise (Gross and colleagues) found that for long lasting neck pain, strengthening the neck, shoulder, and upper back may help reduce pain and improve how you function. Stretching alone did not seem to help much, which is why strength is a big part of our plan. The 2017 guideline also recommends exercise for neck pain.
The Recovery Room. Our infrared sauna can be a relaxing way to ease muscle tension. It is an add on for comfort, not a replacement for your treatment plan.
Simple Things You Can Do at Home
Keep moving. Gentle movement usually helps more than total rest.
Take screen breaks. Every 30 to 45 minutes, sit tall, roll your shoulders, and look around.
Raise your screen. Bring your phone or monitor closer to eye level.
Check your pillow. Your pillow should keep your neck level with your body.
Try heat. A warm shower or heating pad can relax tight muscles.
Manage stress. Slow breathing, a short walk, and good sleep all help.
When to Get Help Right Away
Most neck pain is not an emergency. Please seek urgent medical care if you have neck pain along with any of these:
Arm weakness that is getting worse
Clumsy hands or trouble with buttons or writing
Trouble with balance or walking
New changes in bladder or bowel control
Fever, or feeling very sick
Weight loss you cannot explain
Pain after a fall, car crash, or other injury
A sudden, severe headache or dizziness
The Bottom Line
Neck pain can be frustrating, but it usually gets better, and you do not have to figure it out alone. If neck pain is getting in the way of your work, sleep, training, or time with family, now is a great time to take the first step. Call us at 903-629-5126 or book a visit online, and we will work together to figure out what’s causing your neck pain, build a plan that fits you, and help you get back to the things you enjoy.
Related reading: Can Your Neck Cause Your Shoulder Pain?
This post is for general education and is not medical advice. Please talk with a qualified health care provider about your own symptoms.
Pacheco Spine and Sport
Dr. Anthony Pacheco and Dr. Amber Pacheco
1067 Gilmer Street, Suite C, Sulphur Springs, TX 75482
Phone: 903-629-5126
pachecospineandsport.com
Sources
Carroll LJ, Hogg-Johnson S, van der Velde G, et al. Course and prognostic factors for neck pain in the general population: results of the Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2008;33(4 Suppl):S75-82. doi:10.1097/BRS.0b013e31816445be. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18204403/
Blanpied PR, Gross AR, Elliott JM, et al. Neck Pain: Revision 2017. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2017;47(7):A1-A83. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.0302. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28666405/
Gross A, Langevin P, Burnie SJ, et al. Manipulation and mobilisation for neck pain contrasted against an inactive control or another active treatment. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;(9):CD004249. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD004249.pub4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26397370/
Navarro-Santana MJ, Sanchez-Infante J, Fernández-de-Las-Peñas C, et al. Effectiveness of Dry Needling for Myofascial Trigger Points Associated with Neck Pain Symptoms: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Clin Med. 2020;9(10):3300. doi:10.3390/jcm9103300. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33066556/
Gross A, Kay TM, Paquin JP, et al. Exercises for mechanical neck disorders. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;1:CD004250. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD004250.pub5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25629215/
