Have you ever woken up, turned your head to check the alarm clock, and had your neck literally get stuck in that position due to pain? Or after working a long 8 hour day, staring at your computer, finally finish your deadline only to be met with that familiar ache at the base of your skull (headache slowly ensues)?
Here’s what I’ve observed in my thirteen years helping people heal from neck pain at Clarity Wellness Chiropractic: neck pain is not simply physical pain. It affects every aspect of your life. Your sleep gets worse. Your patience wears thin with your partner and kids. Focusing on work becomes impossible. It is these reasons people get the most frustrated with their neck pain and often when they come to see me.
I’ve seen everyone from IT consultants who live at their desks to new parents carrying babies on one hip for hours and to Crossfitters who may have pushed a bit too hard at the gym. What’s interesting is how different everyone’s story is, but how similar the pain feels. Pain is your body’s way of telling you something is not right, much like the signals on the dashboard of your car. However, many people ignore these signals until they are in extreme pain or discomfort. The question is whether you’re ready to listen and finally take action.
What is Neck Pain?
Neck pain does not always show up the same way for everyone. Some people get a constant dull ache at the base of their head or neck. Others may experience sharp, stabbing sensations every time they look over their shoulder. Alternatively, it can feel more like stiffness, as if someone replaced your neck muscles with steel cables overnight. In severe cases, neck pain can be accompanied with headaches or migraines. Tension headaches start right where your skull meets your neck and radiate forward. Migraines often go behind one or both eyes, leading to light sensitivity and nausea.
These are some areas of your day-to-day lifestyle that can cause neck pain:
- Poor posture: Whether sitting at your desk doing work or on the couch watching TV, your postural habits can lead to increased stress and misalignment in your neck
- Stress: When you are going through stressful periods, your shoulders and neck tend to hold all of that in.
- Old injuries: Previous sport injuries, falls or slips on the ice cause your spine to go out of alignment. If those areas have not been corrected, neck pain can become a recurrent issue.
- Whiplash: Car accidents are the most common cause, but even roller coasters, sports or sudden movements can lead to whiplash-type injuries leading to chronic neck pain.
- Tech neck: This is something I see in all age demographics. Too much screen time has now become one of the leading causes of neck pain.
- Sleeping position: The height of your pillow, the type of mattress that you use in combination with your sleeping position is often one of the main culprits in causing chronic neck pain.
The symptoms of neck pain extend beyond neck soreness. As mentioned, headaches often accompany neck pain which cause many people to miss work or time with their loved ones. Dizziness and/or Vertigo can also happen as well. Your shoulders can often feel like they’re permanently shrugged up to your ears. In serious cases, some people may experience tingling or numbness running down their arms, which causes them to feel panic (understandably). These are your body’s way of waving red flags at you.
How Chiropractic Can Help Neck Pain
People often wonder what Chiropractic is and what a Chiropractor can do to provide neck pain relief. Most people have a skewed perception on what they think Chiropractic is based on what they see on social media: cracking back and necks without doing much else. I am here today to tell you that this is far from what Chiropractic is and what I do.
As Chiropractors, we adjust the fixated (subluxated) joints in your cervical (neck) spine. This releases pressure from surrounding nerves which helps to relax tight muscles, increase mobility of your neck and optimize the function of your nervous system. The nervous system is what allows your body to function, heal and repair optimally. This is what gives your body the ability to heal itself. Chiropractic adjustments remove nerve interference to allow your body to do just that.
Gentle Adjustments
What is a Chiropractic adjustment? After determining which joints of your spine are misaligned/subluxated, a quick, controlled force is applied in a particular direction to restore proper movement to your joints. This releases pressure off surrounding nerves, increasing mobility of your spine which helps your nervous system to function more optimally.
With manual Chiropractic adjustments, you may hear popping or “cracking” noises after an adjustment. These are simply gas bubbles being released from your joints. I am also trained in other gentle techniques such as the Activator and Integrator that can be used to customize your care and suit your level of comfort. Everybody is different so it is never a one-size-fits-all situation.
Assessment and X-Rays
After doing your examination, further testing such as X-rays may need to be taken. These diagnostic images can help me to better understand what’s happening with your neck. Based on your examination findings and testing, I am able to create a plan that’s safe, effective and results-driven for your specific issues.
What Makes Chiropractic Different
Taking pain medication for neck pain may provide temporary relief, but it doesn’t address the underlying cause of your neck pain. With Chiropractic care for neck pain in Etobicoke, we look for the root cause of your neck pain. This is done by examining how your spine is moving, observing your postural/muscle patterns and understanding what lifestyle factors may be contributing to your neck pain.
A Success Story from My Practice
I’ve been blessed to be able to help many patients with neck pain over the years I’ve been in practice. Jenny is one of those people who I continue to see for maintenance care. She’s 35, works in healthcare, and had been dealing with neck pain and headaches every single day for almost two years. Jenny told me it was affecting her sleep and focus at work. She couldn’t think straight and struggled to sleep through the night without feeling pain. She found that painkillers, massage and acupuncture helped to some degree but could never fully get rid of her neck pain.
When I first assessed her, I could already see that the problems were originating from her spine. Jenny’s head was way too far forward (common in people that sit all the time), her upper neck wasn’t moving properly, and the muscles at the base of her skull felt super tight. We created a plan to start addressing the structural issues in her spine and included exercises she could do at home to strengthen her neck and fix her posture.
One month into her care, Jenny shared that her neck pain disappeared and her headaches had gone from every single day to once or twice a week. Her neck was moving so much better. She was finally able to work through a full afternoon without that crushing tension building up in her neck.
The biggest changes in her neck pain and headaches came not only from her adjustments but changing her workplace ergonomics. She changed her desk setup, changed her sleeping position and was diligently doing the exercises I showed her. It was this combination that got her lasting results. Stories like hers are exactly why I love doing what I do!
What to Expect at Your First Chiropractic Visit
Walking into a Chiropractic office for the first time can feel intimidating, especially if you’ve never seen one before. Let me take you step by step what happens when you come to our office.
Initial Consultation
Your first visit starts with me doing your health history and understanding the different stressors
that may have contributed to your neck pain. I want to hear not just about your pain, but about
your life. When did your neck pain start? What makes it better or worse? Have you been in any car accidents or experienced any type of injuries? Do you work at a computer all day?
All these details matter because they help me understand what’s actually going on with your neck. Not just the symptoms, but the triggers as well.
Gentle Tests and Assessments
Next, we do a thorough but gentle examination. This includes:
- Posture analysis
- Palpation (gentle touching) of your spine to identify areas of subluxation/misalignment in your neck
- Neurological Testing & X-rays (if necessary)
Everything is explained as we go, and you can ask questions or voice concerns at any time. Your comfort, physical and emotional, is always my utmost priority.
Your Personalized Plan
At your next visit, we will sit down and review the results of your examination findings and any tests. This isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. We always make sure to customize a plan that takes into account your specific condition, lifestyle, comfort level, and goals.
Self-Care Tips for Neck Pain Relief
In addition to receiving Chiropractic care to help with your neck pain, here are additional things you can do at home to help:
- Fix Your Posture at Work
Adjusting your computer monitor height can make a significant difference on your spinal health. The top of your computer screen should be at eye level. Make sure to have a chair that is supportive to your lower back i.e. built-in lumbar support or cushion. In terms of your body positioning, your arms should have a ninety-degree bend with your elbows resting comfortably on your desk. Your feet should sit flat on the floor.
A great way to ensure you are maintaining proper posture throughout the day is to set a timer for every 30 minutes. When it goes off, do a quick posture check. Ask yourself if your shoulders creeping up toward your ears or if your head is jutting forward. Minor adjustments throughout the day add up.
- Invest in a Good Pillow
The type of pillow you use either supports your spine or adds more strain to it. If you are a back sleeper, use a pillow that is thinner to support your neck curve without pushing your head too far forward. Side sleepers need to use a pillow with more height to maintain their neck’s alignment with their spine.
- Neck exercises
Chin tucks are an effective neck/postural exercise. Pull your chin back toward your neck – similar to making a double chin. Hold it for five seconds. Release. Repeat that 10 times per day.
Gentle range of motion exercises are also excellent at maintaining proper movement in your neck. Try slowly tilting your head side to side, bringing your chin down to your chest and all the way up to the ceiling, then rotating it gently side to side.
- Use Heat or Ice Strategically
When you experience any type of acute sprains, pain or injuries, using ice on the affected area for fifteen to twenty minutes can help with swelling and inflammation. For more chronic tightness and muscle tension, heat is much better. Use a warm compress, heating pad, or take a hot shower. Heat helps relax your muscles and gets blood flowing.
- Manage Your Stress
The connection between stress and neck tension is a real phenomenon. When you’re stressed, your shoulders automatically tense up which causes your neck to become painful and tight.
When you notice tension starting to build, try doing deep breathing or go for a short walk. This helps clear your mind and refocus on being present. Meditation or prayer is also very effective. Find what helps you decompress to not only ease your neck pain but your overall stress level.
- Know When to Rest
Sometimes you just need to give your body a break. If you spent all weekend moving furniture or went too hard at the gym, it’s very important to rest. Gentle movement is good for your spine and brain. Never feel like you have to push through pain. That only makes things worse.
Frequently Asked Questions About Neck Pain
How Long Will It Take to Feel Better?
This is a question a lot of people want to know. I wish I could give you an exact timeline. But the honest answer is that it really depends on various factors.
How long have you had the pain? What’s causing it? How does your body respond to treatment? These are the things that affect how a person responds to their Chiropractic care. Some people feel significantly better within a few visits. Others take longer to get lasting relief. Both responses are common.
When you start your care, I always make sure to pay close attention to your progress and adjust my approach to get the best results.
Is Chiropractic Care Safe for Neck Pain?
When you’re seeing a licensed, experienced Chiropractor, yes, it’s very safe. Doing a detailed health history, examination and the appropriate testing ensures that you are a good candidate for Chiropractic care based on your health concerns.
Serious complications are very rare. Especially when we’re communicating well and you’re telling me how things feel. That’s why I always encourage you to let me know how you are doing during your healing journey so I know what techniques, approach and exercises will be most effective for you.
Can Chiropractic Adjustments Cause Pain?
Chiropractic adjustments may cause some soreness; especially if you have never been adjusted before. Similar to starting a new workout, as your spine starts to move better, muscles that have been tight for years start to relax. This is what causes the muscles to feel sore and uncomfortable at the beginning. However, that soreness typically goes away within a day or two. You might also hear some popping or cracking sounds after an adjustment is performed. That’s just gas releasing from the joints.
Read More- Finding a Female Chiropractor: A Guide for Etobicoke Families
Final Thoughts
Living with constant neck pain is frustrating, especially when it hinders you from doing work and the things that you love. Whether your neck hurts from years of desk work, a car accident last month, or just the accumulated stress of daily life, there are many options to find the relief you’ve been seeking.
Chiropractic care is an effective and natural solution to neck pain. It’s gentle, personalized to your specific needs, and focuses on fixing the problem instead of just covering it up with a band aid solution.
I’ve seen many people regain their lives by taking their neck and spinal health seriously. Chiropractic care in combination with dedicated self-care at home is where I’ve seen the best results. The most important part is being informed, paying attention to what your body needs, and taking action sooner rather than later.
Waking up with a stiff neck every morning or suffering from tension headaches throughout the day is not normal. These should no longer be reasons for you missing out on the things you enjoy.
If you’re in Etobicoke and experiencing neck pain, I am here to help. Take the first step and book an assessment at our Chiropractic clinic. It’s time to heal and get your life back.
