Mechanical neck pain is a very broad topic and there can be a variety of reasons as to why you are suffering with neck pain.

 

The neck is made up of seven cervical vertebrae separated by intervertebral discs which protect the vertebral column.  Spinal nerves exit the spine in the neck to give nerve supply to your upper body. There are also many muscles, tendons and ligaments that help to provide both stability and movement to your neck.

 

Mechanical neck pain may be caused by the joints, muscles or ligaments in the neck.  As a chiropractor, it is important to find the underlying cause of your symptoms.  In order to do this, a chiropractor will ask you lots of questions in order to take a detailed history of your symptoms and perform a range of tests in order to examine the joints, nerves and muscles.

 

HOW A CHIROPRACTOR CAN HELP YOU

 

A chiropractor will determine whether the cause of your pain is musculoskeletal.  Chiropractors can help with problems that involve bones, muscle and joints using a range of mobilisation, manipulation and stretching techniques.  A chiropractor can also give you specific stretching and strengthening exercises that are personalised to you.

 

If the chiropractor does not think that chiropractic care is suitable for you, they will refer you to somebody that they think will be able to help you.

 

If you have any more questions or think a chiropractor may be able to help you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and contact me at Lushington Chiropractic Clinic.

 

SELF-HELP TIPS FOR MECHANICAL NECK PAIN

 

• Improve your posture – keep your shoulders back and down and sit up straight. This can take the strain off of your neck and shoulders. Follow this link to a blog written by chiropractors at Lushington Chiropractic to help you improve your posture.

 

• Think about your sleeping position – is your neck pain worse in the morning? It is recommended to sleep on your back with one pillow. This might help you to feel more comfortable in the morning.

 

• Ice – lots of patients get relief from using ice, which reduces inflammation.

 

CASE STUDY

 

A patient with mechanical neck pain may present to a chiropractor with a short-term or long-term history of pain.  It is important for the chiropractor to be able to determine the root cause of the problem.  In order to do this, the chiropractor will ask the patient lots of questions in order to get a clear picture of what is going on and how your symptoms are affecting your everyday life.  The chiropractor will also review your health and medical history.  The chiropractor will then go on to perform a physical examination to assess your general movement as well as your nerves, muscles and joints.  This usually involves a range of tests which will be explained clearly to you during your appointment.

 

Once the chiropractor has all of the information they need, they will give you a Report of Findings.  During this time, they will take the time to explain, in detail, what they found in the history and physical examination and then explain how chiropractic care can help you.  If the chiropractor does not think that chiropractic care is suitable for you, they will refer you to somebody that they think will be able to help you.  Treatment is tailored to the individual needs of every patient and so will vary from person to person.  The number of treatments will vary from patient to patient depending on lots of different things including how long you’ve had your symptoms, what aggravates your symptoms, any past episodes of pain, your age and what you do on a day-to-day basis.  Treatment typically includes mobilisation and manipulation techniques, soft tissue work, home advice and stretching and strengthening exercises with the aim of getting you moving and then keeping you moving.