In 2006, as part of a comprehensive, nationwide health survey, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institute for Health Statistics, and the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention looked at the most common pain conditions among Americans. Although lower back pain was the most often reported condition (by more than 25 percent of the surveyed population), approximately 15 percent of those surveyed reported some type of chronic neck pain. In fact, anywhere from 30 percent to 50 percent of Americans may suffer from neck pain during any given 12-month period. Furthermore, at some point, approximately one in four Americans will experience some type of neck pain, and it is one of the most common reasons why they come in to see their regular doctor.

Dr. Nathen Horst sees many of these statistics reflected among his own patients. Many of those who come to see him for relief from neck pain have already tried a number of standard remedies, ranging from over the counter or prescription pain medication, to heat or ice, to physical therapy or neck exercises. Unfortunately, more often than not, these treatments may not alleviate neck pain. What benefits does chiropractic care offer for treating neck pain that make it preferable to more standard treatments?

No Medication Side Effects

Some patients have sensitivities to prescription or over the counter medications, particularly those for pain or inflammation. These medications can cause problems with the digestive system or, in the case of prescription medications, may run the risk of being addictive. Obviously, these risks are not present with chiropractic treatment for neck pain, as no medications are involved.

Improve Stress

Tension or stress can be one of the major causes of neck pain. If you are tense or nervous, you may be tightening the muscles around your neck, shoulders, and upper back, even though you may not realize it. By doing so, you are actually impeding proper blood flow to the muscles around your neck, as well as holding the spinal vertebrae of your neck in an unnatural position, which can pinch the nerves leading from your spine to your neck. Chiropractic adjustments of the neck are designed to open up the individual spaces between the vertebrae of your neck, thus putting your spine back into proper alignment. This will not only relieve pressure on those nerves, but also loosen up the tension within your muscles.

Improve Posture

You probably heard your parents tell you that bad posture is bad for you. In fact, they were right to tell you not to slouch while standing or slump in your chair. Unfortunately, given the amount of time we spend sitting in front of our computers, our sitting posture in particular has suffered greatly. You may not even realize how much having your chair at the incorrect height or your computer monitor at the wrong angle might be contributing to your neck pain. Fortunately, regular chiropractic adjustments to the neck can put your upper spine back into proper alignment, improving your sitting and standing posture.

It may feel as though you may never get relief from neck pain. However, Dr. Horst can offer safe, effective treatment to relieve the immediate pain, as well as ongoing maintenance adjustments to reduce your odds of a recurrence of neck pain.