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A strong, healthy neck is important for many everyday movements and activities. Even as we’re relaxing, the neck is working to hold the head up. With consistent pressure comes vulnerability to injury and pain. 

 

This article offers seven common reasons for neck pain and offers tips on how to relieve it. 

 

Why Does My Neck Hurt?

Poor posture and workstation setup

Bad posture puts undue pressure on the neck muscles and spine, interfering with comfort and function. If poor posture is used often, it can impact body and spine shape, requiring physical re-education to re-establish proper spinal integrity. 

 

Ensuring your workstation is set up ergonomically will not only support good posture but can also contribute to higher efficiency and productivity, reduced tension and mental stress, and a better mood in general. 

 

Regular device use

Scrolling on devices, gaming, streaming hours of shows at a time, and sitting in front of your computer can all contribute significantly to neck discomfort, injuries, and even chronic pain. 

 

It’s essential to allow your neck time to rest when involved with device-related activities and always consider spine alignment during use. 

 

Poor sleeping position and improper pillow use

If you like using soft pillows and sleeping on your side, you’re not alone. However, these habits can generate neck discomfort due to long periods of spinal misalignment. Using supportive pillows and back-sleeping to promote a straight spine is a healthy habit to start practicing now. 

 

Repetitive motions 

Whether you have a highly physical job, play on a sports team, or regularly work out, overuse and repetitive use of the neck muscles and cervical spine can cause strains, sprains, inflammation, and other imbalances. Always give your body the downtime it needs to recover from the demands you place on it.

 

Injuries 

Muscle strain, herniated discs, whiplash, pinched nerves, and many other injuries can occur within the neck and upper back, especially after a trauma, accident, or surgery. 

 

Getting proper treatment for the underlying injury causing your neck pain will benefit your body’s overall function and provide lasting neck pain relief. 

 

Chronic conditions

You may have a condition or illness that causes neck discomfort. While you may not be able to cure those things, you likely have access to relief after seeking guidance from a chiropractor. 

 

Common conditions that contribute to neck pain that your chiropractor can help with include:

• Arthritis
• Text neck
• Degenerative disc disease  
• Spinal stenosis
• Chronic headaches  
• Your unique physical structure or function

 

Mental stress

Mental stress is a silent pain ignitor, often manifesting physically in the neck, shoulders, back, and hips due to muscle tension. 

 

If you suffer from ongoing mental stress, anxiety, or depression, neck pain may be a constant in your life, too. 

 

Finding stress relief is imperative to your mental and physical well-being, as both are intrinsically related and rely on each other’s optimal function for their own. 

 

Relieving Neck Pain Naturally

If you’re tired of heading to the medicine bottle every time your neck hurts and want more sustainable and natural results, try these safe chiropractic methods to find neck pain relief.

 

At-home neck pain control tips:

• After excessive neck use, such as with job or sport, ice the neck muscles to reduce inflammation
• Apply heat to the neck to reduce muscle tension 
• Stretch the neck regularly, especially before and after repetitive use
• Strengthen the neck, shoulders, core, and back with exercises that encourage muscle and spine health
• Ensure you wear the correct footwear for your activities to help support the spine 
• Consider your posture and correct it as needed (set a timer as a reminder until this becomes a habit)
• Get a massage
• Use firm pillows and try to sleep on your back with your spine in neutral position 
• Time your device use, especially when scrolling, to relieve excessive neck pressure
• However, don’t push through pain. Pain that does not rapidly go away and stay away, may indicated tissues have changed, compensated and or been damaged. At this point, you shoulder work with your local chiropractor to ensure your spine and neck are functioning properly.

 

Visit Our St. Paul Chiropractor for Neck Pain Management 

Our chiropractic care team partners with those of all ages and activity levels who suffer from neck pain and disorders. We know you need a strong neck so you can confidently return to your routine. We have numerous chiropractic solutions to ensure you get the optimal healing strategy. 

 

Our chiropractic treatments to effectively treat neck pain and injuries include:

• Chiropractic care, including adjustments, acupuncture, rehabilitation exercises, soft tissue therapies, and joint-related therapies
• Disc herniation treatments 
• Car accident treatment
• Work injury treatment   
• Rehabilitation 
• Strengthening and conditioning methods
• Lifestyle guidance 

 

Don’t let your neck pain hinder your performance, mood, or productivity for another day.  Schedule an appointment with our St. Paul chiropractic clinic. 

 

We’ll discuss your unique lifestyle, activities, injury, and goals and provide you with in-clinic and take-home treatment for the safest and fastest results. What are you waiting for? You’ve got a comfortable, active life to get back to. 

 

Shoulder pain and injuries can be effectively and safely addressed through chiropractic treatment, which avoids surgery and medication. Chiropractors target the spine, musculoskeletal system (joints and soft tissues), and the nervous system to alleviate pain, enhance shoulder mobility, and support the body’s inherent healing abilities.

For those experiencing either chronic or sudden shoulder discomfort, seeking help from a local chiropractor can provide many advantages. 

This post details why getting chiropractic care for shoulder pain is a smart choice. 

 

Choosing Chiropractic Treatment for Shoulder Pain: A Wise Approach

Vertebral realignment & overall balance

Chiropractic care for shoulder injuries prioritizes correct alignment and joint function. The shoulder’s intricate structure depends on precisely positioning the scapula, clavicle, and humerus. Spinal misalignments can disrupt shoulder function, resulting in discomfort and reduced mobility.

Chiropractic adjustments can improve shoulder mechanics, addressing conditions such as:

 

• Rotator cuff damage
• Shoulder impingement
• Adhesive capsulitis
• Shoulder joint strains and inflammation

 

Effective chiropractic techniques and joint mobilization can provide enduring relief. By carefully guiding the joint through its motion range and applying targeted pressure to restricted areas, chiropractors can help dissolve adhesions, decrease inflammation, and enhance overall shoulder function, potentially reducing pain and restoring mobility over time.

 

Muscle and connective tissue techniques 

Chiropractors focus significantly on soft tissue work, which is vital for shoulder health. Methods like myofascial release, trigger point therapy, and tool-assisted soft tissue manipulation can target muscle tension, scar tissue, and fascial restrictions often linked to shoulder injuries.

Addressing these soft tissue issues through chiropractic care may enhance recovery and help prevent the development of long-term problems.

 

Holistic treatment approach 

Chiropractic care considers the entire body. Practitioners understand that shoulder issues often interconnect with problems in the cervical spine, thoracic region, and even the lower body.

By evaluating and treating the body as a whole, chiropractors can tackle underlying imbalances, dysfunctions, and compensatory patterns contributing to shoulder pain. They aim for more sustainable outcomes and re-educate the body when needed. 

 

Patient education 

Chiropractors believe informing patients is crucial for bodily protection, overall health, and injury prevention. They advise on maintaining proper posture, ergonomics, lifting techniques, movement patterns, and more to help patients avoid further shoulder stress.

Specific exercises and stretches are often recommended to strengthen weak muscles, improve flexibility, and reinforce proper shoulder mechanics. This approach enables patients to participate actively in their recovery and maintain long-term shoulder health.

 

Noninvasive solutions 

Opting for chiropractic care to address shoulder pain carries lower risks than more invasive treatments. It avoids potential side effects, recovery time, and complications associated with surgery or extended medication use, making chiropractic an attractive initial treatment option for many patients before considering more aggressive interventions.

 

Visit St. Paul’s Best Chiropractor for Shoulder Pain Management 

Our chiropractic care team, led by Dr. Collins, has partnered with many shoulder pain patients, helping them get the relief they need to function and live actively. Dr. Collins is a trusted local chiropractor with case study experience and post graduate training and knowledge. 

We understand the relationships within the body and offer a comprehensive approach to treatment, ensuring you get the precise care necessary.  

Our chiropractic solutions are proven effective. They enable the body’s natural healing process for speedy, safe, and reliable long-term results. Let us create a unique healing strategy based on your shoulder pain and injury. 

 

Chiropractic services we use to treat shoulder pain and injuries include:

• Chiropractic care, including adjustments, acupuncture, rehabilitation exercises, soft tissue therapies, and joint-related therapies
• Disc herniation treatments 
• Car accident treatment
• Work injury treatment   
• Rehabilitation 
• Strengthening and conditioning methods
• Lifestyle guidance 

 

In addition to our in-office treatments, we’ll explore your daily habits, movement techniques, posture, and specific exercises. This allows us to provide tailored advice on supporting your body and minimizing the chance of future injuries.

There’s no need to let discomfort limit your daily activities any longer. A pain-free life may be more attainable than you thought possible. Schedule an appointment with our St. Paul chiropractic clinic today, we’re confident you’ll be glad you did. 

 

Whiplash can generate several symptoms that may cause discomfort ranging from dull to intense types of pain. Either way, the new symptoms can interfere with your daily activities, making work, exercise, and even focus for work and family challenging. 

Many people suffering from whiplash head to the medicine cabinet for short-term relief, but that’s not a sustainable solution and can even worsen your symptoms in the long run. Having an accurate diagnosis followed by treating the injury is the best way to manage your pain. 

 

In this post, we’re giving you:

• Common whiplash symptoms
• Tips to naturally self-treat whiplash at home
• How your local chiropractor can provide lasting whiplash relief
• And more

 

If you’ve been in injured, such as in a motor vehicle collision/accident, your first line of defense should be to seek chiropractic care to ensure your body is safe and fully functioning. Read on to learn more about whiplash and naturally healing it. 

 

Do I Have Whiplash?

Whiplash is typically the product of an injury, and since everyone can experience an accident or sports injury, everyone is susceptible to the condition. However, whiplash is not really a specific diagnosis, it is a mechanism of injury. Imaging saying you were diagnosed with a “sports injury”. You would realize it is not specific; was it an injury to the knee, the head, the shoulder? So remember this as you continue to read.

While many believe whiplash only appears due to a rear-ended car accident, that’s actually not always the case. 

When the head is suddenly and violently rocked back and forth, the neck’s tissues and the cervical spine (the portion of the spine in the neck) may be compromised from the unnatural and forceful stretch.  Even the low back is frequently injured in a car accident.

 

Common reasons for whiplash to occur include:

• A rear-ended vehicle collision or any type of motor vehicle collision
• A significant fall 
• When the arms are strongly pulled 
• A sports-related event, such as a tackle, hit, or push
• A blow to the chin, head, or body, often due to a physical altercation 

 

The reaction to this type of trauma is typically inflammation in the beginning, in the neck tissues from internal tears and can create many symptoms.  

 

Common neck related whiplash symptoms include:

• Neck pain 
• Neck stiffness and loss of range of motion
• Neck pain that worsens with movement
• Headaches  
• Tenderness or pain in the shoulder, upper back, and arms
• Tingling or numbness in the arms
• Lethargic tendency
• Dizziness
• Stress
• And more

 

Natural At-Home Solutions for Whiplash Pain & Symptoms

While the symptoms caused by whiplash can be debilitating, they can also be treated with natural solutions at home. 

Tips to help relieve whiplash pain as you contribute to healing include:

Ice & heat therapy

• Ice the injury as soon as possible after your accident to reduce swelling and inflammation; this will also have a numbing effect that can supersede your discomfort.
• In the later stages of recover, one may apply heat to the neck, shoulders, and upper back to reduce muscle tension and promote healthy circulation to the area (only do this after reduced inflammation; heat can irritate inflamed tissues). 
• At some point, one may apply each therapy for 15-20 minutes every 3-4 hours. When you start to utilize both, interchange them using the same session times.

 

Stretch & massage the neck & surrounding areas

Gently stretching and massaging the affected tissues will reduce muscle tension and pressure, nurture blood flow to the area, promote healthy and safe movement within the area, and reduce mental stress that can manifest in the neck and shoulders, heightening discomfort. Please note, you should have a doctor clear you of deeper internal injury where stretching would possibly provoke the deeper injury.

 

Get plenty of rest

The neck is almost constantly in use, as it supports the head, so provide it with adequate and proactive rest. This can be with a U-shaped pillow, headrest, or resting your head against the back of your chair or sofa. 

You should also use a firm pillow to encourage alignment integrity as you sleep. Quality sleep is always essential, but especially so when injured. As we sleep, our bodies work in overdrive to restore and rejuvenate, so don’t skip on sleep while suffering from whiplash. 

 

Visit St. Paul’s Best Whiplash Chiropractor for Lasting Whiplash Pain Relief 

These at-home treatments are likely to be helpful in managing symptoms, but visiting our chiropractic care team will ensure your body is optimally recovering and provide a strategy that gets lasting results. 

The chiropractic solutions we offer stimulate the body’s natural healing, never adding more trauma to the body but working with it so you get safe, effective results because we focus on the injury, not just the symptoms. 

 

Chiropractic services we often use to treat whiplash include:

• Chiropractic care, including adjustments, acupuncture, rehabilitation exercises, soft tissue therapies, and joint-related therapies
• Disc herniation treatments 
• Headache treatment     
• Car accident treatment
• Work injury treatment   
• And others

 

Getting professional care for your injury is a responsible step toward full recovery. Chiropractors offer several benefits that enhance the healing process.

Don’t let your whiplash symptoms get in the way of your routine. Book with our St. Paul whiplash chiropractor today. We’re prepared to heal your body so you can take back control.