Neck pain can interfere with your daily life. When your neck hurts, moving your head in any direction can be difficult and painful. In many cases, the pain becomes worse while holding your head in one place for long periods. In severe cases of neck pain, muscle tightness, spasms, and headaches can occur. If you live in or around Winchester, contact Dr. Sullivan at Winchester Chiropractic Center to schedule an appointment for neck pain relief.
Common Causes of Neck Pain
- Muscle strains: Muscle strains are the most common cause of neck pain. You may develop neck pain after sitting hunched over your computer, tablet, or smartphone for hours. It can also occur if you read in bed, sleep in the wrong position, or if you grind your teeth at night.
- Worn joints: As you get older, your joints can wear down, and this includes your neck. Over time, the cartilage that creates a cushion between the bones wears down and deteriorates, causing osteoarthritis. Bone spurs might begin to form, which results in neck pain and affects your range of motion.
- Nerve compression: If you have a herniated disc or a bone spur in your vertebrae, it can press on the nerves in your neck that branch out from your spinal cord. These issues may result in severe neck pain and a significant loss of range of motion in the neck.
- Injuries: Injuries often result in neck pain. The most common injury is whiplash. This is an injury found in car accidents, physical assaults, and contact sports. Whiplash occurs due to a rapid back and forth motion of the neck, similar to the way a whip cracks. Whiplash causes a variety of symptoms, including neck pain and stiffness.
- Disease: Certain diseases can cause neck pain, such as meningitis, arthritis, and some types of cancer.
Treating Neck Pain
When the pain first manifests, you can treat the pain with over-the-counter or prescription pain relievers. Muscle relaxers and heating pads can also help. However, these are just short-term treatment options. If you are looking for long-term treatment for your neck pain, chiropractic care is an effective and natural form of pain relief. Best of all, chiropractic care does not rely on pain medication or invasive procedures like surgery to produce results.
Get Quality Chiropractic Care in Winchester, VA
If you are suffering from neck pain, schedule an appointment at Winchester Chiropractic Center. Dr. Sullivan will create a treatment plan to ease the pain and any other symptoms. Call our team today at or reach us through our website by using our online contact form.
