Chiropractic Treatments for Neck Pain

There are various types of alternative treatments known to us for neck pain. One of the popular alternative treatments for neck pain is Chiropractic treatment. Words from Tiger woods comes as; “I have been going to chiropractors for as long as I remember. It is as important to my training as practicing my swings!”

In this article we will let you know about the Chiropractic treatments for neck pain involving spinal manipulations, where we will talk about the techniques used in the chiropractic treatments for neck pain, various manual therapies and therapeutic exercises under chiropractic treatment for neck pain.

Chiropractic treatment is an alternative treatment that is mostly used as a pain relief alternative for muscles, bones, joints, and connective tissues like cartilage, tendons and ligaments. These treatments are done by the expert in the therapy known as the Chiropractors who make use of hands-on spinal manipulation and various other alternative treatments to heal the body that requires proper alignment of the body’s musculoskeletal structure, mostly the spine. The chiropractic treatment makes use of manipulation for restoring the mobility to the affected joints. Sometimes Chiropractic is used in conjugation with conventional medical treatment.

Below are some of the specific spinal manipulation techniques your chiropractor may make use of for treating the neck pain.

1. Flexion-Distraction Technique: This is a gentle, hands-on spinal manipulation technique in chiropractic treatments which involves the pumping action on the inter-vertebral disc instead of a direct force for treating the pain. Your chiropractor may go for this technique to reduce neck pain.
2. Specific Spinal Manipulation: There is a gentle thrusting technique known as specific spinal manipulation which may be performed by your chiropractor to restore the joint movement or to reduce the neck pain.
3. Instrument-Assisted Manipulation: Here the chiropractor makes use of a hand-held instrument so as to apply force without thrusting in to the spine. You can experience a reduction in the neck pain with this chiropractic technique.

Following are some of the manual therapies included under the chiropractic treatments which may be used to reduce neck pain.

1. Instrument – Assisted Soft Tissue Therapy: Here, specific instruments are used in order to diagnose and treat the tension in the muscle. Neck pain can be treated by this means of chiropractic treatment.
2. Cervical Drop Techniques: In such techniques you are either lying on the stomach or lying by side on a special type of table where the head drop-piece is lifted in to a set or a locked position. Then the chiropractor places his or her hand or fingers over the spinal segment that requires adjustments. Here a medium to high velocity, low amplitude thrust or a non-thrust gradual increasing downward pressure is applied on the segment until the drop section or the head piece of the table you are lying on, releases and drops a short distance. It aims in reducing the fixation or restricted motion of the cervical vertebra aided by the special table. This chiropractic technique can help reduce neck pain.
3. Cervical Manual Traction: This is one more technique used in chiropractic treatments where you are to lie with face up or lie down by your stomach. You chiropractor gently and efficiently pulls on your neck, stretching the cervical spine often varying the angle between flexion and extension or forward and backward; while searching for the correct angle to reduce the tightness and getting the comfort.
4. Trigger Point Therapy: One manual technique used in chiropractic treatments is Trigger point therapy which is used in order to relieve tight and painful joints on a muscle. This can help you reduce the neck pain when done by an expert chiropractor.
5. Therapeutic Massage: This is one kind of massage that can actually aid you in relieving tight or tense muscles. Your chiropractor may perform therapeutic massage on you to treat neck pain.

1. Inferential Electric Stimulation: One more therapy used in chiropractic treatments is known as the inferential electric stimulation therapy. Here there is a use of a low frequency electrical current so as to stimulate neck muscles. Neck pain can be reduced by this therapy.
2. Ultrasounds: Ultrasounds are used to treat neck pain by the chiropractors. This sends sound waves in to the muscle tissues so as to aid stiffness and pain in the neck.

Therapeutic exercises may be recommended by the chiropractor to reduce the neck pain or other related symptoms. Below are some of the therapeutic exercises you can go for.

1. Rotation can be a therapeutic exercise for neck pain. Turning your head towards left in a way that your nose is over your shoulders and then returning back to the normal position would be an effective exercise for neck pain.
2. Flexion is one more exercise where you can clasp your hands behind the head and bring your head down in a way that your chin is towards your chest.
3. You can go for side bend where you need to reach over the top of your head and pull your left ear to your shoulder and then repeat to the right side. This can reduce the neck pain
4. Shoulder blade pull can be effective in treating neck pain. You need to bend the raised arms to a 90 degree angle and then relax your shoulders and squeeze the muscles between the shoulder blades.
5. Neck retraction can be done by bringing your head straight back while keeping your eyes forward and then returning back to the neutral position. This can help you reduce neck pain to some extent.

Kindly take professional help before doing the exercises for neck pain.

Though some mild cases of neck pain can be treated at home with some neck exercises and home treatments; yet it is important to know that some symptoms of neck pain may require you to visit the chiropractor for the examination and chiropractic treatment. Let us know about when you should show to a chiropractor for treating neck pain.

• Visit a chiropractor if the neck pain does not reduce in few days
• Talk to a chiropractor if you feel enough of pain that you may require taking over-the-counter pain medications to treat your neck pain.
• In case you are not able to look to the right or left without severe neck pain, you must visit a chiropractor.
• If you feel the neck pain you are experiencing may have any serious underlying causes then consult a chiropractor
• You need to talk to an expert if your neck pain began within few days of a car accident.
• If you have a severe neck pain when you first wake up in the morning you need to reach a chiropractor.

Also Read:

• Chiropractic Treatment for Upper Back Pain
• What is a Chiropractic Adjustment?