A chiropractic neck adjustment involves a procedure wherein a practitioner manipulates the patient’s neck using the hands or a small instrument. Many people undergo this procedure because of various reasons. Meanwhile, a person’s neck pain may have something to do with a dental problem. As we all know, dental pain can radiate to other parts of the body, including the head or neck. For this reason, we will need a dental provider (visit this website) to address these dental issues. But then again, let’s see how a neck adjustment can minimize the pain we feel from it.

Chiropractic Adjustment

When we hear it, we immediately associate it with back pain treatment. However, this practice is not only for the back. It can also work on different parts of the body. A chiropractic adjustment involves joint and spinal manipulation.

As a result, it can relieve pain, correct body misalignment, and improve overall function. This practice is safe as long as the chiropractor you are working with has a license to perform this. Additionally, the chiropractor should have sufficient training and experience as well.

Otherwise, serious complications can occur after receiving chiropractic care. Furthermore, chiropractic adjustments involve various techniques, wherein spinal manipulation is one of them. The adjustment aims to reduce or eliminate the pain from the patients entirely.

In this article, we will be focusing on neck pain. We will find out how chiropractic treatment can address this pain in just a short while. So, keep hanging in there.

Spinal Manipulation

The other term for spinal manipulation is spinal manipulative therapy. A chiropractor also performs this therapy. Spinal manipulation may also use hands or a device. Practitioners apply a controlled force targeting a joint in the spine of the patient.

Overall, spinal manipulation helps relieve joint pressures, reduce inflammation, and improve nerve function. It helps alleviate chronic low back pain and can even lessen acute low back pain. Spinal manipulation can also work for neck pain.

The other term they use for the neck is the cervical spine, which begins at the skull base. Additionally, it consists of seven small vertebrae. The cervical spine is the direct support of the head, which weighs 12 pounds on average.

Additionally, it allows the head to move in almost any direction. For this reason, the cervical spine is prone to incurring pain and injury. In actuality, various reasons lead to developing cervical spinal pain. You may see them below and confirm if you have any of them.

Causes of Neck Pain

Neck pain is one of the common kinds of pain we encounter. In this case, many people see chiropractic adjustment as the way to relieve their pain. Meanwhile, each patient could have a different cause of neck pain, which we have stated below.

• Injury and accidents
• Part of aging
• Osteoarthritis
• Spinal stenosis
• Degenerative disc disease
• Poor posture
• Obesity
• Weak abdominal muscles
• Stress
• Sprain or strain
• Sleeping position

Symptoms of Cervical Spinal Pain

The following symptoms can help you identify if you are experiencing neck pain.

• pain and stiffness
• numbness or tingling sensation
• clicking or grating noises
• dizziness and loss of consciousness
• muscles spasms
• fatigue
• headaches

These symptoms can last longer than you think. For this reason, it would be best to consult your doctor about it. As we mentioned earlier, many people are turning towards chiropractic adjustment. But what can we expect from chiropractic manipulation? Let’s keep moving forward in this article.

How does Chiropractic Treatment take place?

The manipulation of the cervical spine is not as simple as it seems. It involves a step-by-step procedure that every patient should go through systematically. This article will be discussing what we can expect from chiropractic manipulation.

First of all, patients should discuss their health conditions with a medical professional. It is essential to give your doctor your complete health information. Meanwhile, your chiropractic doctor will evaluate you beforehand. It may include exams to find the location of the source of pain.

Additionally, they will also interview you about the symptoms and actions you did to address the pain. They may even conduct physical and neurological exams. See how it goes.

Physical exam

This exam will involve the observation of your posture, range of motion, and physical condition. The chiropractor will record the movements wherein the patient felt pain. The physical exam also involves feeling the spine. Here, the doctor will check its curvature and alignment. A muscle spasm could be a contributor to the pain.

Neurological Exam

The doctor will check your reflexes, muscle strength, nerve changes, and pain spread in this exam. This examination can determine whether the treatment will work on it or not. Additionally, they will use tools, such as a pinwheel tool or reflex hammers.

Aside from these exams, they might also consider an x-ray, CT scan, CAT scan, or MRI to determine the potential root cause of the neck discomfort. If nerve damage is the probable root cause, they might require electromyography (EMG) to test the nerve responses.

Chiropractors ensure that they perform chiropractic care as safely and as conservatively as they can. Their scope does not include any surgery or drugs. If their practice is not the treatment you need for your condition, they will be referring you to another medical specialist.

The Benefits of Chiropractic Manipulation

The chiropractic adjustment is an all-natural alternative to surgery and pharmaceuticals. However, not all medical cases are suitable for this treatment. On the other hand, here are a few of the benefits patients can gain from this treatment.

1. It restores the alignment of the neck and vertebrae.
2. The treatment can relieve pressure and tension.
3. Additionally, it can reduce muscle inflammation.
4. It also helps regain the range of motion.
5. Lastly, it can eliminate the tension or restriction in neck muscles.

Long-term relief awaits the patients after the application of chiropractic manipulation.

Risks Associated with Chiropractic Manipulation and Stroke

High-velocity neck adjustments involve a rare case of developing stroke. Despite being rare, we cannot still remove the fact that there is a risk of encountering a damaged artery leading to stroke. High-velocity neck manipulation involves a short, quick thrust over the affected joint.

Overall, the cervical spine is treatable with various techniques. However, patients should be cautious about which technique to undergo. Chiropractors need proper training, education, and experience before they can provide chiropractic services to patients.

It would be best for patients to research and read published articles related to chiropractic techniques. Consulting a medical professional is also essential.

References:

Neck Pain and Chiropractic, Acatoday.org, Accessed July 30, 2021, https://www.acatoday.org/patients/health-wellness-information/neck-pain-and-chiropractic

Neck Pain, Versusarthritis.org, Accessed July 30, 2021, https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/neck-pain/