What is neck pain?

Neck pain is any time your neck hurts. It’s a common problem with lots of causes. Your neck has a tough job. It holds up the same weight as a bowling ball all day long. The bones at the top of your spine, along with your muscles and ligaments, support your head.

It can be a delicate balance. Things like sleeping wrong and bad posture can cause a painful neck, as more than one-quarter of adults can tell you. It isn’t usually a symptom of a more serious health problem.

Neck pain symptoms and causes

If your neck hurts, you may notice other symptoms including:

  • Pain that gets worse when you hold your head a certain way while working on a computer, driving, or doing other tasks,
  • Muscle tightness or spasms,
  • Trouble moving your neck or head,
  • Headache

A painful neck can be caused by many things such as:

  • Poor posture
  • Repetitive motion
  • Bad sleep habits
  • Gritting your teeth
  • Carrying a heavy shoulder bag or purse
  • Pinched nerves
  • Sports or other injuries
  • Car accidents involving whiplash
  • Arthritis
  • Infection
  • Tumors
  • A fractured or collapsed vertebra, which can be related to osteoporosis
  • A slipped (herniated) disk
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Narrowed spaces within your spine (spinal stenosis)

Chiropractic care for neck pain in Charlotte

Chiropractic is an approach that manipulates the spine and joints to relieve neck and back pain. It’s a popular therapy that does not involve medication, an important consideration for many people.

People experiencing a painful neck often turn to chiropractic care for help. Some swear by chiropractors, saying the work they perform not only relieves pain, but also often addresses the source of their aches, twinges, and throbs.

For neck pain, in particular, chiropractic neck adjustments, called cervical manipulation, loosen up the joints of the cervical vertebrae in the neck, and this can reduce pain caused by pinched nerves and muscle spasms. Chiropractors use their hands to twist the neck sharply and snap the vertebrae back into alignment.

Chiropractors are trained to diagnose patients through physical exams as well diagnostic tests. Treatment plans may include neck exercises to do on your own and suggestions for a healthier lifestyle; chiropractors do not prescribe neck pain medication as part of their treatment.

Chiropractic care experts in Charlotte, NC 

ChiroCarolina®, one of Charlotte’s premier chiropractic clinics, is known throughout the Southeast for providing the best chiropractic care in the residential, NoDa, and college areas. It is conveniently located on North Tryon Street. Trust ChiroCarolina® in Charlotte, visited by patients throughout the south:  North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, and Texas. Call us today!