Eliza works as a data processor and spends at least seven hours a day inputting information into a computer. After entering the data, she often finds herself straining her neck to examine the monitor to make sure the information is accurate. She never really had neck pain before starting this job, but over the past year her neck has become increasingly painful. It is at the point where she can usually stretch for five minutes and then return to work. She believes if she continues her mini stretch breaks, she’ll be fine and so has not given this problem any serious thought.
One of the most prevalent conditions we treat at RxWellness Spine & Health is neck pain. Neck pain is extremely common and non-specific to any profession or hobby. If you work a job or enjoy an activity that places a lot of strain on the neck muscles, then the condition is not likely to improve on its own. One of the most important things you can do to alleviate chronic neck pain is regular stretching combined with gentle chiropractic techniques for neck pain. If you are suffering with chronic neck pain, it likely won’t go away on its own, so contact RxWellness Spine & Health in Vienna/Oakton and let us help reduce your discomfort and improve your quality of life.
Tips to Manage and Prevent Neck Pain at Home
Some of the actions we perform can often be simple and inconsequential to your spine health when done rarely. However some of those actions, like looking down on a keyboard, are usually habitual and done for hours at a time. This can cause considerable strain on the cervical spine and neck muscles. In our modern world, it is often not possible to refrain from using computers or cellphones, instead we have to be more mindful of our posture and body mechanics when performing repetitive tasks.
Some steps to prevent neck pain include practicing proper posture when sitting and using a computer or any activity that places strain on the neck muscles:
- Take regular breaks throughout the day and give your muscles time to rest.
- Try adjusting your workstation to create a more ergonomic design
- Use the correct pillow for your body type for a more comfortable night’s sleep
- Alternate between ice and heat for sore or inflamed muscles
Gentle Chiropractic Techniques for Neck Pain
The goal of the chiropractic adjustments will be to correct any misalignments in the cervical spine to allow for easier movement. This can help reduce compression on the nerve and pain from tight soft tissue. Two common techniques used by trained chiropractors include:
- Cervical mobilization
- For this technique, the patient is relaxed and lying on their back. The chiropractor will move the vertebrae in the neck left to right, side to side, and in a figure eight position. This is a smooth motion that attempts to reduce areas of limited mobility.
- Cervical manual traction
- For this technique, the patient is usually lying face up and the chiropractor will gently pull the neck in an attempt to stretch the cervical spine at alternating angles.
Soft Tissue Techniques for Neck Pain
If you are suffering from chronic neck pain, then you are likely experiencing severe muscle tightness in addition to subluxations in the cervical spine. Helping the muscles relax can play an important step in your overall recovery. Some soft tissue techniques can help your body better hold the neck adjustment and can reduce stress and painful tight spots. A few gentle soft tissue techniques for neck pain include:
- Massage therapy
- The goal of a massage therapy is to increase oxygen to the muscles, improve healing, reduce stiffness, tightness, and tension.
- Dry needling
- Dry needling is a very effective method for treating musculoskeletal issues on a deeper level.
- STIM
- STIM uses electrical impulses to repair damaged tissue, stimulate muscles, increase sensation, and strengthen muscle.
RxWellness Spine & Health
When you work with the RxWellness Spine & Health care team, your doctor might recommend chiropractic neck adjustments as part of your treatment plan. The adjustments are very effective at correcting subluxations and misalignment in the neck that can compress nerves, reduce neural communication pathways, and contribute to chronic discomfort.
The adjustments are a useful technique that can reduce inflammation, alleviate chronic pain, and improve range of motion and flexibility. Oftentimes when the cervical spine is misaligned, the surrounding muscles will compensate for any instability by stretching or shortening to provide stability to the weakened area. This can create extremely painful knots in the muscles.
When you work with the RxWellness team, we can recommend a combination of treatments and services designed to correct the misalignment and relieve painful points in the soft tissue. Your care team may recommend a neck adjustment, massage therapy, taping, or a combination of various services to help you see the results you want.
Contact Us
Neck pain can be very painful, and often develops slowly over time. It will start as a slight discomfort that you can easily ignore, and for years you will. Then one day you might be sitting at a computer doing some work, or checking your blind spot while driving, or maybe you’ll just turn your head too fast when someone calls your name, but the day will come when you won’t be able to ignore the pain anymore. So if you have any slight discomfort or chronic pain, schedule a consultation at RxWellness Spine & Health in Vienna/Oakton to receive gentle chiropractic techniques for neck pain before the problem becomes debilitatingly painful. If you have any questions or want to book a consultation, give us a call at +1 (703) 904 9666. We are located at 360 Maple Avenue West, Suite B, Vienna, VA 22180.