Neck pain can have a big impact on everyday life. It can come on suddenly or can develop gradually over time. Some people can trace their neck pain back to a specific injury and others get pain without any obvious ‘cause.’
Neck pain, like low back pain, is very common and can affect all ages and peoples. Alongside low back pain, it is also a leading cause of disability worldwide[1].
Neck pain is usually not serious and is unlikely to be related to a serious underlying pathology. Most neck pain is therefore lifestyle related with identifiable pain generators. The potential pain generators, like low back pain, are understood to be: the disc, the facet joints and the muscles surrounding the neck.
Some people, with or without neck pain, can get headaches. In these cases the neck may be the primary generator of their headache pain. Some neck pain patients can get arm pain which feels like a shock of electricity, also called ‘radiating arm pain’ or ‘brachialgia.’ This condition can be concerning and very painful but there is usually no cause for concern. The radiating arm pain can be traced back to nerve irritation caused by a bulging or herniated disc in the neck. Neck pain and its associated conditions can be effectively treated with chiropractic care.
Chiropractors are experts in diagnosing the cause of neck pain, arm pain and headaches. Chiropractors are also well-equipped to safely and effectively treat and manage neck pain and its associated conditions[2][3].
If you have neck pain give us a call today on 01772 696 611 and make an appointment with one of our chiropractors.
[1] Global Burden of Disease, Injury Incidence, Prevalence Collaborators. Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 310 diseases and injuries, 1990–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015. Lancet 2016; 388: 1545–602.
[2] Bronfort, G., Haas, M., Evans, R., Leininger, B. and Triano, J., 2010. Effectiveness of manual therapies: the UK evidence report. Chiropractic & osteopathy, 18(1), p.3.
[3] Clar, C., Tsertsvadze, A., Hundt, G.L., Clarke, A. and Sutcliffe, P., 2014. Clinical effectiveness of manual therapy for the management of musculoskeletal and non-musculoskeletal conditions: systematic review and update of UK evidence report. Chiropractic & manual therapies, 22(1), p.12.
