By Dr Danica Newbold, B.HSci (Chiro), M.ClinChiro, Ad.Dip Myo. Certified Cox® Technic Chiropractor and Myotherapist.
Patients attending clinics with neck pain often present with several different conditions and symptoms, such as localised neck pain, radicular (radiating) pain, stiffness, headaches, disc problems (i.e., bulges, herniations, degeneration etc.) or neural irritation or compression. Patients have often been on the receiving end of endless doctors, specialists and prescriptions to find relief for the discomfort, often with limited success. What we continue to understand, according to the research, is that conservative management such as Chiropractic care as well as targeted exercise and rehabilitation strategies can provide patients with better long-term relief of the neck pain condition as well as improve range of motion and decrease the reliance or need for analgesia/ opioid medications.
What symptoms relate to neck pain?
Neck pain can present in many ways but often spreads or radiates towards the shoulders or upper back and even towards the base of the skull or around the head, often causing headaches. The pain may worsen when the neck is sustained in one position for extended periods, such as at a computer. Neck pain might also come with muscle tightness or spasms and restricted movement of the head/ neck. With any injury or conditions of the neck, symptoms may include:
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Pins and Needles or numbness in the upper extremities
- Weakness
- Changes in vision or hearing
- Difficulty or problems concentrating
What causes neck pain?
Common causes of neck pain can include:
- Poor posture
- Sleeping in awkward positions
- Tension in the muscles
- Injuries such as muscle strain or whiplash
- Prolonged use of computers or electronic devices
- Disc problems such as disc bulges, protrusions or herniations
- Wear and tear on the bones of the neck (degeneration/ osteoarthritis), which is a normal part of aging
- Wear and tear on the discs within the neck (cervical spondylosis)
Other causes may include, but are not limited to:
- Damage or direct injury to the bones (vertebrae), spinal cord or nerves in the neck
- Nerve compression or irritation, which may be a result of disc problems, degeneration or spinal stenosis.
- An infection
- Osteoporotic bone damage of fractures
- Certain types of cancers
- Meningitis – which is a medical emergency
- Chronic severe arthritis.
When should I seek help?
You should seek professional advice from a physician if:
- The pain is severe and debilitating
- The pain is worsening and progressive
- If you have numbness, tingling or pins and needles in the upper extremities
- If you have any weakness in the hands and arms
- If you have a fever, sweats or chills – seek the counsel of a General Practitioner (GP).
What can be done to help?
Conservative care for neck pain, such as the Chiropractic care provided by the team at Malvern Chiropractic Clinic and Melbourne Spine Clinic, has been shown to improve the many aspects associated with neck pain, including restoring range of motion, decreasing pain and increasing flexibility. Studies have shown for many years that manual spinal mobilisation (Chiropractic care and Cox® Flexion-Distraction and Spinal Decompression Therapy) plus the inclusion of a targeted rehabilitation exercise plan improves patient outcomes.
A recent study published in December 2022 compared the outcomes of neural mobilisation and conservative treatment on pain, range of motion and disability on cervical radiculopathy. It concluded that “both neural mobilisation and conservative treatment were effective as an exercise program for patients with cervical radiculopathy; however, neural mobilisation was more effective in reducing pain and neck disability in cervical radiculopathy” (1).
A further study in October 2022 examined the association between Chiropractic utilisation and opioid prescriptions among people with back and neck pain. It concluded that “Patients with back or neck pain who saw a chiropractor had approximately half the odds of reporting an opioid prescription compared to those who did not see a chiropractor” (2).
So, if you or someone you know suffers from neck pain or its associated symptoms, tell them Chiropractic can help! The Chiropractors at Malvern Chiropractic Clinic and Melbourne Spine Clinic are experts in treating all neck pain conditions using Cox® Flexion-Distractions and Spinal Decompression Therapy and helping their patients with appropriate strategies to prevent episodes from occurring in the future.
REFERENCES:
- S. Rafiq, H. Zafar, SA. Gillani, MS. Waqas, A. Zia, S. Liaqat, Y. Rafiq. Comparison of neural mobilisation and conservative treatment on pain, range of motion, and disability in cervical radiculopathy: A randomised controlled trial. PLOS ONE. Dec. 2022.
- KL. Ward, M. Smith. Association Between Chiropractic Utilisation and Opioid Prescriptions Among People With Back or Neck Pain: Evaluation of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. JMPT. October 2022.
Dr Joel Dixon Interviews Dr James Cox about Cox® Technic and the Cox® 8 table.
Dr Joel Dixon recently attended the Cox®Technic Honors Course in the United States, where he presented a Case Report to 24 Cox® Certified Practitioners from around the world. They shared many case reports and clinical experiences focused on obtaining the best outcomes for patients using the low-force, non-surgical techniques researched and developed by Dr Jim Cox. The case report Dr Dixon presented will be available on our website in the coming weeks, click here.
Dr Dixon was also very fortunate to interview Dr Jim Cox, founder of the Cox® Technic and his fellow Cox® Practitioner and Instructor, Dr Lee Hazen, from Temecula Center for Integrative Medicine (California, USA). Click the video link to hear his discussion on how Dr Cox came to design and develop the Cox 8 tables we use every day at Malvern Chiropractic Clinic.
Top 3 Stretches for Autumn
Here are a few exercises that can help you out this season.
Our Practitioners have extra stretches or exercises that might be an appropriate part of your treatment plan, so speak to one of our amazing Practitioners next time you’re in the clinic.
We have Exercise Balls, and other equipment available in the clinic, so have a chat with one of our friendly Reception staff about picking up some new items for your rehabilitation programs!
BALL LEG ROLL
GREAT FOR SPINAL MOBILIZATION
Lying down on the floor with both legs on top of the exercise ball and hips/ knees bent to 90 degrees. Gently and slowly roll the ball from side to side to approx. halfway down or 45 degrees on each side. Repeat roll back and forth over 30-60 secs
PELVIC TILT
HELPS WITH SPINAL AND CORE MUSCLE ACTIVATION
Lying flat on the floor with knees bent, place hands on the floor beside the body. Gently draw the lower abdominal muscles into towards the spine and tilt the pelvic back flattening the spine down to the floor. Hold for 5-10 secs & repeat this cycle 5-10 times.
BAND CHIN RETRACTION
HELPS STRETCH AND STRENGTHEN NECK MUSCLES
Sitting comfortably, wrap a resistance band around the head just above the ears and extend the tail directly in front of the head parallel to the floor (as shown). Slightly pull forward on the resistance band to provide tension, then retract (draw) the head backwards, tucking the chin slightly down. Hold for 5 seconds and repeat 5-1o times.
