In a recent study, the researchers found that chiropractic neck adjustments relieve pain from tension headaches, soreness caused by muscle spasms, and pain due to whiplash. The research discovered that chiropractic neck treatments were more effective than over-the-counter medication or physical therapy for chronic neck problems.
Chiropractic care is a safe, natural solution for many of these conditions without any side effects.
The River City Wellness clinic shares its findings of the effectiveness of chiropractic treatments for these conditions in a blog post on their website.
An Overview About Neck Pain
Neck pain is not an uncommon occurrence for many people. Approximately 75% of the population in some areas worldwide experience chronic or acute neck pains daily. In America, this usually comes from our sedentary lifestyle. Living a sedentary lifestyle comes with plenty of heavy technology-driven routines, little to no exercise practices, and unhealthy eating habits.
The neck comprises vertebrae that extend from the skull to the upper torso. Cervical discs absorb shock between bones and ligaments. Bones, ligaments, and muscles in your neck support your head so it can move about freely. Any abnormalities you have could cause pain or stiffness around the neck.
Many people experience neck pain, stiffness, or overuse occasionally. In many cases, a neck problem is due to poor posture or misuse and can be relieved within a few days. But in some instances, neck pain indicates a serious injury or illness which requires immediate medical attention if not resolved after one week.
Common Causes of Neck Pain and Muscle Spasm
Muscle spasms are involuntary muscle contractions. These are commonly brought by several factors, including nerve damage, lack of oxygen to the muscles, or stress.
Muscle spasms are a result of strain or injury to the muscle. With time, they heal and return to their normal state without interference from any additional impairment. Muscle spasms can be related to health issues such as arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer.
The exact cause of a neck muscle spasm is unknown. Here are other things causing neck muscle spasm:
Muscle Fatigue
The two primary causes of muscle spasms are stress and exhaustion. Muscles play plenty of roles to support your daily living, such as in movement or absorbing shock. They also help with posture by connecting from our bones through tendons that contract using motor units that originate in the brain stem.
The muscles work together to make your body move. When muscle imbalance happens, you can experience muscle fatigue and spasms. In rare cases, spasms could radiate pain throughout the body.
Ineffective Stretching Routine
Regular stretching is an essential part of any exercise routine and should be performed regularly. Stretching helps your muscles stay loose, limber, and flexible. It also helps increase the range of motion and body circulation. However, if you stretch improperly, this could cause muscle spasms.
Dehydration
Dehydration can lead to several health problems, including muscle spasms and even seizures. The simplest solution is to drink enough water every day. The urine color of a hydrated individual ranges from clear to pale yellow.
Mineral and Vitamin Deficiency
Muscle spasms are involuntary and painful contractions of muscle tissue. One factor influencing muscle spasms to develop is the electrolyte imbalance in the body.
For example, excessive sweating during exercise or diet changes could cause this to happen, along with taking certain medications. Being nutritionally deficient, especially if a person is not getting enough potassium due to injury or diseases, leads to these aches and pains.
One of the most common areas for pain and injury is in the neck area. Neck pain is due to muscle strains from postural deviations, bone spurs due to osteoarthritis, pinched nerves, or injuries obtained through sports or car accidents. Additionally, the following are some issues causing neck pain:
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a progressive degenerative condition that causes the cartilage in your joints to break down and erode. Your body works hard to address this issue by forming spurs on bone as its only defense mechanism against damage, which leads to stiffness or pain when you move around.
Postural Deviations
Inadequate posture causes a variety of problems. Poor alignment of the spine might lead to neck pain. Stress levels and an unhealthy lifestyle aggravates poor spinal alignment. A person may also experience back pains due to muscle imbalances, especially if they have weak abdominal muscles and core strength. All factors mentioned might worsen the postural deviation of a person if not corrected immediately.
Accidents
It is common for whiplash to occur in car accidents or sports injuries. Sudden forces, like a blow on the head from an object, can cause injuries leading to muscle pain and stiffness.
How does River City Wellness Help Through Chiropractic Care?
Muscle spasms set out excruciating pain and are difficult to deal with. They often lead to other problems like headaches or back pain as well. At River City Wellness, we offer interventions to manage muscle spasms by getting an effective chiropractic neck adjustment. Here’s how it works:
- Regular Neck Adjustments: Receiving regular adjustments can be great for preventing your muscles from tightening, which is often the cause of neck spasms.
- Nutritional Counseling: Chiropractors can offer nutritional advice in addition to providing relief from neck pain. There are many benefits that chiropractors provide. One less known benefit is their ability to give you the appropriate diet counseling to improve your nutrition and lifestyle choices.
Chiropractors have a variety of methods to help relieve neck pain. One tried-and-true method that chiropractors use is manipulation. Additionally, they also offer other treatments for patients who suffer from this condition as well, and many people see improvement with these approaches too:
- Specific Spinal Manipulation
- Instrument-assisted manipulation
- Flexion-distraction technique
- Trigger point therapy
- Instrument-assisted soft tissue therapy
The chiropractors at River City Wellness go beyond neck and spinal adjustments. They are dedicated to providing holistic chiropractic care. Most notably, our chiropractors ensure to develop a personalized treatment that works for every patient. Click on the “Schedule Appointment” link to get started today!
