Neck Pain, Arthritis, and Chiropractic

San Francisco Neck Pain Doctors: When we say the word “arthritis,” many images pop up in our heads. Some people think of crippled hands or perhaps a friend who talks about his bad hip being, “…bone on bone!” Or, how about the neighbor who has a bum knee and walks with a limp and a cane? Rarely do we think about the neck being associated with “arthritis.”

Before we go too far into this discussion, we should define the term, “arthritis,” which means joint (“arth-“) swelling (-itis). Simple enough, right? Wrong! Without getting too complicated, we must realize there are MANY different types of arthritis such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, gouty arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, etc. To narrow this down a bit, we will limit our discussion to osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease. 

Degenerative joint disease or DJD, is the most common type of arthritis that EVERYONE eventually ends up with – whether we like it or not.  Or do they? That’s because, over time, our joints absorb the stresses of life and can wear out prematurely and can become “arthritic.”  While it’s true that weight bearing joints wear out quicker (like hips and knees more so than elbows and shoulders), DJD can affect any joint. There are many causes of DJD, including a genetic (minor factor in my opinion) or hereditary tendency (we take on the bad habits of our parents). The most common cause of DJD is wear and tear over a long period of time complicated by joints that are not in their proper alignment. Of course, the rate of acquiring DJD in the neck (or anywhere else for that matter) is directly related to how “nice” we have been to our body, in this case, the neck. For example, after a car accident, a common injury to the neck is whiplash. This occurs because we literally cannot control the speed of the head as it rapidly moves forwards and backwards upon impact and it’s all over within 600-800 milliseconds! Since we can’t voluntarily contract a muscle that fast and when joints move beyond their normal stretch length, the ligaments – those non-elastic, tough tissues that securely holds bone to bone – will only “give” so much and then tear, which is technically called a “sprain.” This leads to an accelerated rate of degeneration.

Our lifestyle choices play a big part in DJD. The way we sleep (cervical pillow?), sit at our desk at work, the amount of exercise we get, the amount of mental stress we are under (tight muscles pull neck joints out of alignment), and what we eat (the Typical American Diet is pro-inflammatory) are all factors.

 Blood tests are negative with DJD (unlike many of the other types of arthritis), and an x-ray can help determine how “arthritic” the joint is and whether the smooth, silky ends of the joint (called hyaline cartilage) are worn down and if bony spurs are present.  In the neck, DJD can create a lot of symptoms which may include pain and stiffness, especially in the mornings after laying still and not moving during the night. After we get up and move around, “…it loosens up.” As the condition advances, neck movements become tight and restricted with pain, which further limits movement, and sooner or later, the patient must rotate their whole body to look to the side. If the arthritis hits or bumps into a nerve as it exits the cervical spine, neck soreness, and numbness/tingling may radiate down an arm, at times to the hand, usually only affecting certain fingers. Headaches, especially in the back of the head, can also occur from the reflex muscle “splinting” due to the pain associated with arthritis. As Dr. Peter Ulrich, MD points out (see Cervical Osteoarthritis article) chiropractic adjustments, “…help control chronic symptoms or provide relief for more severe episodes of pain from osteoarthritis.”

But mostly, chiropractors can help you prevent degenerative disc disease in the first place or dramatically slow it down.  Our San Francisco neck pain doctors have found  chiropractic adjustments, exercise, deep tissue laser, and massage therapy to be a potent combination in the prevention and treatment of DJD.

            We realize that you have a choice in where you choose your healthcare services.  If you, a friend or family member requires care for neck/arm pain, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our services and look forward in serving you and your family presently and, in the future.

To schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our Neck Pain Doctors in San Francisco, call 415-392-2225 and mention this blog post.

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Comments

[Dr-Amy Sanders]

Great article! Everyone should know that arthritis is both preventable and treatable.

[Dr. Michael Pound]

An ounce of prevention, is worth a pound of cure! Thanks for your insights on today's article, doc.

[Rose]

I have learned a lot from this article. I will share this with my parents too. They have a lot of pains lately. We might need to drop by your clinic sometime.

[Beaverton OR Chiropractor]

Great post it realy gives a up to date and acurate description on arthritis. i will recommend this to my parents who are currently suffering from osteoarthritis

[Back Pain]

Thanks for this article. I never gave much though to arthritis until I read this article. Likewise, I didn't knew that lupus was a kind of arthritis.

[best pillow for neck pain]

Good article on the various problems you can suffer with neck arthritis, many thnaks