Dr Davis' Back & Wrist Pain Blog

Is Manipulation Best Treatment For Neck Pain?

We have been providing treatment for neck pain in San Francisco for over 20 years now.

Mechanical neck pain affects an estimated 70% of people at some point in their lives. Many different treatment approaches are available for neck pain, making it very difficult for those suffering from neck pain to know which treatment approach(es) to choose. Research in this topic has revealed some very interesting information that places chiropractic and spinal manipulation in a VERY STRONG POSITION – in fact, at the TOP OF THE HEAP!

            One such study looked at benefits of spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) in patients with acute and subacute neck pain. This study compared three study groups: 1. SMT only, 2. medication only, and 3. Home exercise and advice (HEA). This study randomized 272 neck pain patients suffering from neck pain for 2 to 12 weeks into a 12 week treatment period using 1 of the 3 treatment approaches tracking the results with the participant-rated pain as the primary treatment outcome measure. Secondary outcome data was obtained from other approaches. The results showed that the group treated with SMT, “…had a statistically significant advantage over medication after 8, 12, 26 and 52 weeks. HEA also had a statistical advantage over medication. Lastly, similar benefits were calculated between the SMT and exercise group. The conclusions support SMT and exercise/advise to be the choice over medication for acute and subacute neck pain patients. Regarding exercise, a similar study showed that “high-dosed supervised strengthening exercise” with and without SMT, was superior to a “low dose home mobilization exercise and advice group at 4, 12, 26, and 52 weeks.”

            Regarding chronic neck pain patients (that means pain that has been present for greater than 3 months), this study evaluated the changes that occurred in 191 patients. These patients were randomized to 11 weeks of 1 of 3 treatment groups and evaluated at 3, 6, 12, & 24 months after treatment. The 3 treatment options included: 1. Spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) only, 2. SMT with low-tech neck exercises, or, 3. A form of exercise using a MedX rehab machine. The results support the highest level of patient satisfaction was found in the 2nd group (SMT with low-tech exercise), suggesting that when patients present for treatment, spinal manipulation with low-tech exercises results in the most satisfied patient (this is what we do at Executive Express Chiropractic). These findings are important as this study evaluated the LONG-TERM benefits in patients who have had neck pain for a long time (i.e., “chronic”), where most studies only look at the short-term benefits.

            Similar conclusions were reported from perhaps the largest scale study on neck pain based on research from 1980 to 2006 on the use, effectiveness and safety of noninvasive treatment approaches for neck pain and associated disorders. Their review of over 350 articles supported manual therapy (manipulation and mobilization) and supervised exercise to again, SHINE in their conclusions.

            What is important is that ALL these studies support what chiropractors do: manipulate the neck and give supervised exercises! So, what are you waiting for? SPREAD THE WORD to everyone that you know who has neck pain – CHIROPRACTIC MAY BE THE BEST CHOICE!!!

            We realize that you have a choice in where you choose your health-care services.  If you, a friend or family member requires care for neck 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 appointment with a San Francisco Neck Pain Doctor, call 415-392-2225. Mention this blog post for a complimentary consultation.

Related articles:

The Neck-Migraine Connection

Neck Pain Study: Chiropractic and Exercise Beats Drugs

The Neck-Migraine Headache Connection

We have been providing treatment for neck pain and headaches in San Francisco for over 20 years now. Now, not everyone that has neck pain has headaches, and migraine headache sufferers don't necessarily have neck pain. There is a lot of overlap though.

The connection between the neck (pain or not) and headaches is one that is often overlooked.

I know firsthand, because I discovered chiropractic as a young stock broker suffering with severe migraine headaches. I had tried everything...MRI, brain scans, CAT scans, x-rays, pain meds, hearing tests, muscle relaxers, the latest and greatest headache pills, steroids...they could not find anything and none of the prescribed treatments helped.

Finally, I went to see a chiropractor who found pinched nerves in my neck. Now, I did also have neck pain...not all migraine sufferers do. After about 6 weeks of treatment my headaches were gone. This is when I decided I wanted to become a chiropractor.

Fast forward 20+ years and I have probably helped over 3000 patients that have presented to my chiropractic clinics with headaches...many migraine headaches. The first place I look is in the neck. It's common knowledge...even in the medical community now, that pinched nerves in the neck are a primary cause of tension and migraine headaches.

Sure...there are other causes of migraines such as hormonal imbalances, chemicals, toxins, drugs, side effects, poor posture, sleeping disorders, tumors, eye strain, high blood pressure, and more...but pinched nerves in the neck from spinal misalignment's in my opinion is #1.

Honestly...it's rare when a headaches patient does not respond favorably to chiropractic adjustments...but it does happen.

Chiropractic is 100% natural...no drugs...no potions...no lotions...no surgery. In fact, the word chiropractic means "done by hand".  Although...many modern day chiropractors will used advaned "natural" therapies such as deep tissue therapeutic laser on conditions such as musculoskeletal related headaches. 

So...whether or not you have just developed headaches or you have been suffering with them for a while...you owe it to yourself to consider 100% natural chiropractic. At least get checked out and try it. Depending on how long your neck has been out of alignment...you may only need a few sessions to find relief...maybe only one.

If you do...come back here and let me know how it went. If you have a chiropractic-headache story now...please comment below.

To schedule an appointment with one of our migraine headache doctors in San Francisco call 415-392-2225. Mention this blog post for a complimentary consultation.

Neck Pain Study: Chiropractic and Exercise Beats Drugs

Over 70% of Americans will suffer with neck pain at some point in their lives. Some will end up with chronic neck pain and even headaches that are ongoing. Surprisingly enough, most just don't know what to do about it, and end up taking OTC or prescription medications for their neck pain, which for the most part are ineffective. 

Here is an excerpt from an article entitled "Chiropractors and Exercise Are Better Than Drugs Says New Study" from mercola.com:

According to a new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine and funded by the National Institutes of Health, medication is not the best option for treating neck pain.

After following 272 neck-pain patients for 12 weeks, those who used a chiropractor or exercise were more than twice as likely to be pain free compared to those who took medication.

Specifically:

• 32 percent who received chiropractic care became pain free
• 30 percent of those who exercised became pain free
• 13 percent of those treated with medication became pain free

Researchers concluded:

"For participants with acute and subacute neck pain, SMT [spinal manipulation therapy] was more effective than medication in both the short and long term. However, a few instructional sessions of HEA [home exercise with advice] resulted in similar outcomes at most time points."

Why Exercise is Essential if You Have Neck Pain

Because exercise often leads to improved posture, range of motion and functionality of your body, it can help treat the underlying source of your pain as well as help prevent chronic neck pain from developing in the first place. Exercise helps prevent and relieve pain through a number of mechanisms including strengthening key supportive muscles and restoring flexibility.

Not surprisingly, repetitive strain injuries have become increasingly common as so many people spend most of their work days sitting in front of computers. Computer work is associated with neck pain specifically originating from the trapezius muscle, also referred to as trapezius myalgia, and many types of neck pain can be traced back to poor posture at work or during your commute.

It's a vicious cycle as poor sitting posture leads to neck pain and once neck pain develops, it can make your posture even worse. For instance, one study showed people with chronic neck pain demonstrate a reduced ability to maintain an upright posture when distracted.ⁱⁱⁱ

The same study further revealed, however, that after following a specific exercise program, people with neck pain had an improved ability to maintain a neutral cervical posture during prolonged sitting, which suggests it may help break the poor posture/neck pain cycle. Other research has similarly shown that exercise is incredibly beneficial for treating neck pain including:

• Research in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that repetitive strain injury caused by office work can be reduced using certain strength training exercises.^iv
• A study published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism showed that strength training targeting the neck and shoulder muscles is the most beneficial treatment for women with chronic neck muscle pain as opposed to a general fitness routine.^v

Check-out full article to learn more about the role of exercise, including specific neck pain exercises.

My Take: Not sure why so many people suffer needlessly when chiropractic and exercise is so effective for neck pain. We do receive many referrals from medical doctors and other health-care providers and go out of our way to educate them. This study will only help.

To schedule an appointment with one of our San Francisco Chiropractors, call 415-392-2225. Mention this blog post for a complimentary consultation.

Does chiropractic really work or is it all in the head?

We have all heard about the “placebo effect” and the “power of positive thinking.” A placebo, according to Wikipedia, is “…a simulated or otherwise medically ineffectual treatment for a disease or other medical condition intended to deceive the recipient.” When a placebo is used, it will sometimes have a perceived beneficial effect. When this occurs, it is referred to as “the placebo effect.” Placebos are commonly used in research where one group will be given the “real” treatment, another a “placebo” and a third group will be given nothing at all.  The evaluators are usually blinded as to who received which of the 3 approaches. The group receiving the placebo is carefully compared to the other 2 groups (the real treatment group and the no treatment group). Common placebos include inert tablets (sugar pills), sham treatment (which may include surgery, detuned electrical stimulation, sham acupuncture, sham manipulation, and many more). What is compelling and interesting is that the placebo often has a surprisingly positive effect on the patient’s symptoms and because of this, research is quite extensive trying to figure out why even placebos can benefit patients.

            The phrase, “…the power of positive thinking” has also been around a long time. Again, studies have shown that when a patient’s treatment plan is presented in a detailed fashion with a “positive spin” compared to when the health care provider seems skeptical that it might help, the results favor the positive presentation. Call it what you will – the power of positive thinking, faith, hope - it does appear to be an important part of the formula to obtain a positive outcome from treatment, any treatment.

            When considering the placebo effect of chiropractic, specifically cervical manipulation and its effect on neck pain and headache, a landmark study published by medical doctors revealed significantly greater benefits of cervical manipulation for acute, as well as subacute and even chronic (pain > 3 months) neck pain when compared to other forms of treatment (muscle relaxants or “usual medical care”). They reported that the highest quality study demonstrated that spinal manipulation benefits patients with tension-type headaches. They also reported that the complication rate for cervical spine manipulation is low, estimated to be between 5-10 per 10 million manipulations. Another very supportive study looked at the immediate effects from only one cervical spine manipulation (CSM) using objective instruments that measured pain (algometry) and strength (grip strength dynamometer) on patients with elbow tendonitis pain (lateral epicondylitis). The patients received either CSM or a “sham” method they refer to as “manual contact intervention” or MCI. The “real” treatment group (CSM) showed a significant increase in grip strength and reduced pain compared to the MCI/sham group.

            The “take-home” message here is clear. Cervical spine manipulation was found to be superior to sham manual treatment (placebo), as well as muscle relaxers, or “usual medical care” for neck pain and headaches. Second, cervical manipulation clearly out performed the placebo effect in patients with elbow pain. Simply put, chiropractic works!!!!

            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 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 headache or neck pain assessment with one of our San Francisco Chiropractors, call 415-392-2225 and mention this blog post.

Repetitive Strain Injuries: What's Best?

We have been providing treatment for Repetitive Strain Injuries in San Francisco for 20 years now. Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) is also known as repetitive stress injury, repetitive motion injuries, repetitive motion disorder (RMD), and cumulative trauma disorder (CT). 

Basically, RSI is an injury to the musculoskeletal and nervous systems that results from performing repetitive tasks over and over again...like operating a computer all day while sitting at a desk. Or cutting hair, or operating equipment.

At Executive Express Chiropractic, since we are located in the SF Financial District, we focus primarily on the repetitive motion injuries that develop in people who sit all day in front of a computer...but the examination and treatment is the same no matter what the cause. The difference would be in the prevention as far as ergonomics and proper use of equipment.

The most common type of RSI we see at our clinic involves either the neck, shoulder, arm, and hand (or various combinations)...and less frequently the low back. Now there may not be symptoms at all these joints...but they are all connected in a kinetic chain and must be considered.

For instance...a patient may present with arm and hand pain on the right (their mouse hand), but may actually have RSI in the neck and shoulders on the right, and possibly on the left...even though there is no pain...YET!

A doctor that spends the majority of their day treating patients that develop repetitive motion disorders will know to check the full spine and neck to fingertips on both sides. After-all...the nerves that control the upper extrmities exit from the neck and travel down the arm and through a tunnel in the wrist (carpal tunnel) into the fingers. If you have pressure on these nerves in the neck (which may or may not be causing you pain) it can cause all sorts ot problems in the shoulder, elbow, arm, and hand.

The treatment we provide RSI patients is chiropractic adjustments to the neck, back, shoulder, elbow, wrist and fingers...on both sides, massage/trigger point therapy/neuromuscular work to the same areas, special exercises, deep tissue laser if needed, cervical and wrist traction if needed, and targeted stretches.

We also are especially concerned with proper ergonomics and microbreaks, which are breif resting periods (2-10 min) throughout the day to give the body time to rest and recover from work (see proper ergonomic set-up here).

We also recommend getting up and moving around and even standing while you work. Switching your mouse back and forth from right hand to left is a good habit to get into as well.

There are specific general guidelines for sitting at your desk in front of your computer. We recommend following them.

Your mattress and pillow can also contribute to your vulnerability to RSI. A cervical pillow will help to restore and maintain your neck curve, while a soft pillow can result in loss of neck curve and nerve pressure. We like (and sell) Tempur-pedic pillows.

We recommend drinking half your body-weight in ounces per day of water, and avoiding salty and processed foods as best you can...plant foods are best. High animal food intake (meat, chicken poultry, dairy) can cause chronic inflammation in the joints and in the body, predisposing you to RSI.

Lots of stuff here huh?

Oh yeah...but this is what we do. We are Black Belts in the prevention and treatment of conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome and other forms of RSI.

What I recommend if you feel you may have RSI of the neck, back, shoulder, arms or hands...is to find yourself a chiropractor that specializes in treating these conditions.

I know it sounds like a lot...but our typical office visit is 30 minutes or less...but that's because we have "no-waiting". Treatment starts almost immediately after you arrive.

Anyway...there is a ton of info on this blog as far as self-help stuff...but you can't adjust the joints back into alignment yourself (or most of the other things we do)...you need a chiropractor. One that knows RSI.

If you need help finding one, please email me at eben davis@yahoo.com. I have several hundred doctors around the country I have trained. I will check to see if there is an RSI expert near you.

Dr. Eben Davis is founder and clinic director of Executive Express Chiropractic in downtown San Francisco. To schedule an appointment with one of his San Francisco Chiropractors call 415-392-2225.

Related articles by Dr. Eben Davis:

Can wrist pain be connected to the neck?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

 

 

Whiplash Facts You Should Know!

 
We have been providing whiplash treatment in San Francisco for almost 20 years now in the Financial District.

In whiplash research, many articles have been published that conflict or contradict each other. The goal of this blog post is to report the “facts” about whiplash.

• It is more common to have a delay in the onset of whiplash symptoms. Symptoms may start about two hours after the initial injury or it may take days, weeks, or months before you feel anything.
• For whiplash caused by car accidents, the severity depends on the force of the impact, the way you were seated in your car, and if you were properly restrained using a shoulder and seat belt.
• Tests show the soft tissues in your neck sustain injury at a threshold of 5 mph. That means if you're rear-ended at 5 mph or slower, you have a lower chance of getting whiplash. However, most rear-end car accidents happen at speeds of 6-12 mph.
• If you've been in a car accident, it’s a good idea to be evaluated even if your car didn't get damaged and you don't feel any pain.
• Although whiplash is most often associated with car accidents, you can also get whiplash from sports such as snowboarding, boxing, football and gymnastics.
• The concept of “no car damage = no injury” is COMPLETELY false. Most cars can withstand collisions of up to 10 MPH and as pointed out above, only in collisions < 5 MPH are you less likely to be injured. Collisions that occur between 6-12 MPH cause the highest percentage of whiplash injuries (which is below the threshold of car damage in most cases). Also, the energy of the impact is transferred to the contents inside the car when there is no vehicular damage (that means you).
• Mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) can occur in motor vehicle collisions even if the head does not hit an object inside the car, although it’s more common when there is a head strike. The symptoms associated with MTBI are often referred to as “Post Concussive Syndrome.”
• Approximately 10% of whiplash injured patients become totally disabled.
• Of the studies published since 1995, over 60% of whiplash patients required long-term medical care.
• Risk factors for long-term symptoms associated with WAD include: rear impacts, loss of the cervical lordosis curve, pre-existing degenerative arthritis, use of seat belts & shoulder harness (low speed impacts only), poor head restraint position or shape, non-awareness of the impending collision, female (especially long slender neck), head rotation at impact.

We realize you have a choice in where you choose your healthcare services.  If you, a friend or family member requires care for whiplash, 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.

For a complimentary consultaion with one of our San Francisco Whiplash Doctors, call 415-392-2225 and mention this blog post.

San Francisco Chiropractor Review: Neck Pain

Executive Express Chiropractic in San Francisco is proud to feature "Patient of the Week" Katy Young. Katy was suffering with chronic neck and upper back pain. Katy read our reviews on Yelp and decided to give us a try. Katy reports she is almost pain free. Our San Francisco Chiropractors have used a combination of adjustments, massage, exercise, and stretches to address Katy's problems. Check-out what Katy has to say about us. 

Chiropractor San Francisco Reviews

To schedule an appointment with one of our San Francisco Chiropractors call 415-392-2225. Mention this review for a complimentary consultation.

San Francisco Chiropractor: Neck Pain Update!

Neck pain is one of those conditions that affect most people at some point during their lifetime. All you have to do is ask just about anyone, “…have you ever had neck pain?” Then again, maybe you shouldn’t since you’ll probably get overloaded with way too much information from several people willing to share every little detail with you. Because of the way we are anatomically built, the neck is particularly vulnerable to injury (it has to hold up an average head weight of 15 pounds which can be quite a job, especially when we slump or slouch and that 15 pound weight falls forward).

Most of our San Francisco Chiropractic patients sit at a desk all day looking at a computer monitor. Then go home and do more of the same. The head is pulled toward the screen like a magnet causing the muscles of the neck to exert a counter force, predisposing the office worker to neck pain. There are ways to minimize these forces which we teach our patients.

Injury to the neck can result in minimal symptoms all the way to complete disability, making it one of the most common reasons people see doctors of all varieties for help, especially chiropractors.  Couple neck pain with headaches and now you have a real potential for disrupting lifestyles. With simple causes like poor posture, stress, work station problems or long hours at a computer, not to mention anxiety, depression and more, it’s no wonder most of us have needed help for neck pain at some point in time.  So, the question remains, “…what can you do about it?”

From a chiropractic standpoint, spinal adjustments, massage and other soft tissue techniques, and several forms of physiological therapeutics (such as ultrasound, electric stimulation, light – low level laser therapies), all work great!  But, instead of (or, in addition to) things that WE do to you, let’s discuss things we can teach YOU to do on your own. There is a long list of aids that help neck pain that you can self-manage, of which some include: a home traction device, cervical pillows, exercises, posture retraining, stress management, work station modifications, work / job analysis and subsequent modifications, and more. Most important is that YOU are in control of your own management program. All you need is a little motivation (your job) and proper training (our job). Many of these “self-help approaches” include an apparatus or device of some sort, which are technically coined, “hard durable medical supplies.” More specifically (your chiropractor can order these for you):

1. Cervical traction units include (but are not limited to) inflatable collars, seated over-the-door traction units, laying on the back varieties, as well as towel traction. The concept here is that you are stretching the neck vertebra apart and if it’s done proper, it should feel good! Don’t do it if it doesn’t or, reduce the weight until it does feel good. Another type of traction is placing a fulcrum (dense foam triangle) behind the neck while lying allowing the head to hang off the edge of the bed. Foam arches work well.
2. Cervical pillows share the common concept of being contoured to fit the neck and head.  These are thicker on the edge so the gap between the neck and shoulder point is filled in so the head is pointed straight ahead. There are many types of contoured pillows including water pillows, foam, inflatable, buckwheat, rice, and other types. However, a word of caution is in order: you may not like it at first as it can take 3-4 nights to get used to it. But, once you do, you’ll miss your pillow when you’re not able to travel with it.  Executive Express Chiropractic carries the complete line of Tempur-Pedic Pillows.  
3. Exercises. Place your hand against your head and push into the hand, allowing the head to “win” as you move through the full range of motion (forwards, backwards, sideways and rotation). Don’t forget stretching, other strengthening exercises, and fine motor control exercises are important as well. We’ll have to pick this topic up again in the near future. Our San Francisco Chiropractors prescribe a wide variety of exercises. Some you need help with and we do at the clinic…some you do at home.

            We realize that you have a choice in where you choose your health-care services.  If you, a friend or family member requires care for neck 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 at our downtown San Francisco Chiropractic Clinic at the Embarcadero Center, call 415-392-2225 and mention this blog post.

 

Check-out our 5 Star Reviews

Can wrist pain be connected to back pain?

We have been helping patients with back and wrist pain in downtown San Francisco for around 20 years now. When we first started, office workers and professionals would perform various tasks throughout the day and there would be a lot of moving around. Today, it's pretty much sitting in front of the computer all day with a few breaks here and there. Then, more at home.

Well...not only is there an entire body of recent research that suggests that sitting all day is bad for your heart, your internal organs, your immune system, and your skeletal system...sitting for prolonged periods doing repetitive motions is terrible for your back and hard on your wrists.

Think about it. Life is Motion. We are designed to be running around the woods hunting for food and getting plenty of exercise and sunlight. When we deprive ourselves of this movement we steer ourselves in the direction of illness. 

The nerves that control the upper extremities (arms and hands). exit from the upper back and neck. When you sit for long periods...especially if you do not have a properly set-up workstation, it causes tremendous stress on the spinal bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons of the spine. This can lead to muscle spasms that can pull the bones out of alignment (vertebral subluxation) pinching the nerves that control the arm and hand.

For the most part, this happens silently. Then at a certain point you begin to feel things like weakness of grip, numbness, tingling, and wrist pain. There may or may not be any back or neck pain.

This type of injury is referred to as a Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI).

A good chiropractor or therapist will quickly determine during the exam and consultation if you have RSI, or if the cause is something else. RSI takes longer to treat than a new muscle strain from say sleeping funny or putting together a piece of furniture..or a fresh sports injury. A good doctor knows the difference. 

Fortunately, with the advancement of medical technology, treating back and wrist pain has become a whole lot easier. In addition to the manual therapies that have served us well for so long (and are still the cornerstone of our treatment) we have Deep Tissue Laser, Active Release Technique, Graston Technique, and Kinesio Taping...as well as Nonsurgical Spinal Decompression. All of which can be mixed and matched per individual needs. It's rare when we can't get the job done. 

So, YES...wrist pain and back pain can be connected. And your wrist pain may still be connected to your back even if there is no back pain (or neck pain). A doctor that treats back and wrist pain day in and day out will be able to check your back and neck and determine if it is the source of your hand pain.

Our San Francisco Chiropracors treat the full spine and upper extremities on both sides (shoulders, elbows, wrists, fingers) when a patient presents with RSI. After-all...the spine functions as a unit. And when RSI builds up slowly over time...it throws everything out.

Same with the upper extremities. When you have pain in say the wrist...you favor it and use the other side more...now you are at risk to develop overuse  syndrome on that side. Same with the shoulders and elbows...they are connected to the wrists. When the wrists are injured, they have to work more than they should and can lose alignment (this may or may not be symptomatic).

Anyway...as you can see, there is a lot involved in the treatment on back, neck, and wrist pain. And who treats you matters. Do they use this comprehensive approach and have the skills to deliver the goods...or is it just wrist splints and Motrin? And not all chiropractors are equal either. Some have no clue what to do. So do your homework. And if you need help finding a chiropractor in your area send me an email at ebendavis@yahoo.com.

That's about it on this topic...I hope you found it useful.

Dr. Eben Davis is an expert on the nonsurgical treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), repetitive stress injuries, and beck, neck, and wrist pain. Dr. Davis has helped train thousands of chiropractors on how to treat CTS and it's related disorders.

If you live or work near the San Francisco Financial District and would like to find out if you are a candidate for neck, back, or wrist pain treatment...call Executive Express Chiropractic at 415-392-2225. Mention this blog post for a complimentary consultation.  

Check-out our 5 Star Reviews

Got Neck Pain? Consider Chiropractic

Neck pain is very common, effecting up to 70% of us at some point in our lives. While there are specific causes of neck pain such as a sports injury, whiplash, or sleeping in a funny position...most of the time no direct cause can be identified. The term for this is "non-specific neck pain" or "neck pain of unknown origin".

Doing the same repetitive motions day in and day out such as working on a computer and rotating your head back and forth from the computer monitor to a worksheet or between monitors like traders do, can lead to repetitive stress injuries (RSI) or cumulative trauma disorders (CTD).

The stress builds up silently over time in the neck joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons, and eventually causes neck pain and disability.

The good news is, research shows that 100% natural chiropractic care is able to help the majority of neck pain patients and should probably be your primary treatment choice.

The ability to predict a favorable response to treatment has been termed, “clinical prediction rules” which in general, are usually made up of combinations of things the patient says and findings from exams. In a large study, data from about 20,000 patients receiving about 29,000 treatments, was collected and analyzed to find out what complaints responded well to chiropractic treatment.  The results showed that the presence of any 4 of these 7 presenting complaints predicted an immediate improvement in 70-95% of the patients: 1. Neck pain; 2. Shoulder, arm pain; 3. Reduced neck, shoulder, arm movement; 4. Stiffness; 5. Headache; 6. Upper, mid back pain, and 7. None or one presenting symptom.  Items not associated with a favorable immediate response included “numbness, tingling upper limbs,” and “fainting, dizziness and light-headedness in 4-12% of the patients.  The “take-home” message here is that was far more common to see a favorable response (70-95%) of the patients compared to an unfavorable response (4-12%), supporting the observation that most patients with neck complaints will respond favorably to chiropractic treatment.

How long it takes to fix your neck pain depends on several factors.  Your chiropractor will want to know things such as whether or not your neck pain is new and acute (sports injury/whiplash), reoccurring, chronic, or involves repetitive motions (RSI or CTD). A chiropractor specializing in neck pain will also want to know if you use a cervical pillow or not, the type of mattress you sleep on, your ergonomic set-up, and your hobbies...to name a few. Every case is different.

Some neck pain patients respond in a very short period of time, such as days...some take weeks or months to respond. An expert chiropractor is able to make recommendations based on your initial consultation, case history and exam findings. Often times a cervical pillow, ice, and exercises are prescribed to speed up the healing process and prevent future problems.

In any case, chiropractic is the go-to treatment for neck pain. And it works it's magic naturally, efficiently, and painlessly. Chiropractic is #1 for neck pain relief. See your chiropractor today!

If you live or work in the SF Bay Area you can visit one of our San Francisco Neck Pain Doctors at Executive Express Chiropractic (we validate parking). Mention this blog post for a complimentary neck pain assessment.