Treatment for Neck Pain

The consultation process is a key part in the development of the care plan. Knowing a patients’ history is of the utmost importance as this allows the doctors to further understand what each individual patient needs. Everyone is unique and their care is unique too. Both past and current issues will be discussed and any questions that both the doctor and patient have for each other will be asked and answered.

During this time, the approximate pricing and duration of the care plan will be discussed, as a physical assessment of the patient and x-rays still need to be performed in order to gain a better understanding of the patient’s needs.

Common Questions

Why do I have neck pain?

Neck pain is a symptom that can arise from a plethora of problems. One common misconception is that pain is the result of a physical, traumatic injury. While experiences like car accidents, falls and other methods of injury are seen frequently in our office, a good portion of our cases are non-injury related.

One thing that is seen to cause neck pain are activities of daily living–work being the most common activity that leads to discomfort. It is not uncommon to work at a desk these days and if you do, more likely than not you understand the struggle of the neck and back pain that come along with it. Even with the most perfect posture and most ergonomic workspace, pain always seems to creep up on us. Whether it is sitting at a desk all day, constantly moving around or both, it takes its toll on the body.

Is all neck pain the same?

Neck pain, much like any pain, is unique to each individual. This is a reason why Dr. Rimes and Dr. Bremner provides care tailored to each patient specifically. There are a few common causes of neck pain:

Muscle Strain

Although muscle strains are generally thought to be attributed to injuries, muscles can be strained from simple things such as posture, sleeping positions and mental/emotional stress. Receiving chiropractic adjustments can aid in providing muscle strain relaxation and relief.

Radiculopathy

Radiculopathy is the type of pain that feels like it is traveling. The reason for this is the direct interference with the nerve. This can have a variety of causes, but the main cause we see is due to spinal misalignments and nerve compression or irritation.

Referred Pain

This is pain that seems to originate in the neck, but is actually due to another reason. Sometimes there will be issues somewhere else in the body and as the body starts to move around to compensate for that issue, neck pain (or other pain) can appear. Also, those that experience migraines/headaches can start to experience neck pain as a result. When it comes to neck pain that stems from headaches/migraines, chiropractic care can help both symptoms. With a focus on encouraging the nervous system to function optimally, upper cervical chiropractic care has the ability to lessen the severity and frequency of headaches/migraines and can also eliminate them.

Stress

The body tends to hold stress in many different parts of the body. Two common regions are the low back and the upper back/lower neck. When an individual is stressed, oftentimes they experience symptoms like muscle tension, postural changes, teeth grinding, sleep disturbances or increased sensitivity to pain. Chiropractic adjustments can help relieve the muscle tension and potentially help in relieving some of the emotional stress that is occuring.

Cracking

The big question about chiropractic that social media has crafted into viral ASMR is the “cracking.” But, what many do not know is that cracking does not always equate to a good adjustment and that no cracking does not always equate to a poor adjustment. The audible sound is simply the release of gas from the joints as movement occurs. Not every adjustment generates this noise and that is perfectly fine. In fact, the techniques that Dr. Rimes and Dr. Bremner practice (Toggle and Knee-Chest) are two of the several that more commonly do not bring that noise. Also, both techniques performed by Dr. Rimes and Dr. Bremner involve no twisting, extending or high-velocity movement of the neck. Rest assured, the doctors can feel the movement occur and can see the result of the adjustment due to various post-adjustment “checks” that are performed.

Does it hurt?

In general, chiropractic adjustments should not cause pain–however, there can be soreness or tenderness in an area that is especially distressed. Oftentimes the doctors will ask questions like, “is that tender?” to get a better idea of what is going on in the area. Since tender regions can exist, that can lead to a tender adjustment. As time passes and the body starts to get better the tenderness usually goes down or goes away.

Other forms of care offered, like cupping, can also cause slight pain in the beginning. When the body has been experiencing muscle tension for a long time, the release of that tension can cause pain. It can take some time for the muscles to become significantly less tense, but as the tension starts to go down it is also common for the associated pain during treatment to go down as well.

Do I have to go forever?

A big worry that many people have is that they hear that they have to go to the chiropractor forever. This is false. In the beginning of care, you will come in more often so that the body can work hard and grind through the ups and downs that come with this period of time. This usually means coming in 2-3 times a week (depending on the case) for the first 3-4 weeks. This then reduces to coming in 1-2 times a week, once a week, bi-weekly, monthly and then most progress to only needing to come in as needed. The importance of maintaining a developed care plan is that the body needs consistency to see results. Whether it is exercise, a change in your eating lifestyle, or chiropractic care, the best results come when the body is consistent. In fact, the goal of Dr. Rimes and Dr. Bremner is to have patients graduate into wellness care and to only have to see them a couple times of year. Both Dr. Rimes and Dr. Bremner care deeply for their patients, but the best doctors know that the less you see a patient, the better they’re doing!

Are there any side effects?

Yes, there can be side effects from adjustments. Common side effects, especially in new patients, include muscle soreness, tiredness, and headaches.

Muscle Soreness

Muscle soreness, for example, primarily occurs because of the fact that muscles and ligaments and the bones are all interconnected in one way or another. When movement occurs in these regions, the body is not used to that movement so soreness can happen. Much like getting into a more difficult exercise routine…the body needs time to adjust to the changes.

Tiredness

As for tiredness, this can be compared to a massage. Similar to a massage, the body can become exhausted when it gets the care and attention that it has needed for a long time. Chiropractic, especially the speciality that Dr. Rimes and Dr. Bremner practice, can cause great change in many different systems of the body.

Headaches

Adjustments to the upper cervical (upper neck) region of the spine, in particular, cause the most substantial changes. This area is crucial for the nervous system and overall body function. Headaches can occur because when the body goes from a state that is not at ease to a state that is at ease it can struggle to keep up with the changes. And since the occurrence of headaches is closely related to the upper cervical region, such a side effect can occur.

Do you offer any other types of care?

Yes. Dr. Rimes offers cupping and mechanical massage in addition to chiropractic care. There is also a massage therapist in the office that can be scheduled with. Combining chiropractic care with other forms of care can lead to better outcomes. Modalities like cupping, mechanical massage and manual massage are all recommended methods. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle through diet and exercises is key as well. Another important, yet generally overlooked recommendation, is the maintenance of mental health through methods like mindfulness or therapy.

At Atlas Chiropractic, Dr. Rimes and Dr. Bremner both recognize the importance of providing tailored care to each patient. Each person is unique and their care should be to. The office strives to provide care in a way that follows a “less-is-more” principle. The doctors aim to only perform adjustments where and when they are needed. Communication and trust is of the utmost importance and patient education is key. Dr. Rimes and Dr. Bremner make sure to know that any questions can be asked and that communication will be transparent. With time, teamwork and consistency the office strives to help individuals meet their health goals and live a better life.