Neck Pain Go Away
Days, week, months, and even years go by without a thought to our posture. This lack of self observation can create pain and discomfort that sneaks up on us without us even noticing the cause.
When we go about our routines, whether at home or at work, the first postural issue to occur is frequently the forward head position. This position happens because we always extend our heads forwards off the neutral position over our neck and between our shoulders. When our head is extended out off of our supporting vertebrae, the muscles in the neck and shoulders must work extra hard to keep it in position. This unusual load on these muscles creates tension, stress, and pain over time.
This situation does have a solution, so read on.
To address this issue, understanding, education, and evaluation are important. If you discover that your posture might be the culprit of some of your issues a chiropractor may be able to help you. The chiropractor can promptly identify some of your problems and may even save you time and money.
You can complete a quick posture check on yourself using a wall. Stand approximately 6 inches from the wall and back up, noting which body part touches the wall first. Ideally your head, shoulders, derriere and heels touch at the same time, if they do not you could profit from some straightforward stretching and strengthening!
If your check showed that your shoulders did not touch first, some loosening of your chest or pectoral muscles might help this rounded and slouched posture. Again, this can be performed almost anywhere in your home. Stand in your chosen doorway, stretch your right arm out so that the doorframe is touching your elbow joint, slowly step forward until you notice a stretch across your chest, hold for a few seconds. Repeat with your other arm. This stretch will open your chest and should result in less slouching and slumping of your shoulders.
Or if your head did not reach the wall first, you can address the muscles in the front portion of your neck and strengthen the muscles in the back of your neck with the chin tuck. While sitting or standing straight up, use your neck to pull your chin straight back. Hold for 5-15 seconds and return to the initial position.
The above stretch and strengthening exercise may be all you need to address you alignment issues and can decrease you pain.
The two step process involves evaluation and treatment. The first step was the evaluation by the chiropractor, the second is performing the exercises that he or she suggests. Generally, exercises will be good enough to realign your posture. However, longer term postural problems may require a more intensive treatment plan. This treatment plan may include the inclusion of some well documented techniques that assist with scar tissue removal from within the muscles. These techniques include Active Release and Gaston scar removal techniques.
Even if you do pass the posture evaluation, and do the stretches, chiropractic evaluation is still a good idea because otherproblems that involve abnormal spinal alignment could be present making it harder for your muscles to keep the correct posture.
Luckily you are not alone when it comes to assessing and rectifying your postural problems, because involvement with a chiropractor can lead you down the path to pain free days.
Dr. Steve Van Laecken has removed neck pain from countless patients. To remove that stubborn pain in your neck forever, call SpinalWorks at 602-298-1600 for an initial examination by Dr. Steve. For a limited time, Dr. Steve is willing to provide these consultations for 25% of list price to anyone with a print-out of this article.