Neck Pain Treatment by West midlands Chiropractors, and West midlands Physiotherapists, 3D animated models on (1) Neck Pain and Whiplash, (2) Bulging disc, Cervical disc injury and (3) TMJ Temporomandibular Jaw Disorders (they can be found under the listing” Types of Pain” in our Neck Pain Section). 3D animated models are also available for Back, Shoulder, Wrist,Hip and Heel Pain and Injuries in their various sections). For the management of Neck Pain, here at Central Chiropractic and Physiotherapy Clinic we use the latest Low Level Lasers which provide Pain Relief, this also accelerates recovery, healing and significantly reduces the inflammatory process. A 5 star rating has been awarded to Low Level Laser Therapy, our laser section can be found listed under “Pain Relief”, please also view our “Low level Laser Testimonial Video”
Specific Neck Pain injury list include, Arthritis of the Neck, Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD), Cold/Low level Laser Therapy (LLLT). treatment research for Neck Pain,(by The Lancet), Cervicogenic headaches, Temporomandibular Jaw Disorders (TMD, TMJ syndrome), Trapped Nerves in the Neck, and Shoulder,
The Neck Cervical Spine Anatomy.
The cervical spine begins at the base of the skull. Seven vertebrae make up the cervical spine with eight pairs of cervical nerves. The individual cervical vertebrae are abbreviated C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6 and C7. The cervical nerves are also abbreviated; C1 through C8.
Cervical Vertebrae and Supporting Structures
The cervical bones, the vertebrae are smaller in size when compared to other spinal vertebrae. The purpose of the cervical spine is to contain and protect the spinal cord, support the skull, and enable diverse head movement ( rotate side to side, bend forward and backward).
A complex system of ligaments, tendons, and muscles help to support and stabilize the cervical spine. Ligaments work to prevent excessive movement that could result in serious injury. Muscles also help to provide spinal balance and stability, and enable movement. Muscles contract and relax in response to nerve impulses originating in the brain. Some muscles work in pairs or as antagonists. This means when a muscle contracts, the opposing muscle relaxes. There are different types of muscle: forward flexors, lateral flexors, rotators, and extensors.
Spinal Cord and Cervical Nerve Roots
Nerve impulses travel to and from the brain through the spinal cord to a specific location by way of the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The PNS is the complex system of nerves that branch off from the spinal nerve roots. These nerves travel outside of the spinal canal or spinal cord into the organs, arms, legs, fingers – throughout the entire body.
Injury or mild trauma to the cervical spine can cause a serious or life-threatening medical emergency (spinal cord injury or SCI, fracture). Pain, numbness, weakness, and tingling are symptoms that may develop when one or more spinal nerves are injured, irritated, or stretched. The cervical nerves control many bodily functions and sensory activities.
C1: Head and neck
C2: Head and neck
C3: Diaphragm
C4: Upper body muscles ( Deltoids, Biceps)
C5: Wrist extensors
C6: Wrist extensors
C7: Triceps
C8: Hands
Neck Pain.
The neck (cervical spine) is composed of vertebrae that begin at the base of the skull and end in the upper torso. The vertebrae along with the ligaments provide stability to the spine. The muscles allow for support and movement of the neck. The neck supports the weight of the head which is 5 kg amounting to a significant load for the neck to cope with during motion thus increasing stress onto the neck (cervical spine). Compare to the rest of the spine, the neck is less protected and is more susceptible to injury and various disorders that can result in pain and restricted motion. Sometimes neck pain is a temporary condition going away on its own accord. Other cases require medical diagnosis and treatment to relieve the symptoms.
Causes
Neck pain may result from injury to the soft tissues including muscles, ligaments, nerves, bones and joints of the spine. Soft tissue injuries or prolonged wear and tear are amongst the most common causes of neck pain. Infection or tumors may cause neck pain in rare instances. Sometimes neck problems may be the source of pain in the upper back, shoulders or arms.
Neck pain may result from abnormalities in the soft tissues, muscles, ligaments, and nerves as well as in bones and joints of the spine. The most common causes of neck pain are soft-tissue abnormalities due to injury or prolonged wear and tear. In rare instances, infection or tumors may cause neck pain. In some people, neck problems may be the source of pain in the upper back, shoulders, or arms. Cold Laser Therapy section this therapy has a five star rating for treating neck injuries and conditions.
Neck Injury
Due to its flexibility and the weight of the head it supports the neck is extremely vulnerable to injury. Road traffic or diving accidents, contact sports, and falls are the main causes of neck injury. A “rear end” shunt during a car accident may result in hyper-extension, a backward motion of the neck beyond normal limits, or hyper- flexion a forward motion of the neck beyond normal limits. The use of seat belts and head restrains in cars can help to prevent or minimize neck injury. The soft tissues such as muscles and ligaments are most commonly involved. Severe injuries including fracture or dislocation of the neck may lead to the damage the spinal cord and cause paralysis.
Arthritis of the Neck
The neck is a common site for arthritis to develop.
The most common type of arthritis that affects the neck is osteoarthritis. This condition is also known as cervical spondylosis, cervical osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease of the neck.
Other forms of arthritis that can affect the neck are rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic, ankylosing spondylitis, Reiter’s disease, gout, pseudogout, and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH).
Rheumatoid arthritis can destroy joints in the neck and cause severe stiffness and pain. Rheumatoid arthritis typically affects upper neck area. View our Cold Laser Therapy section this therapy has a five star rating for treating this condition
Cervical spondylosis is a condition that mainly affects older people, usually over the age of 45. Men are affected more often than women. This condition results from degenerative changes that occur in the cervical spine (the spine of the neck). Changes in cartilage metabolism lead to slow wear and tear of discs and joints in the neck. Over time, the degenerative changes can lead to a bulging or herniated disc, calcium build-up within the disc, or bony growths on the spine. The end result is nerve compression or inflammation.
Also, depending on which way the disc herniates or the direction of the bony growths, there is a possibility that the spinal cord or nerve roots leading from the spinal cord could be compressed.
There is also the possibility that the blood flow to certain nerves may be affected.
Symptoms depend on the location of the nerve compression, but can include pain, numbness, weakness, headaches, urinary problems, etc.
Initially the person may not have any symptoms.
Others will have neck or shoulder pain, headaches in the back of the head, or stiffness of the neck. They may have difficulty turning or bending the neck from side-to-side.
Some will have pain that shoots down a certain part of the arm. They may also notice numbness, weakness, or pain in the arm. One or both sides may be affected. Often it causes the hands to become clumsy.
Some individuals will have numbness or weakness in their legs. This indicates that there may be pressure on the spinal cord. This is considered a surgical emergency. Many with this condition will have decreased vibration-sense in their legs. They may be unsteady while walking. In fact, spondylosis with myelopathy is a fairly common cause of unsteadiness in the elderly.
Others will have a specific level on the chest or abdomen where there is a noticeable change in sensation.
Problems with urination may occur. Some will have to urinate more often, while others will have to urinate urgently. A few will develop urinary incontinence.
The symptoms may get worse with turning, extending, or bending the neck. In others, coughing or straining may temporarily cause shooting pain in the arms or shoulders or it may worsen weakness in the legs.
Physical exam may reveal numbness or pain along a certain nerve distribution. Certain muscles may be weak and the reflexes not as brisk as normal. The affected individual may have difficulty with turning the neck or bending it from side to side. The arms or legs may be stiff. The hands may be weak and the muscles of the hands atrophied.
X-rays can be helpful in making the diagnosis. However, though X-ray findings of degenerative changes are often found in many older people, only a few will truly evidence the neurological changes caused by this condition. Alone, finding degenerative changes on X-rays is not conclusive but part of an overall determination of this condition that must take into consideration other factors. X-rays done with flexion and extension may show instability.
CT scan can be used to look at the spinal column and see if there is any narrowing or other abnormality.
MRI can also be used to look at the spinal column and see if there is any narrowing or other abnormality.
Nerve conduction studies and electromyography can be done to test the nerves and muscles.
The primary treatment for this condition is first to determine what type of arthritis is causing the problem. The second is making sure the neck is not unstable. Then, it is important to restrict neck movements. This is usually done with a cervical collar.
Medical treatment is usually with anti-inflammatory medicines, analgesics, and muscle relaxants. However, if this fails, then surgery may be necessary.
Physical therapy modalities such as Cold/Low level laser therapy, including stretching and strengthening exercises.
Patients may respond to steroid injections placed in the epidural space.
If that does not work, then surgery to decompress the nerve and stabilize the neck may be necessary.
Surgery is usually done if:
Conservative measures such as a cervical collar do not work.
There is severe pain.
There are significant neurological deficits, such as difficulty walking, severe hand weakness, or bladder problems.
There is compression of the spinal cord.
With any nerve condition, if it is not treated early, there is a danger that the loss of nerve function may be permanent. Nerves are very delicate. Once they are injured beyond a certain point, they do not recover. Therefore, the symptoms that can be caused by this condition could become permanent if not treated appropriately (i.e., numbness, weakness, and urinary problems).
There is no specific way to prevent this condition. However, good posture should be maintained.
Also, avoid repetitive injuries to the neck and cervical spine.
Neck Disc Injury, “Slipped Disc”, also known as Prolapsed, Bulging, Herniated or Extruded Disc
Disc Problems
What Causes Disc Problems?
Discs are the soft but strong cushions that separate the bones (vertebrae) in your spine and absorb shock as you move. Repeated strain over time, an injury, or sudden, forceful movements can damage discs and irritate nerves, causing pain, numbness, or tingling in your back and legs, neck,Shoulders and arms.
Common Slipped Disc, Neck Disc Injury
A Slipped Disc or (Disc Prolapsed) in the neck is a common cause of neck pain. Slipped disc treatment during the early stages involves limited mobilisation. Later, more active physical therapy rehabilitation is useful. During the later stages neck pain treatment can be enhanced if a pillow is used to support the neck.
Other Causes
Less common causes of neck pain include tumors, infections, or congenital abnormalities of the vertebrae.
Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD) and Cervical Spine Injury
What is whiplash?
An acute “whiplash” injury follows sudden or excessive hyper-extension, hyper-flexion, or rotation of the neck and causes neck pain and other symptoms. “Whiplash” injury is common in road traffic accidents, and may also be caused by sports injuries, falls or assaults. Most cases of “whiplash” injury occur as the result of rear-end vehicle collisions at speeds of less than 10 miles per hour. Patients present with neck pain and stiffness, occipital headache, thoracic back pain and/or lumber back pain, and upper-limb pain and paraesthesia.
There are two types of injury:
- Typical cervical hyper-extension injuries occur in passengers an drivers of a stationary or slow-moving vehicle that is struck from behind. Body is thrown forward but the head lags, resulting in hyper-extension of the neck. When the head and neck have reached maximum extension, the neck then snaps into flexion.
- A rapid deceleration injury throws the head forwards and flexes the neck. When the chin hits the chest it limits forward flexion but the forward movement may be sufficient to cause longitudinal distraction and neurological damage. Hyper-extension may occur in the subsequent recoil.
“Whiplash” injuries may occur at relatively low vehicle velocity impacts. One study showed the cervical muscle injury threshold to be about 10 km/hour. Whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) can be classified by the severity of signs and symptoms:
- Grade 1: no complaints or physical signs.
- Grade 2: indicates neck complaints but no physical signs.
- Grade 3: indicates neck complaints and musculoskeletal signs.
- Grade 4: neck complaints and neurological signs.
- Grade 5: neck complaints dislocation and fracture. Most cervical spine fractures occur predominantly at two levels:
1. One third of injuries occur at the level of C2, and one half of injuries occur at the level of C6 or C7.
2. Most fatal cervical spine injuries occur in upper cervical levels, either at cranio-cervical junction C1, or at C2
Uncomplicated cases of Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD)
“Whiplash”(WAD) cases that are uncomplicated are the result of sprained ligaments in the neck. The muscles of the neck spasm naturally, as a protective reaction. The “Whiplash”(WAD) injury may cause stiff neck and pain that may be present down one or both arms if the nerves of neck part of spinal cord get compressed. Pain Relief for “Whiplash”(WAD) can be found with Chiropractic or Physiotherapy including pain medication and Cold/ low level laser therapy,
Patient’s with chronic whiplash benefited from Chiropractic or Physiotherapy
Severe cases
In severe cases of “whiplash” may last for a month or more with persistent and in some cases constant pain. This may indicate that the “whiplash” injury has extensive damage and resulting in discs rupturing and trapped nerves in the neck. This may also predispose to a “slipped”disc, also known as a prolapsed, bulging, ruptured or herniated disc in the back. (View our Cold/low level laser therapy Section, a five star rating has been given to cold/low level laser therapy for soft tissue neck injuries)
Cold/Low level Laser Therapy (LLLT). treatment research for Neck Pain
Neck pain is common, often persistent, and responds poorly to medication. So it is encouraging to read that a relatively novel, non-invasive treatment shows evidence of effectiveness. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 randomised controlled trials of low-level laser therapy (LLLT)’ yielded 820 patients, for whom data was pooled. LLLT was found to reduce pain immediately after treatment in acute neck pain and up to 22 weeks after completion of treatment in patients with chronic neck pain. Low-level laser – or cold laser – is yet to be established as a medical treatment but, according to Wikipedia, papers are appearing at the rate of around 25 per month, mainly investigating treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. (View our Cold/Low Level Laser Therapy section)
1. Chow RT, Johnson Ml, Lopes-Martins RA, Bjordal JM. Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in the management of neck pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised placebo or active-treatment controlled trials. Lancet 2009 Dec 5;374(9705):1897-908.
Cold/Low Laser Therapy(LLLT) has been tested in over 200 clinical trials (RCTs) and published in the world’s top medical journals including a review by The Lancet, a clinical study in the journal PAIN and is acknowledged by the World Health Organisation Bone and Joint Task Force (published in the journal Spine).
(View our Cold/Low Level Laser Therapy section)
Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD Research)
“Whiplash”(WAD). FROM: Journal of Orthopaedic Medicine 1999; 21 (1): 22–25 university Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Bristol, UK Khan S, Cook J, Gargan M, Bannister G
Objective:To determine which patients with chronic “whiplash” (WAD) will benefit from chiropractic treatment.
Design: Retrospective review by structured telephone interviews of 93 consecutive patients seen in chiropractic clinic. Setting: Independent chiropractic clinic in a large city. Subjects: 93 patients, 68 female. Main outcome measure: Gargan and Bannister grading pre and post treatment.
Results:
Three groups of patients were recognised.
Group 1 consisted of patients with isolated neck pain associated with a restricted range of neck movement.
Group 2 consisted of patients with neurological symptoms or signs associated with a restricted range of movement.
Group 3 comprised patients who described severe neck pain but all of whom had a full range of neck movement. Patients in this group often described an unusual group of symptoms, with a bizarre, non-dermatomal pain distribution. There was a significant difference in outcome between the three groups (p<0.001) with only groups 1 and 2 improving following chiropractic manipulation.
Conclusion:
“Whiplash”(WAD) and neck injuries are common. Chiropractic is the only proven effective treatment in chronic cases. Our study enables patients to be classified at initial assessment in order to target those patients who will benefit from such treatment.
When Should You Seek Medical Care?
Cases of severe neck pain occur following an injury such as motor vehicle accident, blow to the head or fall related accident. Only a trained professional, such as a paramedic, should immobilize the patient to avoid the risk of further injury and possible paralysis. Medical care should be sought immediately.
Immediate medical care should also be sought when an injury causes pain in the neck that radiates down the arms and legs. Radiating pain or numbness in your arms or legs causing weakness in the arms or legs without significant neck pain should also be evaluated. If there has not been an injury, you should seek medical care when neck pain is:
- continuous and persistent
- severe
- accompanied by pain that radiates down the arms or legs
- accompanied by headaches, numbness, tingling, or weakness
Diagnosis
Determining the source of the pain is essential to recommend the appropriate treatment and rehabilitation. Therefore, a comprehensive examination is required to determine the cause of neck pain.
Your Chiropractor will take a complete history of the symptoms you are having with your neck. The Chiropractor may ask you about other illnesses, any injury that occurred to your neck, and any complaints you have associated with neck pain. Previous treatment for your neck condition will also be noted.
Chiropractor will also perform a physical examination. This examination may include evaluation of neck motion, tenderness of the neck and the function of the nerves and muscles in your arms and legs.
X-rays often will be obtained to allow your Chiropractor to look at the bones in your neck. This entails simple diagnostic imaging study (radiography) and aids your Chiropractor to determine the cause of neck pain and to prescribe effective treatment.
Further evaluation may involve the following:
- MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). This non x-ray study allows an evaluation of the spinal cord and nerve roots.
- CT (computed tomography). This specialized x-ray study allows careful evaluation of the bone and spinal canal.
- EMG (electromyography). This test evaluates nerve and muscle function.
Treatment
The treatment of neck pain depends on the diagnosis. Most patients are treated successfully with Chiropractic care or Physiotherapy. Also rest, medication, immobilization, exercise, activity modifications, or a combination of these methods can be very useful.
Inflammation is a result of stretching muscles and ligaments beyond their limits, this therapy is extremely affective in the treatment of inflammation. Cold/Low level laser therapy a five star rating for soft tissue neck injuries (“Whiplash”). Surgery is required in very few cases to relieve neck pain. For most patients, a combination of Chiropractic care, rest, medication, and Physiotherapy will relieve neck pain. Surgery may be necessary to reduce pressure on the spinal cord or a nerve root when pain is caused by a herniated disc or bony narrowing of the spinal canal. Surgery may also be required following an injury to stabilize the neck and minimize the possibility of paralysis, such as when a fracture results in instability of the neck.
Cervical Disc Injury.
Causes and Risk Factors of Cervical disc injuries
Most cervical disc syndromes are caused by injuries that involve hyperextension, which results in compression of the anatomic structures.
Flexion injuries in the cervical area do not result in nerve compression.
Symptoms of Cervical disc injuries
Pain, loss of sensation or new sensations, and weakness are the main symptoms and signs of cervical disc injury. The most common symptom is pain and it is usually the only one. Rarely, cervical disc injury is complicated by compression of either a cervical nerve root or even more rarely by a compression of the spinal cord. When compression of the nervous tissue occurs, patients will report abnormal sensations other than pain and will report loosing strength in one arm (nerve root compression) or in both arms and legs (spinal cord compression).
1. Pain is the most common complaint and can be felt in the neck or arm.
a. Pain is usually limited to the neck and upper back between the shoulder blades. It occurs because of low-grade inflammation of the disc and the cervical vertebra joints. While the disease is chronic, inflammation can flare up after a minor added injury or for other reasons that are not yet well understood. Less commonly, neck and shoulder pain occur because the disc bulges acutely (herniates) and stretches the posterior longitudinal ligament. With conservative treatment, this pain usually goes away in a few weeks, but it is likely to happen again, especially if the affected individual does not change his/her lifestyle.
b. Rarely, the pain will be felt down the arm. This pain can be lightning, caused or aggravated by movements of the neck, or can be dull and persistent. Pre-existing neck pain is also present in many individuals. After the arm pain starts, some people report feeling less pain in their neck. When arm pain is present, it is usual.
Cervicogenic headaches.
Cervicogenic headaches are defined as headaches originating from the neck. The location is typically at the back of the head, sides and top of the head as well as around the forehead and eyes affecting one or more of the above regions at once. These headaches can be located on one or both sides of the head.
Cervicogenic headaches are usually associated with dysfunction of the upper neck which can present itself as neck pain or local tenderness, reduced neck range of motion and exacerbation of the headaches by neck movement. The past history of neck trauma is typical for this type of headaches. The cervicogenic headaches are caused by irritation of nerve endings of injured joints, ligaments, muscles and discs of the neck. The nerve endings in the injured areas send pain signals up the upper nerves of the neck to the brain causing “cross wiring” with the fibers of the trigeminal nerve (one of the nerves in the head) which is responsible for perception of the head pain thus causing the headaches.
Neck pain as well as “whiplash” (WAD) injuries and both conditions can result in headaches and all three are commonly treated by Chiropractors. The treatment is focused on the small joints in the back of the neck called facet joints that are responsible for neck pain. When these joints dysfunction but injury to the muscles he nerve fibres that innervate / act as sensors for these facet joints also serve to act as sensors to parts of the head. When these facet joints dysfunction these sensors become active, the brain cannot clearly differentiate between the facet joints and the mapping of the head and create the sensation of pain in a broader area- Headache.
Temporomandibular Jaw Disorders (TMD, TMJ Syndrome)
“TMD” temporomandibular (jaw) disorders, also called “TMJ syndrome.” If you felt pain sometimes in your jaw area, or maybe your dentist or Chiropractor has told you that you have TMD.
If you have questions about TMD, you are not alone. Researchers, too, are looking for answers to what causes TMD, what are the best treatments, and how can we prevent these disorders. The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research has written this pamphlet to share with you what we have learned about TMD.
TMD is not just one disorder, but a group of conditions, often painful, that affect the jaw joint (temporomandibular joint, or TMJ) and the muscles that control chewing. Although we don’t know how many people actually have TMD, the disorders appear to affect about twice as many women as men.
The good news is that for most people, pain in the area of the jaw joint or a muscle is not a signal that a serious problem is developing. Generally, discomfort from TMD is occasional and temporary, often occurring in cycles. The pain eventually goes away with little or no treatment. Only a small percentage of people with TMD pain develop significant, long-term symptoms.
What is the Temporomandibular Joint?
The temporomandibular joint connects the lower jaw, called the mandible, to the temporal bone at the side of the head or neck. If you place your fingers just in front of your ears and open your mouth, you can feel the joint on each side of your head. Because these joints are flexible, the jaw can move smoothly up and down and side to side, enabling us to talk, chew and yawn. Muscles attached to and surrounding the jaw joint controls its position and movement.
When we open our mouths, the rounded ends of the lower jaw, called condyles, glide along the joint socket of the temporal bone. The condyles slide back to their original position when we close our mouths. To keep this motion smooth, a soft disc lies between the condyle and the temporal bone. This disc absorbs shocks to the TMJ from chewing and other movements.
What Are Temporomandibular Disorders?
Researchers generally agree that temporomandibular disorders fall into three main categories:
- Myofascial pain, the most common form of TMD, which is discomfort or pain in the muscles that control jaw function and the neck and shoulder muscles;
- Neck Pain/Ache.
- Internal derangement of the joint, meaning a dislocated jaw or displaced disc, or injury to the condyle;
- Degenerative joint disease, such as osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis in the jaw joint.
A person may have one or more of these conditions at the same time.
T M J Treatment
If you place your fingers in front of each ear and open your jaw, you’ll feel lots of clicking, or a grinding movement. This is the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), a place where your skull’s temporal bone attaches to your mandible (Jaw).
Because this joint comprises of a large number of ligaments, cartilage, fascia, discs, muscles, nerves and blood vessels that run around and through it, you can have all kinds of problems: trouble opening the mouth wide; a locked jaw; headache; clicking or popping sounds, tinnitus (ringing in the ears); throat fullness; shoulder, cheek or jaw pain; neck ache; facial nerve pain; ear or eye pain; dental pain; nausea; blurred vision and dizziness when the TMJ joint is misaligned.
An unhealthy skull/jaw alignment can put great stress upon the spinal column. By relieving pressure on the upper neck and bones of the skull, chiropractic treatment may relieve or correct TMJ problems. There are also documented cases of dental problems that, once corrected, help patients to hold their spinal adjustments for longer periods between chiropractic treatments.
All TMJ sufferers need chiropractic treatment; anyone who has been to the dentist should follow up with a check up from their chiropractor.
Trapped Nerve or “Pinched” Nerve.
Having a Trapped nerve hurts often feeling like severe, sharp, excruciating and intense pain. Trapped nerves could happen nearly anywhere affecting nerves that go to the arms, fingers, wrists, neck, head, back, shoulders, legs, muscles and internal organs. “Pinched” or Trapped nerves can affect your health, posture, vitality, resistance to disease, even your emotional health. “Pinched”/trapped nerves can make life a misery.
Trapped ?
Do nerves really get trapped? Actually directly trapping the nerve is quite rare. Much more common is what chiropractors call the vertebral subluxation complex or subluxations. Other terms for this are: nerve impingement, nerve irritation, nerve lesion, spinal stress and meningeal tension.
Even though there may be no actual trapping, people like the word because it’s so descriptive. It can really feel like something is being trapped in there. Some health professionals even use it. People at times seeing a chiropractor’s saying their GP, osteopath, massage therapist referred them because they had a trapped nerve and should visit a chiropractor to get the trapped nerve freed.
What Can Cause Subluxations?
Nearly any kind of stress can cause a subluxation: a fall or an accident, even a very small one that happened years ago; a poor sleeping position; poor posture; fatigue; emotional stress; poor nutrition or a combination of stresses. A subluxation need not happen all at once. It could set in the body over time.
Trapped Nerves Don’t Normally Hurt
Chiropractors sometimes say that people with painful Trapped nerves might be considered lucky-they know they have a problem and they (hopefully) will go to a chiropractor.
If You don’t Experience The pain From a Trapped Nerve? What Would Be The Outcome?
Some patients may watch their body suffer and their health deteriorate for years without the faintest idea that the problem may be coming from their spine. These people desperately need to see a chiropractor but because they don’t have spine or nerve pain they may never receive the care they need. This is the big job facing chiropractors today – educating people about vertebral subluxations and the need for periodic spinal checkups.
Treatment Of Trapped Nerves
Trapped nerves do not get untrapped by themselves. No amount of painkillers or muscle relaxants can fix them. Only doctors of chiropractic are able to analyze your spinal column for trapped nerves or vertebral subluxations and use spinal adjustment techniques to gently realign the spine, release the internal stress and free the body from the trapped nerves.
Chiropractors are heakth care practitioners who are most experienced in freeing body of vertebral subluxations.
Nerves Travel Through the Body?
Individual nerve fibers are tiny. Although they may be many inches long they are so thin you need a powerful microscope to see them. Nerve fibers are also found in large bundles called nerves. Billions of nerve fibers are bundled inside your spinal cord – an extension of your brain, which passes through the spinal column. Nerves branch off from spinal cord and exit spine through openings between the vertebrae to connect to every cell in the body.
Life without Nerves
Without nerves you couldn’t see, hear, touch, taste or smell or feel hot, cold, pleasure or pain,and no messages could come in and no messages could go out; without nerves no muscles could move.
Nerves Keep the Body Alive and Healthy
Nerve messages also help regulate the body’s activities such as breathing, heartbeat, digestion, excretion, blood pressure and immune system so that the body can respond to germs, changes in temperature and all kinds of stress. In addition to nerve impulses, nutrients flow over your nerves to nourish the muscles and tissues. If this flow is blocked it may cause your muscles to waste away.
If the nerves are trapped, “impinged” or otherwise interfered with, the flow of messages and nutrients over them can be disrupted and the body can become “diseased” or weakened. When you are diseased you have less energy and vitality and are less able to deal with physical and emotional stress.
Lowered resistance to disease, infection, colds, flu, allergies, ulcers, constipation, diarrhea, asthma, fevers, headaches, seizures, bedwetting, hearing, balance or visual disturbances and many other health problems have been related to an unhealthy nervous system.
How Do Nerves Get Impinged or Trapped
The skeletal system, especially the spinal column, protects the spinal cord and other nerves. If the spinal bones (vertebrae) are misaligned even slightly they may “pinch,” impinge, irritate, compress or stretch the nerves they are supposed to protect.
This in turn can affect other structures in the area including blood vessels, discs, ligaments, joints, muscles, fascia, tendons and meninges. As mentioned earlier, this is referred to as a subluxation.
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