Neck Pain & Whiplash Injury Relief

Neck pain is a common condition we see in our Midvale, Utah, chiropractic and rehab office. From athletes to auto accidents, neck pain can be debilitating and stand between you and the activities you enjoy.

When dealing with neck pain, the key to relief is understanding the common causes. In an effort to help you sleep better, enjoy your hobbies more, and recover faster from an auto accident, we are going to cover the ‘need-to-knows’ around your neck and upper back pain.

Common conditions that cause neck pain and prevent you from enjoying your favorite activities.

Neck pain and headaches are very common issues in our world and understanding their cause and prevention can go a long way with you enjoying a healthy and pain-free life.  

While there are many causes, we will focus on the most common conditions that lead someone to seek care in our sports chiropractic office to relieve their neck pain. 

●     Whiplash - Cervical Strain/Sprain Injury

●     Cervical Spine Degeneration Disorders (Arthritis)

●     Cervical Disc Disorder - Discogenic Pain

●     Cervical Radiculopathy

●     Upper Crossed Syndrome

(1) Whiplash - Cervical Strain/Sprain Injury

An injury to the soft tissues (muscles and ligaments) of the neck, cervical strain/sprain injuries are characterized by pain with movement, especially at the end ranges of neck mobility. Outside of sports, a common cause of this condition is an automobile accident. Whiplash can lead to severe range of motion loss, pain with any movement, loss of sleep, and frequent headaches. If you are having pain after an auto accident or a fall on the slopes, call our office and we will get you on the right track.

(2) Cervical Disc Disorder - Discogenic Pain

Neck pain that is caused by damage to the cervical disc often occurs due to acute injury and may include other of the surrounding soft tissue. The damage to the disc can range from a mild inflammatory response (bulge) to severe discomfort and loss of movement due to structural damage (herniation). Care for these complaints includes guided rehab and modified activities while the deep soft tissues heal.

(3) Cervical Radiculopathy

Neck pain in this category is when the nerve root exiting the spine is injured, compressed, or irritated. This can occur during an automobile accident, during a collision on the playing field, from a disc herniation, or from loss of cervical disc height and osteophyte formation in our more mature patients. In addition to neck pain, this category is characterized by pain that radiates to the shoulder blade area or down the arm. The pain can range from burning to pins and needles. If you are experiencing weakness, this is of greater concern, and you should be examined immediately to determine the best course of care.

(4) Upper Crossed Syndrome

Upper-crossed syndrome is just a fancy name for a common muscle imbalance. Generally related to desk posture, and more recently called ‘text-neck’, tightness and weakness of different muscle groups leads to pain and dysfunction. Most commonly presenting as pain in the base of the neck and upper trapezius regions, this condition occurs when the deep neck flexors and middle back muscles become weak, and the pectoralis and sub-occipital (base of the skull) muscles become overly tight.

Your neck pain treatment should be geared toward you and your goals, not some cookie-cutter approach.

Our aim and methods are to help you understand the cause of your neck pain, develop a plan around your goals, and help you maintain optimal life performance outside of our office. Once we narrow the cause of your neck pain down through a thorough evaluation and functional movement assessment, we can determine the best plan of action. 

The care provided in our sports chiropractic clinic is based on three pillars of care;

• Soft tissue flexibility

• Proper joint mobility

• Exercise rehabilitation aimed at strength and stability

We wrap this up in a short and focused treatment plan, bookended by functional assessments that mimic the needs of your daily activities. Whether your goal is to just get out of pain and sleep through the night or hike the Brighton cirque, your treatment plan will have the same focus.

When to seek chiropractic care for your neck pain? 

Still unsure if you should seek care for your neck pain?

We understand that seeking out a provider for your neck pain is challenging and even scary. With so much conflicting information available at your fingertips, compounded with some providers recommending extremely long care plans, it’s no wonder so many people wait to seek care.  This delay also makes the problem worse.  

So, to help you get over the hump, here is a list to help you decide if it is time to seek care. If you have not found relief from the following home methods in 5 days, you need to seek care:

• Rest

• OTC medications

•  Ice/Heat

•  Medicated/cooling pads and gels

•  Stretching, massage, posture changes

More serious signs that you need to seek care: 

• Unable to get to sleep or stay asleep due to pain.

• You have had pain for more than 7 days, with or without improvement.

• Any Radiation of pain in your arms or hands.

• You are starting to irritate your family with your complaining! Seriously, this is a big reason patients initially come in.

More exercises to help you with neck pain.