Neck Pain
Many people with neck and arm pain go to chiropractors to help relieve their pain. This also includes people with numbness in their hands and arms or headaches that stem from the neck.
What is the Cause?
When the cervical or neck vertebrae are misaligned or “subluxated” they can cause several different types of pain. The first is an ache from tight and stressed muscles that are trying to pull the vertebrae back into place. The second is a sharp pain from either the joints, the discs (padding between the vertebrae), the nerve roots that get “pinched” or the ligaments that are injured. This sharp pain can go up or down the spine or out across the shoulders. Thirdly, you can get numbness or tingling down either or both arms all the way to the fingers. Depending on where there are misalignments or subluxations in the neck will determine where the pain or tingling occurs.
What is the Treatment
By gently adjusting the cervical (neck) and upper thoracic (midback) vertebrae, a chiropractor can take the pressure off of pinched nerves, restoring the normal nerve impulses, taking pressure off of the discs, decreasing the pain or numbness, and helping to balance the surrounding musculature.