Neck Pain Treatment: A Bradenton, FL Chiropractor’s Perspective

How We Treat Neck Pain In Bradenton, FL

Comprehensive Consultation and Exam

At Next Level Chiropractic, every patient presenting with neck pain will have the chance to meet with Dr. Merriman one-on-one so he can collect an extremely thorough history of your condition. He’ll ask a variety of questions aimed at finding the true source of your condition, often it is something you may not have even been aware of!

Your examination will include:

• Specific orthopedic tests which help to indicate the specific anatomical structures involved in your condition
• A functional assessment to screen for certain areas of muscular instability that might be compromising your spine during certain activities
• A postural assessment utilizing state-of-the-art digital software to provide measurable abnormalities in your stance that can increase the amount of stress on your body over time
• Neurological tests to locate specific nerves that might be compressed or damaged by the joints in your spine
• Range of motion tests to determine if your spinal column is functioning the way it should

The information gathered in this examination is integral to getting to the root cause of your neck pain and creating a strategy for care that will provide you with neck pain relief.

Digital X-rays

We utilize a brand new digital X-ray system that produces high-quality images necessary for diagnostic purposes. This allows us to screen for any fractures, instability, areas of joint degeneration, dislocation, or pathology from a disease or illness. It also allows us to identify areas of joint dysfunction which are called subluxations. Subluxations are the primary condition treated by chiropractors.

Scientific literature indicates there are three primary curvatures in the human spine necessary for optimal function. These curvatures allow for the stress of gravity, which we experience every day, to be distributed over the spine appropriately. This is crucial for everyday living whether it’s unloading the dishwasher or dunking a basketball and landing back on the court. Abnormalities in these curvatures can lead to excessive wear and tear and potential injury. We utilize a state-of-the-art spinal analysis software that measures the curvature of the spine, relative to normal, providing incredibly accurate measurements that allow us to not only identify abnormalities but also to track progress over time as we correct them.

The entire spine has 24 vertebrae and over 90 joints, it is a complex system that can experience a tremendous variety of issues. In order to rule out medical emergencies, establish safety, and truly identify the problem, X-rays are highly recommended.

Specific Chiropractic Care in Bradenton, FL

A subluxation is a joint or series of joints within the spine that are either stuck or out of alignment causing significant stress on the nervous system. This stress manifests not only as pain and injury but also as a decrease in overall health and well-being.

The spine houses your spinal cord which is a collection of nerve tracts that descends from your brain and is distributed OUT THROUGH YOUR SPINE to every cell, tissue, joint, and organ in your body. In order for your brain to communicate with your vital organs, for example, there needs to be no interference with the nerves along the way. Our job as chiropractors is to remove any areas of this interference within the spine so that your body can heal and function to its highest potential.

Custom Therapeutic and Corrective Exercise Plan

Your spine is like a mast on a sailboat and the guidewires holding the mast up are the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Without stability your spine will collapse, just like a sailboat mast would without its supporting structures. Therefore it is critical to properly condition the supporting structures of your spine to both prevent injury but to also allow proper spinal function.

We provide you with a customized exercise program specifically designed to correct the postural distortions and areas of muscular instability found during your examination. These may include correcting a forward head posture that is causing excess stress on your neck and spine or possibly an “Upper Cross Syndrome” that is cutting off the nerve supply to your arms and hands causing numbness and tingling. We provide you with instructional videos as well as in-office demonstrations of these corrective exercises which can be performed at home for your convenience.

Common Causes of Neck Pain in Bradenton, FL

Degenerative Disc Disease

There are two primary types of spinal degeneration, degenerative disc disease (DDD) and degenerative joint disease (DJD), both can lead to pain and poor function. In the advanced stage, DDD causes the vertebrae to become closer together and consequently the intervertebral foramen – the holes where the nerves come out – become narrowed, compressing the nerves resulting in pain and dysfunction.

These diseases are considered an “age-related” condition by many in the healthcare field, however, that does not explain why we often see 30-year-old patients with lots of degeneration and 45-year-old patients with none. That is because the primary cause of spinal degeneration is a lack of motion within the spine in conjunction with poor posture and weak muscles. There is good news and bad news. The bad news is that you can not reverse these degenerated structures. The good news, however, is that you have the opportunity to slow it down significantly and potentially prevent it with a corrective chiropractic care plan.

Tech Neck

With the advancement and wide usage of handheld devices like cell phones and iPads, current generations of children, adolescents, and young adults around the world are experiencing horrific changes in their cervical spines (necks). According to peer-reviewed literature, in an ideal posture, the trajectory of the neck should project back around -42° for proper function.

However, as younger and younger generations grow up with constantly flexed necks from looking down at their devices we are seeing curvatures completely reversed! This phenomenon is known as Tech Neck. Tech Neck increases the weight of the head causing abnormal stress loads on the spine that can lead to intolerable pain. It also accelerates the rate of joint degeneration and arthritis. Some recent research has shown this condition to lead to poor respiratory function and even a decrease in neural velocity due to the increased tension put on the spinal cord. That means the speed at which information travels to the brain is actually slower, which can have all kinds of negative implications. Chiropractors are trained to identify these conditions and prescribe a plan to correct them and provide Tech Neck relief.

Subluxation

A subluxation is a joint or series of joints within the spine that are either stuck or out of alignment causing significant stress on the nervous system. This stress manifests not only as pain and injury but also as a decrease in overall health and well-being.

The spine houses your spinal cord which is a collection of nerve tracts that descends from your brain and is distributed OUT THROUGH YOUR SPINE to every cell, tissue, joint, and organ in your body. In order for your brain to communicate with your vital organs, for example, there needs to be no interference with the nerves along the way. Our job as chiropractors is to remove any areas of this interference within the spine so that your body can heal and function to its highest potential.

Chiropractors are specialists in treating and correcting subluxations. We look for areas in the spine of improper motion or alignment that are depressing nervous system function. Subluxations can increase pressure on the nerves and increase the risk of injury and disease. Chiropractic adjustments are our most powerful tool to correct subluxations and re-establish motion and alignment in the spine. Prescription drugs may ease the symptoms of a subluxation temporarily, but no amount can correct this mechanical problem and lead to long-lasting pain relief and prevention.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is inflammation of a joint, very similar to degenerative joint disease. When the joints of the spine become stuck either from poor posture, adhesions, sedentary lifestyle, injury, or tight muscles, the joints become inflamed. This joint inflammation leads to the growth of bone spurs in and around the joints further limiting their articulations and compressing the spinal nerves. The good news is that this type of joint inflammation can be stopped if proper joint motion and stability are established as soon as possible. This is one of the primary focuses of chiropractic care.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I do to relieve my neck pain in Bradenton, FL?

The best thing to do is schedule an appointment here at Next Level Chiropractic for your initial consultation and exam so that we can work together and find the right solution to your problem.

When should you see a chiropractor for neck pain?

The sooner the better. If you continue to put off seeking help, the problem will – many times – get worse.

Is it okay to pop my own neck?

It is not recommended. As chiropractors, we are trained to identify specific joints in the spine that need to be adjusted and are able to apply that specific adjustment.

Do medical doctors recommend chiropractors for neck pain?

Yes, many do. In fact, we get referrals from medical doctors all the time.

How can you tell if your neck is out of alignment?

Many times poor neck alignment will lead to symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, poor sleep, pain or discomfort with movement, etc. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms you should have your neck evaluated by a licensed chiropractic physician.