Neck and Upper Back Pain
Neck pain and back pain are two of the most common reasons that people miss work and are forced to file disability claims. Both can result from work injuries, sports injuries, auto accidents, poor sleeping habits, or generally bad posture. Both can also be the result of thinning discs which fail to provide proper cushioning between vertebrae, or undue stress placed on nerves in either the neck or the spine.
In addition to causing pain and discomfort, neck pain can also cause dizziness and disorientation if left untreated. There are some causes of neck pain and back pain which are not the result of ordinary stresses and wear and tear, and these have underlying causes which should be treated by a skilled chiropractor. At Live Aligned in Onalaska, WI, we can diagnose the cause of your neck or back pain and focus our efforts at eliminating the problem at its source, making you pain-free once again.
How neck and back pain get started
Your spine runs all the way from your lower back on up to the base of your skull, connecting your back and neck. All the vertebrae in the spine have cushioning which helps to absorb all the shocks your spine would ordinarily be subjected to, and they also promote bending and twisting of the spine. The upper part of this vertebrae system provides the support needed by your head and upper body during any kind of movement.
Most pain centered in the neck and upper portion of the back are connected to problems with the muscles or vertebrae in this area. When you have pain or stiffness in the neck or upper back which only lasts a few days and goes away on its own, that’s not really anything to be concerned about. When this kind of pain lingers and goes on for weeks or months, that’s a different issue altogether, and it needs to be treated by a skilled chiropractor.
Common neck and back issues
Whenever pain in these areas lasts for more than a week at a time, you should consult your Live Aligned chiropractor. This is especially true when your neck and back pain is accompanied by other symptoms such as spasms, headaches, decreased range of motion with the arms or the head, or an increase in pain when you maintain the same head position for a while. There are also some common causes for neck and back pain problems, including automobile accidents, sports injuries, and ordinary falls which strain the muscles and cause a spinal misalignment.
Another very common cause of neck and back pain is prolonged bad posture, or spending too much time in an awkward position in front of your computer or mobile device. Older people may experience excessive wear on the joints, and this can lead to neck and back pain as well. It’s also possible for you to experience a pinched nerve whenever there’s a spinal misalignment, and this can cause pressure to be exerted on the nerves in a certain area. This might cause you to feel discomfort, tingling, or numbness in those areas of the body.
Contact us at Live Aligned
Don’t let pain and discomfort in your neck or upper back go on for weeks or months before addressing the issue. Contact us at Live Aligned, so one of our skilled chiropractors can consult with you and diagnose the underlying issue causing your pain. Once we’ve diagnosed the actual source of your pain, we can develop a program of treatment which focuses on eliminating it, and restoring your pain-free lifestyle once again.