Your cervical spine, what you call your neck, starts at the base of your skull. Your neck contains seven quite small vertebrae which, as incredible as it may seem, carry the full weight of your head which is about 12 pounds on average. The design of the cervical spine is such that you can move your head in many directions. It is this fact that makes the neck susceptible to strain, injury and associated pain.
Neck pain can be caused by many things, including extended sitting in a single position, sharp movements, accidents and blows to the head or body. As well as these common causes, neck pain in Chicago is also the result of aging and wear and tear.
There are many reasons for neck pain, among the most common are:
Injury caused by accident: A rear end collision will throw a passengers head forward and then it quickly rebounds. The sudden back and forth whipping motion injures the supporting tissue, muscles then tighten and contract. The resulting muscle fatigue is the cause of pain and stiffness. Severe whiplash can also damage the vertebrae components.
Aging: As one ages degenerative disorders such as arthritis and disc disease have a detrimental effect on the spine. Osteoarthritis causes cartilage deterioration which result in bone spurs that affect normal neck motion.
Daily life: People have become more sedentary over the years; poor posture, overweight and lack of exercise tend to cause the head to droop. Stress often causes neck muscles to tighten and stiffen. Poor posture in particular is the cause of neck pain in Chicago, the symptoms often causing pain as well in the upper back and shoulders.
Neck pain is something that can be eased by a chiropractor. A neck adjustment will improve the range of motion, resulting in improved mobility and a dramatic reduction in pain.
Many people suffer from neck pain in Chicago as a result of injury, aging or poor posture. If you are one of them you can get relief by visiting one of the four convenient Chicago Chiropractic & Sports Injury Centers.
