Relief From Neck Pain in Olympia WA

Do you wake up in the morning with pain and stiffness in your neck? You're not alone. Neck pain is a very common issue that we treat at Evergreen Family Chiropractic. Neck pain in Olympia WA can be a difficult issue to deal with on your own. It causes you to have to decide every morning whether you are going to call in sick for work, or swallow a bunch of pills, or just try and "tough it out." Dealing with neck pain for a long period of time can be very difficult emotionally as well. It will impact your sleep and your life in general. Thankfully, most causes of neck pain are easily treated with chiropractic care.

What causes neck pain in Olympia WA?

Cervical disc irritation

In our neck there is 7 bones called "vertebrae." In between the vertebrae are fluid filled discs that act as a cushion for the bones when we move around and to support our body weight. This disc can get worn down or pinched which causes irritation of the disc itself as well as the joints around it.

• Solution: gentle manipulation with massage and chiropractic adjustments help to keep the joints functioning and aligned properly which takes the pressure off of the discs. Traction devices are also very useful to help take the pressure off of the disc which alleviates the irritation.

Strains and sprains

The muscles of the neck play a very important role of supporting the head and neck not just during movement but when we are just trying to hold our head up straight. If the head is quickly thrown side to side or front to back like in a car accident or sports injury, these muscles can be strained and the ligaments sprained. This makes it difficult to move your neck during every day activities like checking your blind spot while driving.

• Solution: Massage plays a very big role in loosening up tight muscles. Massage also helps to control the blood flow to the damaged muscles and ligaments.

Subluxations

A subluxation is when a vertebrae is out of alignment. It's like when a shoulder gets dislocated but on a much smaller scale but still quite serious. Subluxations close off the openings in the spine where the nerve roots enter and exit the spine. This causes irritation and inflammation in the area. When this occurs the brain tells the muscles in the region to tighten and help stabilize the region. This leads to stiffness, pain, and decreased range of motion.

• Solution: Chiropractors in Olympia WA are specially trained to find the misaligned and restricted joints and deliver a gentle but firm adjustment to realign the joints and restore function. This relieves the strain and allows the muscles to relax.

A very useful tip is to make sure your pillow supports your head properly. Make an appointment with us at Evergreen Family Chiropractic in Olympia WA and we can help relieve the pain and stiffness in your neck and teach you how to properly support your neck through the night.