The amount or degree of damage to the soft tissues – that is, the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and disks of the neck — will be the deciding factors as to how much rest vs. activity should be initially performed.  If there are no fractures, dislocations or other injuries resulting in an unstable cervical spine (neck), studies have shown rest and a soft collar is actually harmful when compared to early return to activity and exercises.  Chiropractic treatment, which essentially exercises the joints of the neck, has been shown to speed recovery when performed sooner rather than later after a whiplash injury.  A handy way to classify the injury includes four categories: 1) Pain with no significant abnormal clinical findings; 2) Pain with mild clinical findings and range of motion loss; 3) Pain with neurological injury (resulting in radiating arm pain); and 4) Pain associated with fracture and/or dislocation.  Those suffering with category 1 or 2 injuries should minimize rest, collar use, proceed with life’s activities and not be afraid to do desired activities.  More aggressive exercise and, utilizing chiropractic adjustments as soon as possible are very effective in the first two categories of injury.  Category 4 (fractures and dislocations) injuries require the use of a rigid collar usually for 4-6 weeks as rest/protection is imperative. Category 3 demands careful monitoring by your chiropractor as neurological problems like arm pain and numbness, muscle strength weakness, must be watched during the healing process.  The use of ice is helpful with all four categories of injury and exercise training is important and can be started sooner in the first two categories of injury.

What can you do if you sustain a whiplash injury?  The first order of self-help is the use of ice.  This is a much better choice over the use of heat as ice reduces swelling and pain while heat can increase swelling because it brings in more blood flow into an already swollen area.  The heat may feel good during its use but most patients report the pain either returns shortly thereafter or feels worse.  Ice should be used for 20 minutes on followed by 40 minutes off. The old adage of “ice for 24 hours followed by heat” does NOT apply here as ice can be performed for as long as there is pain and/or inflammation.  The good news is that you will never hurt yourself by using ice but, you can make it hurt worse by using heat too soon so, when in doubt, use ice!  The next, very important, recommendation is to utilize exercises to stretch and strengthen the neck and upper back region. The “general rule” of exercise is slow repetitions staying within “reasonable” boundaries of pain.  That is, a good, stretch type of pain is encouraged while avoiding sharp pain.  We have discussed several very practical neck stretches and strengthening exercises previously and we will again address this in the future. Posture correction of chin tucks, keeping your head back over your shoulders is very helpful as well. We realize that you have a choice in where you choose for your healthcare services.  If you, a friend or family member requires care for whiplash, chiropractic care is a logical first choice.

Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at www.BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!

In the diagram to the left, the nerves come off the spinal cord.  Those in the neck region go down the arm and those in the low back go down the legs.  The spinal cord is the “highway” that brings information from the nerves in the arms, legs, trunk, etc., to the brain where information is processed.  The bony spine houses and protects the spinal cord and skull protects the brain but there is no bony protection for the nerves.  Nerves bring information to the brain allowing us to feel, taste, smell, see, and move our legs and arms to perform complex movements like dancing, running, gymnastics, and so on.  Information is constantly going to and from the brain to allow us to function normally.  The nerve can get “pinched” anywhere along its course, including the wrist (carpal tunnel syndrome), elbow (cubital tunnel syndrome), shoulder (thoracic outlet syndrome), and/or neck (herniated disk and/or arthritis).  This results in a slowing down of information transmission to/from the brain and numbness, pain, throbbing, as well as weakness in strength can occur.

There are two types of conditions that commonly pinch nerves, which generally occur at different times of life – those with a herniated disk (younger > older patients) and those with arthritis (older > younger patients). A combination of the two conditions producing the pinching effect on the nerve can also occur making the diagnosis process a little trickier. The following diagram helps explain these conditions:

The nerves exit the spine through holes that can be narrowed if the jelly central part of the disk herniates outward and into the nerve pushing it against the bone that makes up the hole through which it exits the spine. A “bone spur” (as shown in the diagram to the left, coming off the left facet joint) pushing into the nerve  or the thickening of the ligaments that run inside the spinal canal (eg., ligamentum flavum) can also crowd these sensitive nerve structures and cause similar symptoms.

Both of these conditions are commonly treated by chiropractors.  If you, a family member or a friend requires care, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our service.  We are proud that chiropractic care has consistently scored the highest level of satisfaction when compared to other forms of health care provision and look forward in serving you and your family presently and in the future.

Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at www.BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!

Another cause of neck pain is trauma. This could be from a car accident, a slip-and-fall injury, sports injury, and more.  These injuries are highly variable as no two injuries or accidents are the same and, there are a wide variety of neck sizes in both length and girth and hence, the same trauma may hardly result in an injury in one person and greatly injure a smaller, more petite person.  Your doctor of chiropractic will ask you about the “mechanism of injury” as that can give us clues about which tissues are injured.  For example, in a motor vehicle collision, if the impact occurs from the side verses the rear end of the car, the tissues in the neck are stretched differently and the management/treatment may vary accordingly.

Other causes of neck pain include a “slipped” or herniated disk.  A herniated disk is like a jelly donut where the jelly leaks out and presses against a nerve that travels down the arm. Symptoms often include pain, numb, tingling, burning, weakness, or combinations of these sensations down the course of the nerve. When this occurs, the person is usually quite specific about where the pain is traveling such as, “…it goes down my arm to my ring and little finger.”

Another cause can be related to natural aging process involving the “wearing out” process of the disk, joints, and muscle/ligament attachments.  The term, “osteoarthritis” is commonly associated with these findings and is often blamed for neck pain, but this is controversial.  First, osteoarthritis (OA) takes years to develop and many people have a significant amount of OA but literally no pain or symptoms while others with only a little x-ray evidence of OA present with an abundance of pain.

So, how do chiropractors manage all of these causes of neck pain? A thorough history, examination, and locating the positions of pain production verses pain relief are “key” to the successful management of patients with neck pain.  For one patient, traction/stretching types of manual adjustment techniques work best while for the next, this may not be tolerated at all, which is why we “pre-position” the patient prior to administering an adjustment.

Other treatment considerations may include exercise instruction, physical therapy modalities (electric stimulation, ultrasound, etc.), the use of ice/heat or changes to your work station. If you, a family member or a friend require care, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our service.

We are proud that chiropractic care has consistently scored the highest level of satisfaction when compared to other forms of health care provision and we look forward in serving you and your family presently and in the future.

Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at www.BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!

Moving your neck slowly through all its ranges is key. It is important to do pure movements rather than combinations, rolling the neck around like a ball and socket joint (such as the hip or shoulder) is to be avoided. Instead, flex the neck forward until your chin touches the top of your chest. Then, slowly bend your neck backwards, chin to the sky. These movements should not cause pain if they are done slowly and you have no pre-existing injury.

The next movement is side bending and is accomplished by trying to bend either ear towards the shoulder. Do this in front of a mirror so that you keep your head straight looking forward. Note whether you can do this same amount to each side.

The last movement is rotation. Simply rotate your chin slowly so that you are looking over one shoulder. None of these movements should cause pain or make you dizzy. If they do, then it’s a sign you have a neck injury.

An important aspect of neck function is how the shoulder girdle influences neck posture and motion. Try rolling your shoulders forwards and backwards, stretching slowly, to help ease tension at the neck. General exercises such as fast paced walking or hiking are important for your neck too. Remember, your spine is the core of your body and walking is one of the least “injury-producers,” something you can keep up well into your later years.

Lastly, make sure your neck posture is kept upright when you are talking on the phone, driving, reading, doing other tasks, or sleeping.  A very small pillow is usually best for sleeping and neck support pillows are available to help maintain the normal forward arch of the neck. A small pillow will allow your head to ease back, relaxing the muscles at the back of the neck. Water based pillows will allow you to have a pillow that is perfect for you.

Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at www.BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!

As noted in the May, 2009 issue of Consumer’s Report for low back pain, chiropractic was the most sought after form of treatment, but there has been no extensive review of neck pain regarding evidence-based treatment approaches – at least not until February, 2008.  An international “team” representing 9 countries screened over 31,000 titles of articles published between 1980 and 2006, reviewed more than 1200 articles and eventually reported on 552 studies in their final report.  Their findings included the following:

• In the US, 54% utilized complementary (alternative) treatment approaches compared to 37% that obtained conventional medical care.
• Neck pain was the 2^nd most common reason Americans obtained chiropractic care.
• Chiropractic was found to be the most frequently reported form of treatment for upper back or neck pain (ahead of massage therapy, relaxation therapy, acupuncture).
• Those who obtained complementary AND conventional medical care were much more likely to perceive the complementary/alternative therapy as being helpful (61% vs. 6.4% for neck conditions and 39.1% vs. 19% for headaches).
• Women more commonly obtained care than men for neck/shoulder pain (29% vs. 18% men) over a 4-6 year time frame.
• Manual therapy (mobilization, manipulation, stretching) was associated with greater pain reduction in the short-term among patients with acute whiplash when compared with usual medical care, soft collars, passive modalities, or general advice.
• For non-whiplash neck pain (without arm radiating pain), manipulation or mobilization, exercise, low level laser therapy (LLLT), and “…perhaps acupuncture…” were reported as more effective than no treatment, sham, or other alternative interventions.
• For both whiplash and non-traumatic neck pain, supervised exercise with or without manual therapy was favored over usual medical care or no care.

What does all this mean?  Simple!  Everyone who is suffering from neck or upper back pain should seek chiropractic care which includes manipulation, mobilization, exercise training, and activity modifying advice, as these approaches have been found to be more effective than usual medical care!  Why waste time with a “wait and watch” with or without drug intervention approach when the evidence favors chiropractic related interventions.  If you, a friend, or a loved one is struggling with neck or upper back pain, we will properly assess your condition and administer the appropriate care that is required.  We will coordinate care with other health care services when necessary.  This recommendation may represent one of most significant acts of kindness you can offer those that you truly care about.

Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at www.BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!