Neck Pain - Treating the Cause

By Janet
Understand your pain

Look at the tension pulling the spine out of alignment leading to degenerative arthritis, bone spurs, spinal stenosis (spinal narrowing), nerve impingement and escalating, intractable pain. The symptoms you could be experiencing are neck pain, headaches, arm pain and arm numbness or weakness. X-rays or an MRI may show an image just like you’re seeing here.

Chiropractic physicians can definitely help you with realigning the cervical vertebra, but the abnormal tensions pulling the structure out of alignment often still exist. Allopathic physicians provide symptomatic treatment in the form of prescriptions for muscle relaxants and pain meds and pain management physicians will inject the site with steroids. When the structural damage has progressed to extreme cases surgery will be scheduled. But there’s so much more to the story.

Cervical vetebra can be temporarily realigned, pain may possibly be managed, but the progressive deterioration will continue until the soft tissue (muscular and connective tissue) restrictions are released. Symptomatic treatment is definitely important because you feel miserable and your normal daily life is being adversely affected.

Frustration, fatigue and irritability set in trying to over-ride recurring pain. A basic tenet in massage therapy is to “treat the effect but look elsewhere for the cause”. Rarely are they in the same place; accidents and injuries would be exceptions.

Recognizing and correcting the cause of the abnormal tension is essential for long term relief.A massage therapist trained in Therapeutic or Medical Massage Therapy will address the myofascial restrictions and holding patterns creating the abnormal tensions. They’ll help you identify & correct your habitual postural habits (work, computers, texting etc...) or emotional components that are likely contributing to the muscle imbalances.

They may recommend self-help techniques to do at home, an excercise program or yoga to help you strengthen and stretch appropriate muscles or an anti-inflammatory diet to reduce systemic and local inflammation.

The comprehensive goal is to minimize the progression of the spinal degeneration, optimize spinal stability and relieve pain and inflammation so that you can go about the business of living your purpose and creating joy in your life...vital living!

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