Chiropractic offers a treatment option for neck (cervical) pain that is utilized by millions of patients. Chiropractors are doctors who specialize in the care of non-surgical conditions of the neck with gentle, time-saving approaches that address the mechanical (how the spine moves) and neurological (nerve-related) causes of neck pain.
Chiropractors are rigorously trained to diagnosis the different types of neck conditions and to then recommend specific treatment approaches for those conditions.
Chiropractors are specialists in spinal manipulation—an active, hands-on care that returns motion to the spine. With a return of normal spinal mechanics, muscles relax and pain is resolved. Restricted spinal motion—meaning that the spine doesn’t move as easily as it should—can cause neck pain.
Chiropractic has developed a number of treatment approaches in addition to traditional spinal adjustments. These treatment approaches help chiropractors to address a wide range of neck pain conditions.
Neck conditions that respond to chiropractic care include:
- cervical sprain injuries
- spinal joint restriction syndromes
- facet joint sprain
- “whiplash” sprain injuries
- cervical disc injuries that don’t require surgery
- acute torticollis (when the neck muscles stay contracted and can actually cause the neck to stay in a twisted position) and stiff neck
- degenerative joint syndrome of the neck
- various types of chronic neck pain
Before deciding which approach or approaches to try for your pain, the chiropractor will do a thorough examination to diagnose the specific cause of your pain.
How a Chiropractor Diagnoses Neck Pain
Even if you go to the chiropractor complaining of neck pain, he or she will evaluate your spine as a whole. The chiropractor will check your neck (cervical spine), mid-back (thoracic spine), and low back (lumbar spine). It’s important to examine the entire spine because even though it’s just your neck that hurts, other regions of the spine may be affected.
Your chiropractor will determine areas of restricted joint motion, disc injury, muscle spasm, and ligament injury. One way the chiropractor does that is through motion and static palpation, diagnostic techniques unique to chiropractic. Motion and static palpation is an examination by means of touch. The chiropractor will feel for tenderness, tightness, and how well each spinal joint moves. (You can read a more in-depth article on motion and static palpation here.)
The chiropractor will also analyze how you walk and look at your overall posture and spinal alignment. Those details will help your chiropractor understand your body mechanics and how well your spine is working and moving.
You’ll also go through your past medical history with the chiropractor, in addition to having a complete physical. Your chiropractor may order imaging tests (e.g., x-rays or MRIs) to help him or her diagnose the exact cause of your neck pain.
All these steps in the diagnostic process will give your chiropractor more information about your neck pain. The examination will enable your chiropractor to create an effective treatment plan.
Possible Chiropractic Treatment Approaches for Neck Pain
The exact treatment plan depends on your diagnosis. Your chiropractor may use a combination of spinal manipulation, manual techniques, and therapy instruments.
A brief note about spinal manipulation: Spinal manipulation is a safe approach to treating neck pain. A recent review of literature addressing the question of the relationship between spinal manipulation and stroke concluded that manipulation was not a significant factor in causing strokes (1).