Chronic Neck Pain and Abnormal Spinal Alignment

Chiropractor in Vaughan Explains how Chiropractic Works to Correct the Cause of Neck Pain

Image courtesy of yodiyim at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of yodiyim at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Research tells us that 18.9% of Canadians aged 18 and over have chronic neck pain.1 And of these 18.9%, approximately half of them have suffered of neck pain for more then 10 years. In our chiropractic office in Vaughan, Ontario, we have seen hundreds of patients come in with neck complaints and neck pain.

One of our objectives during our initial consultation and chiropractic examination is to help identify the underlying cause of neck pain. Many people resort to taking pills and drugs which only offer, at best, a temporary relief of the pain. Pills and drugs never, ever correct the underlying problem causing the neck pain. 

The normal alignment of the spine, from neck to low back, should be straight, like an arrow, when viewing it from the front (or back).

From the side side, the spine has three normal curves. The neck, in particular, is a segment of a circle, so it has a ‘C’ shaped curve from the side view.

When the neck is aligned well in it’s normal position, it is protecting the spinal cord properly. This means the spinal cord is not being stretched or tension. Why is this important? Because the spinal cord is the connection between brain and body. Your brain send information to and from all body parts through the spinal cord. The spinal cord is like a pipeline that feeds life into your body. So, it makes perfect sense that the spinal cord needs to be protected with an optimally aligned spine.

However, when the neck shifts out of it’s normal alignment, this begins to cause devastating health problems. An abnormal shift in the neck is called a spinal misalignment, also know as a vertebral subluxation.

Vertebral subluxations can involve one vertebra (segmental subluxation) or a series of vertebrae (global subluxations). Subluxations will cause nerve irritation, pressure on the spinal cord, and an overall interference with the flow of information from brain to body. The consequence can be pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, fatigue, muscle spasms, and damage to organ systems. Also, a misaligned spine is more susceptible to premature aging and wear-and-tear of joints and bony tissues. This wear-and-tear is called osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease.

It’s interesting to note how important normal spinal curves are. Having normal spinal curves is an essential requirement to optimal health. But let’s look at the relationship between abnormal neck curve and neck pain.

Research shows that misalignments (subluxations) of the neck can cause irritation on local spinal joints. These joints, when irritated by subluxations, can refer pain to the back of the head (headache), the neck, the upper shoulders, and the middle back are where the shoulder blades are located.2

Also, this research showed that people who have a neck curve measuring 20 degrees or less (63 degrees is considered normal) are two times (2x) as likely to experience chronic neck pain.

And … people who have a straightened or reversed curve are eighteen times (18 times) as likely to experience chronic neck pain.

So, it is absolutely crucial that your neck is aligned in it’s optimal alignment from the front and curve from the side. It means less likelihood of pain, less likelihood of disability, less premature aging of the spine, and overall better quality of life.

Chiropractic is the only health care discipline that is focused primarily on detecting and correcting spinal alignment problems and spinal curve problems.

Corrective chiropractic care, which is what we do our office, is a specific, advanced, and evidence based care with a focus on correcting global spinal misalignments.

Corrective chiropractic helps with neck pain relief by restoring the spine to it’s normal alignment. It’s about correcting the underlying spinal problem that is causing the neck pain. The result is relief from that nagging, chronic neck pain.

If you have neck pain that has persisting for longer than six months, be sure to get it check by a corrective care chiropractor. Even if you have acute neck pain, get it checked by a chiropractor because the earlier you make corrections to the spine, the healthier your spine will be, the less damage your will sustain on your spine, and the healthier you will become in the long run.

References:

  1. Schopflocher, D. , PhD, Taenzerm, P., PhD, and Jovey, Roman, MD. “The prevalence of chronic pain in Canada”. Pain Res Manag. 2011 Nov-Dec; 16(6): 445–450.
  2. http://cbpnonprofit.com/2016/06/13/abnormal-neck-curvatures-are-18-times-more-common-in-chronic-neck-pain-subjects-compared-to-non-pain-persons/
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Dr. Walter Salubro_1Dr. Walter Salubro is a family wellness chiropractor, the owner of Back To Health Chiropractic Centre in Maple, Ontario, and the author of Back to Health by Choice. He grew up in Toronto, Ontario, and moved to Vaughan, Ontario, with his family at the age of fifteen.

Dr. Salubro graduated from York University in 1996 and from the National College of Chiropractic in 1999. He has been practicing chiropractic and serving his community of Maple and Vaughan for over fifteen years.

Dr. Salubro provides chiropractic care to people of all age groups.  He is trained in applying specific chiropractic techniques Back to Health by Choicethat are just as suitable for children as they are for adults. In addition to offering specific spinal adjustments and posture corrective techniques, Dr. Salubro offers an extensive lineup of health seminars, exercise classes, and a run/walk club to his patients. Dr. Salubro is an avid runner, having completed multiple marathons and half marathons.

Dr. Walter Salubro is dedicated to providing exceptional chiropractic care for all his patients. He caters to the care of infants and pregnant mothers. Dr. Salubro is certified from the Academy of Chiropractic Family Practice and the Council on Chiropractic Pediatrics (CACCP).  Dr. Walter Salubro is Webster Technique Certified, which is certified and recognized by the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA).