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Neck pain and whole-body health
Neck pain can be debilitating and significantly affect the quality of your life. Finding long-lasting neck pain relief can oftentimes prove difficult. Many people feel like they have tried everything out there and have felt like there is no hope of feeling better and enjoying the activities they once loved.
Working with Dr. Norris can help improve your neck pain symptoms and get to the root cause of your neck pain.
Whether you’ve had neck pain for a few weeks or a few decades, Dr. Norris can help you with his expert neck pain treatment, aided by advanced diagnostic testing, to find the root cause of the problem. His unique approach focuses on removing neurological interference caused by spinal misalignments, therefore, optimizing your healing potential. The benefits of his approach are not limited to pain relief, but oftentimes patients notice they sleep better, have more energy, have better focus, and have more enthusiasm for their favorite activities again!
Neck pain can result in serious health issues that are often misattributed to other conditions. Damage to tissues and an unaligned spine can interfere with the brain stem, disrupting signals to other parts of the body. Patients often come to us after consulting with ophthalmologists, neurologists, and sleep specialists without finding a solution for their symptoms, which may include:
Migraines: Upper Cervical pain is a leading cause of headaches and treatment can help reduce or eliminate chronic migraine triggers.
Vertigo: Upper cervical disorders are often overlooked as a cause of dizziness and balance issues. Nerve interference and swelling in the neck are underlying factors in many cases of vertigo.
Insomnia and restless sleep: Neck pain can prevent healthy sleep posture and proper breathing, leading to discomfort while sleeping.
Mental and physical fatigue: When in pain, it can be difficult to exercise, sleep, and engage in activities that boost energy and happiness.
Pain in other parts of the body: Neck injuries can disrupt healthy nerve activity between the brain stem and the rest of the body, resulting in hard-to-diagnose pain.
In turn, these issues can lead to other physical and psychological health problems, impacting productivity, creativity, and overall enjoyment of life. Neck pain can also affect our interpersonal and professional relationships, leading to tension and stress.
Common Causes of Neck Pain
Many people think about whiplash injuries or auto accidents when they think about what may have caused their neck pain, when in fact the majority of people who come into Koru with neck pain have not had any recent traumatic accidents, and most don’t even have a history of trauma.
Included in these common causes, Dr. Norris finds that many people are also suffering from neck pain, shoulder stiffness, and headaches because of what he calls “micro-traumas.“
Micro-traumas are everyday activities such as sitting at a desk or driving for long periods of time, carrying a heavy briefcase or handbag on the same shoulder day after day, or very commonly extensive cell phone usage leading to loss of cervical lordosis AKA Text Neck or Tech Neck.
Some of the most common causes of neck pain are from:
Insufficient working environments, heavy loads, and various aches and pains often result in neck vertebrae and tissue bearing the brunt of the impact. Poor posture due to neck pain, long-standing injuries, leaning forward and squinting at your screen for an extended period, inadequate support from mattresses and pillows, and eye problems can also be attributed to our neck vertebrae and poor posture.
The technical term is Loss of Cervical Lordosis but it is often called Military Neck, Cervical Kyphosis, Text Neck, or Tech Neck. Loss of cervical lordosis used to be known to be primarily caused by whiplash injuries but is now known for chronic cell phone, videogame, or computer use, hence the term ‘text’ or ‘tech’ neck.
Dr. Norris is always amazed to see the generational differences in people’s spines, those that grew up with ‘technology’ and those who didn’t. In fact, Dr. Norris, unfortunately, finds that most people younger than Generation Y have partial if not full loss of cervical curve, and in most cases no history of trauma.
Tech Neck can lead to a lifetime of spinal health problems. Starting with poor posture, but eventually leading to stiff and tender muscles, muscle spasms, spinal pain, numbness and tingling, sciatica, tension headaches, migraines, and much more as it starts to negatively impact the autonomic nervous system, which controls the organ systems in your body.
Our practice frequently treats patients who have recently suffered from traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), as well as individuals who are unaware that their cervicalgia is connected to previous concussions that have healed. Although the primary concern with TBIs is brain bleeding and swelling, the incidents that cause them can also result in other physical injuries, with neck trauma being a common occurrence.
While our skeletons provide support to our organs and muscles, our muscles play a crucial role in maintaining spinal alignment. Individuals who remain physically active tend to experience fewer back problems, with the exception of skiers, rodeo riders, and gymnasts. “Weekend warriors” may fail to perform thorough stretching and warm-ups before engaging in intense physical activity. Meanwhile, those recovering from illness or making lifestyle changes may lack the necessary muscle tone to protect against potential neck injuries.
Experiencing sudden forward and backward motion of the neck, such as during car accidents, sudden stops, falls, or physical assault, can result in a type of sprain that may lead to long-lasting trauma and neck pain.
Stress-induced muscle tension can compromise our posture and spinal alignment. Failing to take breaks from work and other activities may result in injuries caused by repetitive motion or a lack of movement altogether.
Repetitive movements can lead to neck tension when we perform the same movements over and over again. Things like using a computer mouse, typing on a keyboard, or looking down at a phone, can cause our muscles to become fatigued and strained. This can cause a buildup of tension in the neck and surrounding muscles, leading to stiffness, pain, and discomfort.
I don’t know why my neck hurts,” is a phrase we often hear from our new patients. This is precisely why we take the time to sit down and listen to their medical history and ask questions about their lifestyle. However, sometimes injuries occur without warning, or we fail to recognize that a seemingly insignificant event – a stumble and quick recovery, a minor bump on the head, or just sleeping in an airline seat on a packed cross-country flight – can lead to future neck pain.
Watch Ashleigh’s testimonial about how her chronic neck pain relief came from her life-changing experience under Dr. Norris’s specialized care.
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Safe and Effective Neck Pain Relief in Louisville CO
Dr. Norris has extensive experience in treating neck pain and is trained in upper cervical spinal care. He understands that no two cases are the same. Your initial visit will involve a comprehensive assessment of your symptoms, and together, you’ll identify the root cause of your neck pain and receive advice on modifying your environment and behavior to prevent further injury.
Once a wellness program is established, taking into account lifestyle and existing health conditions, Dr. Norris will use specialized cervical chiropractic treatments to provide relief.
At Koru Chiropractic of Louisville, we aim to address the root causes of neck pain rather than simply treating symptoms.
Dr. Norris, as a specialist in upper cervical chiropractic, has received more training in neurology and upper cervical anatomy than general chiropractors and has a better understanding of neck, shoulder, and back biometrics than most medical practitioners. This is why he can provide positive results where others have failed to identify and treat the problem.
At Koru Chiropractic of Louisville, we prioritize not just your symptoms, but also you as a person, and what is important to you. We recognize that everyone is unique and has different goals, which is why we develop a chiropractic care plan that is tailored to your specific health concerns.
Our specialties as a chiropractor in Louisville include back pain, neck pain, vertigo, and migraine headaches. Patients come to our Louisville office from all over Northern Colorado, including Longmont, Erie, Superior, Lafayette, Niwot, Boulder, Broomfield, and Denver.
Contact Koru Chiropractic of Louisville today to schedule a free evaluation. Specialized upper cervical chiropractic care is a highly effective solution, and with Dr. Norris on your side, you have plenty of options for relief.