If you’re reading this because you’re having neck pain right now, you know that it can vary from just a mild muscular ache to severe pain that can interfere with your activities and your quality of life. While the pain may start out as a mild and aching pain and stiffness in the neck and upper back, if left untreated, it can and will likely increase over time. Typically, if you have repeated episodes of neck pain, continuing to ignore it or simply using anti-inflammatory medications to decrease the pain in the short-term, you may be setting yourself up for more significant problems in the future.

In over 30 years of practice, I’ve seen so many patients ignore their problems for months and years at a time, but these same people would never ignore a red warning light being on in their car. Why would anyone take better care of their car and get that fixed and ignore their own bodies – which are by themselves – the vehicles for your own nervous system and life.

Your neck actually consists of 7 small vertebrae between the top of your chest to just below your skull. Those 7 vertebrae allow your head to move in multiple directions. Therefore, when people talk about neck pain, it can also be related to the neck just under the base of the skull but also include the top of the shoulders and upper back. Due to the high degree of flexibility, your neck is also particularly vulnerable to injury. Neck pain is particularly common problem in our modern world and is usually the second most common condition that brings people to a chiropractor. The most common causes of neck pain include poor spinal motion and function that lead to generalized wear and tear of the vertebrae, joints and discs resulting in pressure on the nerves leaving the neck producing radiating pain to the shoulders and, arms wrists and hands. There are also single and repetitive injuries to the neck including whiplash, poor posture and postural changes including poor ergonomics. Ultimately, all of these lead to weak muscles and generalized wear and tear of the vertebrae, joints and discs.

Having neck pain also increases muscular tension primarily at the base of the skull leading to muscle tightness, spasms and tension headaches. Tension headaches account for as much as 90% of all headaches.

As noted above, neck pain is one of the most common conditions that people seek chiropractic care for. In over 30 years of practice in Los Angeles Dr. Steven Becker, has treated thousands of patients suffering from neck pain. Clinically, Dr. Becker, finds that he gets the best results in treating neck pain when he also addresses the functioning of the other regions of your spine including your middle back and lower back. In other words, Dr. Becker, looks at the movement and function of your entire spine including any muscular changes and imbalance. Dr. Becker, focuses on spinal adjustments, exercise recommendations and soft tissue work as the best management for neck pain. If you’re having neck pain please call her office today. Dr. Becker is a Chiropractor in West Los Angeles (West LA) and specializes in treating neck pain, headaches and whiplash injuries. Dr. Becker is committed to relieving your pain using the principles of conservative chiropractic care, by finding and fixing the cause of your condition quickly. Dr. Becker frequently sees patients from the surrounding neighborhoods in West Los Angeles (West LA) including Culver City, Century City and Beverly Hills. Please feel free to call with any questions or comments (310) 277–8822.