Stopping Neck Pain in Edmonton

Neck pain isn't just inconvenient. It can put you at risk of further injury!

We offer chiropractic and masssage therapy to solve your neck pain.

Understanding and Managing Neck Pain and Headaches

Neck pain and Headaches are a very common issue in Edmonton.

Understanding the causes and using prevention strategies will go a long way to stopping them.

Common Causes of Neck Pain

Here are some of the most common conditions we see in our office. Below we will discuss the following neck-related pain conditions.

Health Benefits of Not Having Neck Pain

Neck pain sucks. It can make sitting up, driving, even going to rock concerts near impossible.

Pain Relief: No neck pain means your neck is no longer hurting!

Stress Reduction: No neck pain means lower stress levels.

Better Sleep: No more 'kink in the neck', or neck pain laying down on your pillow means a better nights sleep and overall restfulness.

Enhanced Flexibility: Being able to turn your head without pain is a wonderful thing!

Bottom line

Not having neck pain just makes you a better person! We can help you get there!

Upper Crossed Syndrome Causing Neck Pain All Across Edmonton!

Upper Crossed Syndrome aka. "Quasimodo" aka. "Mom Posture", aka. "Text Neck" aka "poor posture" aka. "Slouching" is from a common muscle imbalance.

When the muscles in the front of your neck and middle of your upper back (between your shoulder blades) become lengthened and weak, and the muscles in your chest and upper neck shorten and become tight, you get upper crossed syndrome.

The symptoms of this problem include neck pain at the base of your neck and top of your shoulders. You can spot this problem from a mile away. The main physical causes of this condition are:

Desk job

Too much sitting

Driving long hours

Poor posture

If you are finding it near impossible to improve your posture, schedule an appointment today!

Stop Your Neck Pain Today

With the proper education (and actions), you can protect yourself from neck pain

Neck pain affects people of all ages, race, sex and occupations. One commonality for neck pain sufferers (especially chronic cases) is that they have poor posture sitting. Sometimes they sit all day long. This could be sitting at a desk, in a car or truck, or on the top of a small hill under a peach tree for some reason.

It gets worse when you combine this with a sedentary lifestyle. Poor sitting postures leads to a re-enforcement of what is called "Upper Crossed Syndrome". This is why it is crucial that you arrange your workstation (or peach tree) to facilitate a proper posture as best as possible.

The best way to combat this problem is to prevent it before it starts. An ouch of prevention is worth a pound of cure, right?

If possible, minimize sitting for long periods of time and take frequent work breaks to take short walks around the office to reset your posture. Even simply standing up and walking around your desk every 30 minutes can help!

If neck pain has already started, our chiropractors can help get you:

1) Get rid of your neck pain and

2) teach you proper form and posture to prevent the neck pain from happening again in the future.

When you become more mindful of the positions that cause your neck pain, you can take action to stop your neck from getting to the point of pain. Our chiropractors are also trained in soft tissue techniques that will be able to relax your tight muscles, restore motion and reduce your pain levels.

There are self care methods that can be used to stop this problem from getting to the point of pain. Our chiropractors will show you some of the best rehabilitative exercise. Often times this will help reverse any damage already done and prevent a progression of this condition.

The good news?

A neck that feels how a neck is supposed to feel! Loose, limber, great mobility, and letting you enjoy your day.

Headaches & Migraines

Headaches come in many varieties, and affect nearly 80% of people

Headaches suck. The only question is what can you do about it?

The problem comes in when there are over 100 different types of headaches!

So understanding the type of headache you have is vital. Is it a tension headache - which affects nearly 40% of people.

Or a cervicogenic headache? Affecting between 2-25% of individuals.

Maybe you are one of the 10% who get migraines ?

The different types of headaches cause pain in different regions of the head, and must be treated differently.

If you are finding it near impossible to get rid of your headaches,

schedule an appointment today!

Book Your Appointment Today

The causes of headaches are many. Here are a few...

Allergies

Stress

Poor posture

Diet & exercise habits

Hormonal imbalance

Smoking

Whiplash

Motor vehicle collisions

Since there are so many different types of headaches, as well as causes and symptoms, it is important to get a proper diagnosis so that you can better treat the cause. We will also need to take a look at your lifestyle habits. Often there are several contributing factors from lifestyle actives that contribute to neck pain and headaches.

For example, poor sleep hygiene, your sleeping habits, and dietary habits can make or break someone resolving their headaches, or continuing to suffer from chronic headaches. Also, failing to get an appropriate amount of exercise can negatively affect headache frequency as well. Luckily, we know those who get chronic headaches do very well with appropriate exercise habits!

A proper, healthy, balanced diet that is free of any substances that you may have a sensitivity to or may be a trigger for headaches is important for managing this condition as well. Posture and body habits can be huge contributing factors and may be some of the simplest to diagnose and manage.

Treatment such as myofascial release, chiropractic adjustments coupled with posture analysis and correction can be a simple and effective way of managing headaches.

Disc Causing Neck Pain

Disc Pain is due to damage and injury to the intervertebral discs.

Intervertebral discs are fibrous tissues that are found between each of the bones (vertebra) of the spine. They allow for movement to occur, and for you to bend, twist and turn your head. They help protect the vertebrae by helping dissipate the forces applied to the spine and allow for movement. The cervical discs are found between the bones in your neck.

Intervertebral discs consist of an outer layer called the annulus fibrosis. It is made of tough, fibrous connective tissue, which surrounds a gel-like center called the nucleus pulposus. The interesting thing about the disc is that in normal situations, only the outer third of the annulus fibrous is innervated by nerves.

This means that only the outer third of the disc contains pain and mechanical receptors that can send pain signals. So if there is irritation or structural damage to the intervertebral discs or if there is inflammation, we experience pain.

Cervical disc pain can arise from a variety of reasons. Both injury, age related changes such as arthritis can cause irritation to the disc.

The good news is that in most cases, this condition can be treated successfully! Our chiropractors can help you to
continue your active lifestyle!

Neck pain from a disc injury can be excruciating. The good news is that because we see these injuries all the time, we are proficient and effective at helping eliminate the pain, and help you get back on your feet as quickly as possible

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Joint Pain

Waking up with a kink in the neck, or dealing with arthritis pain is all too common.

Joint pain accounts for the majority of neck pain.

When you sleep in an awkward position for prolonged periods of time, it can cause your your joints to become inflamed, and a meniscoid extrapment - no that is not a spelling typo!

When this happens, the muscles that cross the joints start to spasm and seize.

Arthritis can also be a cause of neck pain, and make it challenging to turn your head from side to side, or up and down.

Similarly, when arthritis attacks your joints, the muscles that cross those joints also become irritated, stiff, tight, and can cause spasm, leading to more pain.

If you are finding it near impossible to get rid of your neck pain,

schedule an appointment today!

There are many symptoms of joint pain in your neck. Here are a few...

Neck pain, often described as dull or achingStiffness or difficulty moving the neckPain that worsens with certain movements or positions, such as turning the head or looking up or down. Headaches, often originating from the base of the skull. Muscle spasms in the neck and upper back.

Several factors can contribute to the development of neck pain as a result of a joint injury.

These include:

Sleeping in awkward positions

Arthritis - age related changes

Repetitive stress from poor posture or occupational activities

Diet & exercise habits

'Text Neck"

Injuries such as whiplash after a motor vehicle collision

At our chiropractic office, we offer a variety of therapies aimed at treating cervical spine facet syndrome and alleviating the associated pain and discomfort. These therapies are non-invasive and focus on restoring proper alignment, reducing inflammation, and improving the function of the cervical spine.

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Here are some of the key therapies we provide:

Chiropractic Adjustments: Chiropractic adjustments, also known as spinal manipulation, involve gentle, targeted movements of the spine to realign the vertebrae and reduce pressure on the facet joints. By restoring proper alignment, chiropractic adjustments can help alleviate pain and improve mobility in the neck.

Soft Tissue Therapy: Soft tissue therapy techniques such as massage, myofascial release, and trigger point therapy can help relax tight muscles, improve circulation, and reduce inflammation in the neck and upper back. These therapies can complement chiropractic adjustments by addressing muscular imbalances and promoting overall relaxation and healing.

Therapeutic Exercise: Specific exercises and stretches targeting the muscles and ligaments surrounding the cervical spine can help improve strength, flexibility, and stability in the neck. Our chiropractors can prescribe customized exercise programs tailored to each patient's needs to support long-term recovery and prevent future injury.

Posture Correction: Poor posture can contribute to the development of cervical spine facet syndrome by placing excess strain on the neck and spine. Our chiropractors can provide guidance on proper posture and ergonomic modifications to help patients maintain optimal alignment and reduce the risk of exacerbating their symptoms.

Lifestyle Modifications: Making lifestyle changes such as maintaining a healthy weight, staying active, practicing stress management techniques, and avoiding activities that aggravate neck pain can play a crucial role in managing cervical spine facet syndrome and promoting overall spinal health.

By combining these therapies, our chiropractors aims to provide comprehensive care for individuals suffering from neck pain. Our goal is to address the underlying causes of pain and dysfunction in the neck, restore optimal spinal movement and function, and empower patients to actively participate in their recovery and long-term wellness. If you're experiencing neck pain, and would like some help to fix it.

Luckily, neck pain that is from the joint's is often where chiropractic therapies truly shine!

Book Your Appointment Today

Frequently Asked Questions About Neck Pain

What causes neck pain?

Neck pain has many potential causes. This includes poor posture, disc injuries, joint pain, disc degeneration, arthritis, even causing migraines and headaches. At our clinic, Riverbend Chiropractic & Wellness, we pride oursselves on finding the root cause of your neck pain, and creating a treatment plan to resolve your issue as quickly, and effectively as possible.

What’s the difference between a tension headache and a cervicogenic headache?

Chiropractic treatment can help restore proper alignment in the spine, reducing pressure and improving movement in the neck. This helps alleviate pain caused by joint misalignment, disc issues, and poor posture. Our chiropractors utilize various methods to help reduce your neck pain, not ONLY adjustments. Our chiropractors utilize adjustments, soft tissue therapies, exercises and stretches, acupuncture, dry needling, and more.

This means that what ever is causing your neck pain, we have the tools that can help.

What is Upper Cross Syndrome, and how does it affect my neck?

Upper Cross Syndrome is a muscle imbalance typically caused by poor posture—often from sitting at a desk or looking at devices too long. It leads to tightness in the chest and shoulders while weakening the upper back, creating strain in the neck. Chiropractic care and massage therapy along with specific exercises can help correct this imbalance.

Can neck pain cause headaches or migraines?

Yes, neck pain is often linked to tension headaches and migraines. Neck pain can be a trigger to start both migraine and tension headaches. Chiropractic treatment and massage therapy can alleviate these symptoms by reducing tension and improving spinal motion.

What is the difference between a herniated disc and a bulging disc in the neck?

A herniated disc occurs when the inner gel-like substance pushes through a tear in the disc’s outer layer, often leading to severe pain in your neck, down your arm and upper back.

A bulging disc, on the other hand, is when the disc protrudes but doesn’t rupture. Both can cause neck pain, and chiropractic care and massage therapy can help relieve the pain, and help you through this type of injury.

Can massage therapy help with neck pain?

Absolutely.

Massage therapy can relieve muscle tension, improve circulation, and help reduce inflammation. When combined with chiropractic care, it addresses both the structural and muscular causes of neck pain for faster, longer-lasting relief.

Is neck cracking dangerous?

When done by a trained chiropractor, spinal adjustments (often called “neck cracking”) are safe and effective. If you are trying to crack your own neck or going to an unqualified practitioner, I wish you luck. Some things should be left to the professionals.

How long will it take to relieve my neck pain?

The length of treatment depends on the cause and severity of the problem that is causing your neck pain. Some patients experience relief after just a few sessions, while chronic conditions may take longer. Our team will assess your condition and give you a customized treatment plan with a clear timeline.

Can poor posture really cause neck pain?

Yes.

While there is some research that suggests this doesn't happen, I have found it to be the case in many people.

Poor posture, especially from sitting at a desk or looking down at a phone all day, can cause joint dysfunction in the spine, leading to chronic neck pain. We offer posture assessments and corrective exercises to help prevent and treat this.

When should I see a chiropractor or massage therapist for neck pain?

If your neck pain lasts more than a few days, restricts your movement, or is accompanied by headaches or tingling in your arms, it’s time to see a professional. Don’t wait for the pain to get worse—early treatment can prevent long-term problems.