Your neck is an integral part of the body, made of vertebrae that run from the lower end of your head to the upper torso. It plays a vital role in supporting your head, yet from time to time many people can experience neck painsimply by sleeping in the wrong position. If you’re suffering with neck pain, fortunately acupuncture for neck pain is highly effective, and if the condition is addressed quickly, you can avoid having this turn into an ongoing condition.
A common injury of the neck is known as whiplash that is caused by an abrupt jerking of the head usually from sports activities position, moving awkwardly, from physical activity, and also from sustaining a traumatic injury. The neck is in motion often so any injury in that area needs or an auto accident. This can cause the ligaments and muscles to stretch beyond their normal range.
Muscle strain and sprains are also common causes of neck pain, especially the levator scapula muscle. This muscle is found at the back of your head where it connects the shoulders with the cervical spine. Some of the ways in which levator scapular muscle can get strained include activities such as:
- Recurrent turning of the head side to side especially during activities such as swimming
- Poor posture such as slouching when using your electronic devices
- Tension in the neck resulting from excess stress
Arthritis, a medical condition characterized by bone spurs and swelling of the joints; as well as Osteoporosis, a medical condition that weakens bone that can lead to small fractures are two well known causes of neck pain.
Injuries to the spine and discs such as herniated or bulging discs, or disc desiccation can also lead to chronic neck pain if left untreated.
Due to the discomfort caused by neck pain individuals are always looking for effective ways to end their suffering. There are many methods available that can help you to relieve pain.
Western medical treatments for neck pain
The conventional method of treating neck pain involve diagnosing the neck pain first using the following methods:
- X-rays: An effective method for checking for any signs of fractures, arthritis and unstable spinal column.
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging – MRI – it is a procedure that is usually to check the condition of ligaments, tendons, and neural element.
After the doctor has diagnosed your problem and collected all the details, he or she can recommend chiropractic care, physical therapy or prescribe pain and anti- inflammatory medication to address the symptoms. The types of medications commonly used to treat neck pain can be categorized into three major categories which include:
– Acetaminophen and Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)
– Muscle Relaxants
– Opioids (pain killers)
This treatment is at times effective however medications may come with unwanted side-effects. Often times chiropractic care and physical therapy may not be effective. An alternative and highly effective way of dealing with neck pain is using Acupuncture for Neck Pain. Clinical studies have proven that it is just as and often times more effective than chiropractic or physical therapy and many times work well together with the aforementioned treatments.
Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Can Effectively Treat Neck Pain
Acupuncture is a Traditional Chinese Medicine healing technique that can be traced back almost 3000 years. Acupuncture has become so mainstream that many clinics, chiropractic and medical offices now employ acupuncturists to help treat their patients. Many insurance policies now provide acupuncture coverage on many policies to treat many chronic and acute pain conditions.
How does Acupuncture works for Neck Pain?
Acupuncture boosts the process of natural healing of the body by improving circulation of blood as well as “qi” or energy. Chinese medicine is based on the principle that disease arises from blockages of “qi” energy, while the acupuncture needles are used to reverse this blockage.
From a western medical perspective, acupuncture has been proven to be a great way of relieving muscle spasm and inflammation, as well as numbness and tingling emanating from the neck down through the shoulders, arms and hands.
Studies have shown that acupuncture is very effective with certain types of neck pain, particularly whiplash. It also is highly effective in degenerative neck disorders such as ankylosing spondylosis and cervical spondylosis as well as herniated and bulging discs.
During treatment, thin sterile needles are inserted into the skin on specific points on the body and are left retained for approximately 20 minutes. Other treatment modalities such as heat therapy, Chinese cupping, or electrical acupuncture may be added if appropriate. Treatment plans usually consist of 4-10 treatments, more or less, but varies from condition to condition.
Acupuncture has many times worked for patients whose conditions could not be remedied using traditional approaches.
If you’re suffering with neck pain, regardless of the cause, we want you to know that acupuncture can help you. Call us for a free consultation at our Boca Raton clinic and we’ll show you how!
SOURCES:
Pub Med Central – Chronic Pain and Whiplash
