How Posture Can Help With Neck Pain

Neck Pain San Mateo is a common problem faced by numerous patients, and most of is not caused by trauma. Shockingly, a surprising amount of neck pain results from people's poor posture. Posture dictates how people's muscles align, which in turn can cause pain and stiffness. Although it can be a challenge to correct years of bad posture, the thought of living without neck pain should be enough to encourage anyone with this problem to give this simple solution a try.

The connection between posture and neck pain

There are several different groups of muscles in the neck that can become tight and cause pain.

- The scalene muscles, these muscles help rotate the neck - The suboccipital muscles, these muscles rotate the head - The pectoralis minor muscles, located at the top of the chest - The subscapularis muscles, muscles near the shoulder joints - The levator scapulae muscles, muscles along the back and side of the neck

These various muscles all have vital roles to play in the movement of the head and neck as well as protecting the body. When a person has poor posture, these muscles will be thrown out of alignment. This can produce considerable and excessive wear and tear on the affected muscles and make it easier for the area to get hurt.

How to correct posture

To achieve optimal posture, the person must pay close attention to their head, neck, and chest. Good posture involves having the head aligned over the neck, not learning forward, and the back straight. The most common poor posture involves people moving their head too far forward. Even if their back is straight, the neck being too far forward forces the chest muscles to become tight and part of the upper back muscles to become weak. The more a person leans forward, the worse the problem becomes.

Patients should focus on stretching their chest muscles while strengthening the muscles in their back. This will help to encourage the body to hold itself in the proper position. They should also pay close attention to their head position and make a point of self correcting whenever they notice thieir head has fallen too far forward. The continual correction will allow them to begin to break their old habits. For many people suffering from neck pain, taking the time to correct posture can have an enormous and beneficial impact on the pain. Those interested in finding relief should carefully review what they can do to improve their body positioning and find relief.

Chiropractic Care of Neck Pain

People who suffer from chronic neck pain may be advised to take pain medication or even undergo invasive surgery. However, there may be chiropractic treatment options for neck pain San Mateo, and these do not involve strong prescription drugs or invasive surgery.

Folks who would rather try a natural solution first, might visit with a local chiropractor for a consultation and initial treatment. In some cases, chiropractors offer a free initial consultation and reduced prices for a first treatment visit. These treatments may also be covered by health insurance.

Causes of Neck Pain

These are typical sources of neck pain that chiropractic care might be able to address: • Injuries: Mild whiplash may involve injuries to the neck's supporting tissues, but severe whiplash may even involve injuries to the neck's vertebrae. • Aging: As people age, they may suffer from degenerative diseases like arthritis. • Stress: Emotional upset causes some people to involuntarily tighten their neck muscles, and this can produce fatigue and pain. • Poor fitness and posture: Weaknesses in other muscles may throw the entire body out of balance, and one big symptom of this is neck pain that does not seem to have another cause.

Proper Neck Care Necks are incredible parts of the body. In good working condition, they are very flexible but still have the tough job of supporting the entire head, which weighs an average of 12 pounds, as long as people are upright. This tough job also makes necks vulnerable to pain because of injuries, disease, strain, or simple misuse. The expression, pain in the neck, no doubt comes from the tendency of people to tighten neck muscles when under stress.

In any case, chiropractors are very good diagnosticians, and these professionals can help patients determine the source of neck pain. In some cases, a chiropractor may tell patients that he or she cannot treat an issue and and send them off to see a medical doctor for medication or surgery. In many cases, a chiropractor can provide a safer and more natural solution without the side effects of drugs or invasive surgery.