Neck pain has become more prevalent in our society with the increased use of technology. Our posture has suffered, and many people have turned to prescriptions or even surgery to find relief. Below we take a closer look at the common causes of neck pain and some natural, noninvasive options that can help.

Common Causes of Neck Pain

As you can imagine, there are many different causes of neck pain. We all have different jobs and different health backgrounds that contribute to the level of discomfort that we feel. An increasingly common problem with recent generations is posture.

Posture

When you work at a desk and are hunched over your computer all day your posture will begin to reflect that. With the rise of technology in our personal and professional lives, that hunched position can follow you throughout the day.

Stress

Working at a desk or looking down at your phone are not the only habits that can negatively affect your posture.  Stress and anxiety can wear on you throughout the day and cause your shoulders to come up next to your ears without you even realizing it until hours later.

One of the muscles that raise your shoulders is the Levator Scapulae – literally, this translates ‘to raise the Scapula (shoulder blade)’. This muscle runs from the back of the head down to the top of your shoulder blade. As you can imagine, this muscle is constantly contracted during the day and is a significant contributor to the state of your posture. As this muscle becomes overused, it can become very tight and painful. The Levator Scapulae is one of about a dozen muscles that contribute to neck pain and stiffness.

How Massage Therapy Can Help

Getting regular massage treatments in conjunction with chiropractic care can significantly decrease your neck pain and stiffness. The massage therapist can target the ‘knots’ and other build-ups in your neck specific to the probable cause.

If you have a desk job or have chronic poor posture from looking at screens, there is a high likelihood that your neck pain is caused by fibrotic tissue or ‘scar tissue’ build-up. This build-up is due to microtrauma caused by stress and/or poor posture. Your neck muscles are contracted all day long, holding up your head and trying to keep your shoulders back. If this is the case, your massage therapist can target that scar tissue build up and help to decrease the viscosity of the soft tissue surrounding the neck. This may help to reduce neck pain and stiffness by warming the tissues and making them more fluid.

In addition to massage therapy and chiropractic care, increasing your water and magnesium intake can help relax your neck muscles. Both water and magnesium play a role in the chemical reaction in your body that allows the muscles to reach a relaxed state. Dehydration and lack of magnesium can contribute to muscle tightness and even spasms.

When it comes to neck pain, taking a little time for yourself to get regular massage and chiropractic care can significantly reduce the pain you feel.

Frisco Chiropractor

If you are looking for a chiropractor in your area including Frisco, Plano, McKinney, Prosper, The Colony, Little Elm, or anywhere else close by we may be the right fit for you.  Express Chiropractic of Frisco will try to help you with all your spinal health and wellness needs.  An appointment is never necessary and we can almost always get you on the same day!

Call us at (469) 362-5711 or just stop on by!  Our office is located at 9555 Lebanon Rd. Ste. 104 in Frisco.  The easiest way to find us is to look for the green Express Chiropractic sign on our column!

We hope to see you soon!

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