According to the Australian pain management association, neck pain affects 1/5 people right now as you are reading this sentence. The 4th leading disability worldwide? Neck Pain! 30% of neck pain sufferers will develop chronic symptoms. Are you a statistic right now?
The basic background of the head and neck junction is essential to understanding why neck pain occurs. The lower 2/3 of your neck is fairly stable due to the anatomy of the bone structures. However, the upper 1/3 of your neck is far more mobile. This typically translates to be a complex and fairly unstable joint region. The atlas, the very first bone that supports the big bowling ball head, is a ring structure. Because there are no interlocking aspect to this bone, it sits freely sandwiched between the head and rest of the spine. This craniocervical region has major influence on brain communications with the rest of the body, including that of the muscles holding the head upright. Trauma, accidents, or injuries to the head &/or neck can disrupt this balancing act of the atlas and its surrounding supportive muscles which can lead to neck pain. The muscles of the neck must then work harder to maintain the head level and balanced against gravity.
Atlas: the very 1st cervical vertebrae supporting the head. If the atlas is out of alignment in relationship to the head and neck, pain and discomfort can result.
Although neck pain can come from a variety of causes, by far the most common is muscle tension. Disc pain and other soft tissue strains can also be a culprit. Misalignment in the upper cervical spine can exacerbate these conditions. Thereby, correcting of the craniocervical junction (the atlas misalignment) can typically allow those muscles to relax and the neck to return to a more balanced and relaxed state. This also has the potential to relieve strain on discs of the cervical spine.
*** Neck pain often times can be a precursor to headaches. Read more about headaches here
To see if you may benefit from a craniocervical assessment, contact your local NUCCA chiropractor.