Arm Pain Could Be a Sign of a Neck Problem

Pain in your hand, wrist, or arm can be frustrating. You don’t realize how much you use your arms and hands each second of the day until pain, numbness, or tingling gets in the way. But, getting rid of the pain may be easier than you think.

Hand, wrist, and arm pain often starts with a neck problem. When a nerve in the neck is irritated, it can result in arm pain. Just like the power lines that bring electricity to your house, your brain and spinal cord split into individual nerve roots that deliver information to every part of your body. The nerves in your neck are specifically focused on providing strength and sensation to your head and arms.

• A bulged or herniated disc in your neck can irritate or compress the nerves that travel to your hands, arms, and shoulders.

• A recent study of people with cervical (neck) disc herniation showed improvement in over 86% of those who received chiropractic adjustments.

• Improving spinal mobility, decreasing inflammation, and improving your posture may help prevent future episodes of neck and arm pain.

A painful arm as a result of a pinched nerve in your neck very rarely requires surgery. Getting rid of the inflammation, decompressing the nerve, and giving the disc time to heal are all part of a complete plan we use each day to help our patients reduce their symptoms and get their life back.

Headaches: Before You Reach for Medication…

Do you suffer from headaches? If so, you’re not alone. It’s estimated that up to 50% of people deal with headaches each year. While an occasional headache is nothing more than a nuisance, when they become chronic, you can experience challenges at home and at work and you might even experience depression. The good news is, it may be easier than you think to find relief from your headache pain.

Medications, especially opioids, are not recommended for most headaches. These drugs should be avoided because of their addictive qualities and, ironically, their headache inducing side-effects! That doesn’t mean your only option is to grin and bear the pain. Here’s a few alternative, evidence-based treatment options you can use to reduce the frequency of your headaches naturally.

• Drink water. Dehydration is a common cause of tension and migraine headaches. Drinking a tall glass of water has been shown to start relieving symptoms within 30 minutes!

• Rest. Researchers have found a strong correlation between lack of sleep and an uptick in the frequency and severity of headaches.

• Get adjusted. Muscle spasms in your neck and shoulders are a major contributing factor to tension headaches. Chiropractic adjustments can help decrease this tension.

Hunching over computers, phones, and tablets can place a tremendous amount of stress and strain on the muscles supporting your head and neck. Over time, this can lead to an increase in those dreaded tension headaches. Luckily, our practice has helped many people just like you overcome their headache struggles naturally. Reducing your muscle tension, improving your range of motion, and helping you maintain a more balanced posture are all part of what we do every day. If you or someone you know is looking for a natural pain relief alternative to help get rid of their headaches, share this research with them and give us a call!

Can Pain Be a Good Thing?

Pain is your body's way of signaling to you that something needs your attention. In other words, when a problem occurs in your body due to ergonomic stress, restricted spinal motion, or degenerative changes, it uses pain to get you to take action and correct the problem. Think of PAIN as your body saying: “Pay Attention Inside Now!”

Believe it or not, pain is usually the last thing to show up and the first thing to leave after an injury. Just because your pain goes away, doesn’t mean the root cause that lead to that pain has been corrected. Many pain relief methods simply mask symptoms. Chiropractic adjustments, along with specific stretches and exercises, work to provide pain relief while also correcting the underlying problem.

You may know someone who has visited a medical doctor in the past with neck or back pain. Perhaps, an injection was given. Perhaps, as is often the case, their pain returned in a matter of days or weeks. Why? Because the medication had worn off and ultimately the real cause of the pain was not corrected. Often times pain has a mechanical cause, that chemicals only mask. The best approach for a mechanical problem is a mechanical solution!

Research has proven that Chiropractic care effectively treats the underlying mechanical and neural causes of neck and back pain. In fact, studies have shown that people seeking relief from their neck and back pain who received Chiropractic care often reported a 60% decrease in pain, which was nearly 10% MORE relief than those patients who opted for an injection instead.

▪ Pain is your body’s signal that something is wrong, especially when it comes to neck or back pain.

▪ Injections and medications often provide short-term relief from neck or back pain without correcting the cause.

▪ Adjustments have been shown to successfully treat the root mechanical & neural causes of neck or back pain.

If someone you know has or is considering receiving an epidural injection to treat their neck or back pain, share this research with them. Let them know that integrating ongoing Chiropractic adjustments into their care plan will result in a more significant outcome than that injection alone. If that someone is you, you’re in the right place! Give us a call or stop in and see us so we can get you on the path to relief from pain today!