Many are spending more time in front of their computer screens than ever before, leading to poor ergonomics and increased neck and back problems.
Here’s what you should know about neck pain basics and how acupuncture for neck pain can help.
Symptoms of Neck Pain and Strain
Most cases of neck pain and strain are mild to moderate, and they generally resolve on their own, although they can be bothersome and uncomfortable in the meantime. Common signs of neck strain include:
- Localized pain: Neck injuries are most often felt at the nape of the neck, or in the back of the skull, and can even extend to the upper back and shoulder.
- Throbbing ache: A dull, lingering pain can persist, disrupting your sleep and/or affecting your ability to focus throughout the day.
- Sharp pain:. One of the most uncomfortable symptoms of neck strain may be a sharp, stabbing pain.
- Pain that gets worse when you move around: At rest, you may not experience any pain, but with particular actions or movements or actions, the pain may increase substantially.
- Muscle spasms: Inflammation from a neck injury can cause excruciating spasms in the affected muscles and potentially even surrounding muscles
- Neck stiffness: It may be challenging or impossible to move your neck in one or more ways. Swelling coupled with your muscles spasming and contracting to protect against further injuries can trigger extreme neck pain after a strain.
Common Causes of Neck Pain
Since your cervical spine is flexible and bears the weight of your skull, it’s especially susceptible to strain and injury that cause discomfort and limit your neck movement. The below are some of the most common sources of neck pain:
- Muscle stiffness or strain: Muscle strains are often caused by overuse, such as spending too much time at the computer with poor posture. Delicate neck muscles can be strained by even simple activities such as reading in bed or grinding your teeth at night.
- Joints that are worn out: Your neck joints, like the rest of the body’s joints, deteriorate with age. The cartilage that acts as a cushion between your vertebrae can deteriorate as a result of osteoarthritis. Bone spurs may form as a result, obstructing joint mobility and causing significant pain.
- Compression of the nerves: Nerves extending out from the spinal cord may be irritated by herniated disks or bone spurs in the vertebrae of the spine.
- Accidents: Whiplash is a type of injury that happens in car accidents when the head is jerked forward and backward, suddenly over-flexing the soft tissues of the neck.
Can Acupuncture for Neck Pain Help?
Acupuncture is an ancient Eastern procedure that has been perfected through centuries of usage for the relief of pain and a variety of other applications. However, in the West, it has been overlooked by modern medicine, and some medical professionals have outright rejected it.
Despite this lack of acceptance in Western medicine, acupuncture has been proven to relieve neck pressure and tightness without the usage of addictive medications. A certified acupuncturist can assist patients experiencing mild, moderate, and even severe neck pain while still taking into account the patient’s overall health and contributing lifestyle factors.
Pressure Points for Neck Pain
Newcomers to acupuncture may be a little surprised when their therapist starts placing the thin needles into seemingly random places where the pain isn’t. Acupuncture, however, does not always function in such a straightforward manner, and pressure points related to an area of the body may be located in an entirely different part. For example, a certified acupuncturist can help patients find neck pain relief by using pressure points on the abdomen to reduce widespread inflammation and healing Qi and Yang energy.
Get Neck Pain Relief Today
Neck pain can be debilitating and can keep you from doing what you need — and love — to do. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you get relief from acute or chronic neck pain.
