Neck Pain

Have you ever awoken in the morning and felt neck stiffness or pain? Have you ever finished some type of physical activity and just didn't feel comfortable in your neck? How about backing up your car, and you can't seem to turn your neck far enough to see behind you? These are all typical symptoms of neck problems that are caused by misalignments of the spinal segments in the upper back and neck. Why does it happen, you might ask? The neck or cervical spine, as it is called, is comprised of seven vertebrae. Surrounding these vertebrae are muscles, tendons, and ligaments. If the vertebrae is pushed out of place by poor posture, accidents, falls, or overuse, the muscles and tendons will be forced to stretch too far. This can cause pain and discomfort. Also, this action of the connective tissue can force the spinal segments out of place, putting pressure on the spinal nerves. This whole syndrome can be very uncomfortable, and until the spine and connective tissues are helped back into their normal positions, the pain usually does not go away.