Neck pain is an ailment so common that everyone knows someone who has experienced it at one time or another. The severity of neck pain can range from just a mild annoyance to a debilitating condition that prevents normal, day-to-day tasks from being accomplished. Imagine if you were in so much pain that you were unable to turn your head while driving to check your blind spot before changing lanes!
The source of neck pain can be complicated. It may originate from either the structure of the neck (your spinal column and vertebrae) or the soft tissues (your muscles, ligaments, and tendons). Of course, it is all connected, making the source of neck pain difficult to pinpoint at times. Most people don’t think about the importance of neck strength like they do the strengthening of the biceps or quadriceps. However, neck weakness can become a big issue and a key piece of maintaining normal function of brain-body communication.
While strengthening the muscles of the neck is definitely important, if the structure of the neck is abnormal or misaligned, no amount of strength will provide lasting relief of neck pain. Upper cervical chiropractor Dr. Terry Crowder focuses his entire practice around making sure the vertebrae of the neck are aligned properly. More specifically, the top two vertebrae of the neck are the keystone of the spine and when misaligned can create pain and loss of function anywhere in the body. So, if you haven’t found lasting relief from your neck pain from ice, heat, massage therapy, painkillers, or otherwise, a misalignment of the upper cervical vertebrae of the neck should be investigated as a probable cause of your pain.
References:
http://breakingmuscle.com/strength-conditioning/the-top-5-exercises-to-strengthen-your-neck
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