Neck pain is one of the easiest injuries to sustain, as so many aspects of our lives contribute to misuse of the neck. Whether sitting in front of a computer screen all day or sleeping on a poorly constructed mattress at night, it seems almost impossible not to experience this common pain at least once in life.

When neck pain suffers seek treatment, they may not realize the many alternatives to mainstream medical treatment that are available to them. Each year, millions use chiropractic care to treat acute or chronic neck pain. This natural, drug-free form of treatment is a welcome departure, for many, from medical care that may have only treated the symptoms of neck pain, not the cause.

Chiropractors are specialists trained to diagnose and treat the mechanical and neurological roots of pain. Neck pain is diagnosed by evaluating the spine as a whole. This is because the focus of chiropractic is restoring spinal motion, the restriction of which is what causes muscle spasms, tension, and neck pain.

Diagnosis often takes place through motion and static palpitation, chiropractic-specific techniques that use touch to determine tenderness, tightness and the range of spinal joint motion. Posture, walk, and spinal alignment are also evaluated to see how well the parts of the spine work together.

Chiropractors treat neck injuries and conditions like whiplash, cervical disc injuries, facet joint pain, cervical disc sprains, and degenerative joint syndrome using non-invasive (non-surgical) techniques. Treatment options typically focus on spinal manipulation where the joints that are restricted in their movement are realigned using a gentle thrust that stretches the cartilage, or soft tissue, between the vertebrae to stimulate the nervous system and restore normal motion to the spine.

The flexion-distraction technique is a gentle, low-force technique used to treat herniated discs in both the lower back and cervical (neck) area. Using a special table, traction is created to isolate the disc to create space for the damaged cartilage to return to normal position.

Instrument-assisted manipulation can also be used to treat neck pain. It involves the use of a hand-held instrument that can apply a small point of force to the spine without any thrusting action. Trigger point therapy, using the fingers to directly place a small amount of pressure on the muscles, can also relieve neck pain tension. In addition to gentle spinal and muscular pressure techniques, chiropractors may also use manual joint stretching and other resistance techniques to relieve neck pain.

In addition to physiological treatment, chiropractors believe that making a proper diagnosis and developing a treatment plan that encompasses all aspects of the patient's health, lifestyle, and environment is key to treating neck pain or any other physical ailment.

Chiropractors don't simply treat or manage pain; they believe that their work helps to facilitate the body's natural ability to heal itself. As the body becomes better at healing itself, patients are better able to return to their work, family relationships, hobbies, and normal activities more quickly and with renewed health and energy.