Why Painkillers Are a Hit-and-Miss Remedy for Neck Pain

Our neck pain chiropractor in Newnan would like to share a thing or two about painkillers. Over-the-counter painkillers are a popular remedy for achy necks. Apart from the fact that they are readily available, they can work fast too.

However, sometimes, they don’t deliver the same positive result to every patient complaining about a painful neck—and that’s because not all neck pain stems from muscle strain!

We hope our discussion can shed light on how you can effectively and sustainably relieve your debilitating neck pain symptoms. Let’s start by learning more about the possible reasons behind your achy neck.

The Many Possible Reasons Behind Neck Pain

Neck pain can result from a long list of things, ranging from overworked muscles, poor sitting posture at work, and cervical subluxation. Here’s a closer look at them.

Poor posture

Since home-based working became the new normal, it has led to painful symptoms like chronic neck pain among remote employees. Poor posture, long work hours, and lack of comfy and ergonomic work equipment are all to blame for it.

Herniated discs

Aging people or those who have degenerative disc disease often struggle with a herniated disc. This health problem causes the contents of your intervertebral disc to leak into nearby tissue like the brainstem or nerve roots. It causes chronic pain that doesn’t go away even after taking painkillers.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Neck pain is among the top signs of rheumatoid arthritis in the cervical spine. It’s a progressive and chronic autoimmune disorder that can trigger permanent damage to your joints.

Osteoarthritis

Cervical osteoarthritis is also a common health problem among aging people. It causes pain because of the bone overgrowth that pinches on the nerves on your cervical spine. Like herniated discs, cervical osteoarthritis causes painful sensations that rarely go away after taking OTC or prescription pain relievers.

Cervical subluxation (misalignments)

The cervical spine (neck) is consists of seven bones that support the head’s weight. It also encases the brainstem and holds the different cranial nerves. Unfortunately, sometimes the cervical spine suffers from subluxation or bone shifting.

Typically, this results from car accidents or sports injuries (figure skating, Motorcross, football, etc.). Such events cause rapid and excessive overextension of the neck, shifting the bones away from their neutral alignment.

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and neck pain, download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.

Why Painkillers Aren’t The Best Solution for Neck Pain

More often than not, painful neck stems from mechanical problems and disc degeneration disease. Painkillers may provide minimal comfort to sick and suffering individuals; however, some pains won’t just subside even after you take painkillers. If this is your case, you should see a GP for a more in-depth diagnosis.

You may need to undergo tests to confirm whether you have any of the conditions we enumerated above. Once your primary doctor identifies the root cause of your pain, you can begin seeking remedies like going to a neck pain chiropractor in Newnan or consulting with an occupational or physical therapist.

Alternatively, your doctor might suggest using spinal injections. Cervical epidural injections may be a good option for patients with chronic and persistent neck pain.

 

Other Natural Remedies for Neck Pain

If you are not keen on using medication like pain relievers or epidural injections, you can tap into self-care techniques for chronic neck pain. In addition, you can use them with other neck pain remedies such as upper cervical care and physical therapy.

Some examples of these home remedies include the following:

  • Fixing your sleeping position
  • Avoiding sleeping on your belly
  • Investing in the right pillow or mattress
  • Avoiding text neck injuries by limiting mobile or tablet use
  • Making necessary posture adjustments
  • Applying cold or hot compress on the sore or achy area of the neck
  • Doing neck exercises at least twice a week
  • Adjusting your workspace to keep the monitor at an eye-level
  • Staying active to help loosen stiff and aching muscles
  • Having regular work breaks (you can walk and stretch in your workspace)

 

Talk to a Certified Neck Pain Chiropractor in Newnan

Having constant neck pain can be upsetting, especially when you have a lot of work to do. Thankfully, there are effective and long-term remedies like upper cervical chiropractic care. It alleviates pain regardless of the root cause of your condition.

Whether you have a herniated disc, a cervical misalignment, or osteoarthritis, seeking upper cervical care can help you cope better with your pain.

Upper cervical care is a unique chiropractic technique. Focusing on the C1 and C2 bones, it provides structural support to your head, brainstem, and cranial nerves. The process involves checking for possible cervical misalignment using digital imaging techniques.

Then, once the upper cervical chiropractor has a clear grasp of the degree of your cervical subluxation, he can begin planning how to restore your spine’s natural curvature.

Upper cervical chiropractic is a widely used remedy for chronic neck pain. It provides long-term relief to patients because it removes the pressure on pinched or irritated nerves, brainstem tissue, and muscles. The procedure also works for various age groups, ranging from school-aged kids to seniors.

Suppose you have been struggling with neck pain for weeks or months and haven’t achieved your desired results with pain medication or other neck pain remedies. In that case, we recommend using upper cervical chiropractic.

Call Liberty Upper Cervical Chiropractic at (770) 523-7755, and we will be happy to help you begin your healing and recovery journey. You can also schedule your first consultation with Dr. Brandon, our licensed neck pain chiropractor in Newnan.

 

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Hard, call our Newnan office 678-661-5889, or just click the button below.

If you are outside of the local area, you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.

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