Specialist neck pain care in Bristol

A Bit About The Neck...

The seven bones that form the neck are called the cervical vertebrae. They’re linked together by facet joints which, together with the neck muscles, allow you to move your head in any direction. Between the bones are discs of cartilage known as intervertebral discs. At the level of each disc, nerve roots branch out from the spinal cord. Electrical impulses travel along these nerves supplying sensations such as pain, touch and vibration to the brain and movement to the muscles of your arms. The bones help to support the head and protect the spinal cord which contains the nerve supply to the rest of your body.

What Can Go Wrong?

There are a variety of reasons people might experience neck pain, from something as simple as sleeping in an awkward position, to more serious situations such as road traffic accidents resulting in whiplash of the neck, caused by the straining and spraining of the muscles and ligaments. It can often be the result of poor posture, which is particularly common amongst people who spend prolonged periods sitting at a desk and using a computer. Neck pain can also be the result of tension in the neck, caused by stress or anxiety.

What Causes Neck Pain?

The most common causes of neck pain are:

• Muscle strains and joint sprains - Tight muscles due to stress and tension can cause neck pain and headaches. Poor posture also causes altered biomechanics which results in muscle tension, joint stiffness and pain
  
• Whiplash - Whiplash injuries are most often seen as a result of car accidents. They’re caused by the body being carried forward, causing the head to be thrown back. Then, as the body stops, the head is thrown forwards. There’s often a delay before you feel any pain or stiffness. The pain is caused by the stretching of the ligaments and the capsule around the facet joints, along with muscle spasm as the body tries to protect the injury
  
• Osteoarthritis - wear and tear of the cartilage within the facet joints and discs as we age causes extra bone growth to occur between the vertebrae known as osteophytes. The disc space between the vertebrae also narrows. This results in neck pain and reduced movement

Specialist Treatment And Prevention Of Neck Pain

After lower back pain, neck pain is the next most common reason people come to us for help, so needless to say we’ve got a wealth of experience in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of neck pain:

1. Diagnosis - 3D Movement Scanners
2. Treatment - manual therapy, such as manipulating the spine and massage, carried out by physiotherapists or chiropractors.
3. Strength and conditioning - Pilates and rehabilitation where you're taught exercises to strengthen your muscles and improve your posture
   

Your road to recovery begins with a full assessment with a physiotherapist or chiropractor

If you have a particular question about neck pain, why not ask one of our expert clinicians for some free advice?

Chiropractic is for everybody. Whether you suffer from long term back pain, your wrist is aching from working at the kitchen table, you’ve pulled your shoulder at the gym, or you slept funny and woke up with a niggle in your neck…

Booking in for an assessment with one of our specialists will put your mind at ease, provide you with a sound explanation, and a plan to combat the pain.

We’re all guilty of putting our bodies on the back-burner, but it’s best to take the first step and catch pain early to prevent it progressing down the line. The sooner we get it sorted, the better!

Doctors of Chiropractic are trained to diagnose, treat, manage and prevent disorders of the musculoskeletal system (bones, joints, and muscles), as well as the effects these disorders can have on the nervous system and general health. They have a specialist interest in neck and back pain, but when they assess patients, they take their entire physical, emotional and social wellbeing into account.

Chiropractors use a range of techniques to reduce pain, improve function and increase mobility, including hands-on manipulation of the spine. Chiropractic care mainly involves safe, often gentle, specific spinal manipulation to free joints in the spine or other areas of the body that are not moving properly. These are known as 'adjustments'. Apart from manipulation, chiropractors may use a variety of techniques including ice, heat, ultrasound, exercise and acupuncture as well as advice about posture and lifestyle.

Chiropractic is a regulated primary healthcare profession. The title of 'chiropractor' is protected by law and it is a criminal offence for anyone to describe themselves as a chiropractor without being registered with the GCC. All of our chiropractors are properly qualified and registered to practice.

Chiropractic places its emphasis on the examination, diagnosis and management of problems and/or conditions that can affect the spine, nervous system, muscles or extremity joints of the body (the neuro-musculoskeletal system).

The musculoskeletal system is the largest system in the human body. It is constructed of muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and numerous neurological components that coordinate it. Chiropractors specialise in maintaining this system, allowing it to function more effectively and with minimum wear and tear. Where there is a problem, chiropractic offers an established method of diagnosis and treatment, providing effective relief from any pain or discomfort.

Most people associate chiropractic care with the treatment of back pain, neck pain and headaches. We go further than that and our chiropractors take into consideration your overall health status before embarking on a treatment programme, in co-operation with you, the patient.

People from all walks of life and of all ages can benefit from chiropractic care. Using a variety of manipulative techniques designed to improve the function of joints and reduce muscle spasm, our qualified chiropractors help to relieve the particular stresses that are causing a condition to occur in the first place, which ultimately leads to pain reduction and improved functional capacity.