Neck Pain Doctor In Chapel Hill, NC
If you are suffering from neck pain, contact our Chapel Hill, NC neck pain doctor at Acupractic Natural Healing Center. As a licensed acupuncturist and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Lisa Oskardmay has helped many patients find the relief they need. For more than two decades, Dr. Oskardmay has successfully used chiropractic treatments to reduce or eliminate patients’ neck pain. When the body is unhealthy, it can negatively affect every aspect of a person’s life. If stress is a neck pain trigger, the pain itself can cause further stress, leading to a downward spiral of misery. Also, improper posture or inflammation can cause problems down the road; problems which can be alleviated and avoided with proper and early diagnosis and treatment. The natural treatment we provide at Acupractic Natural Healing Center may be your ideal solution.
We’ve assisted thousands of people just like you and look forward to helping you. Call us today to schedule an appointment with a neck pain doctor in Chapel Hill, NC who can help you return to a life of wellness.
The Neck and Cervical Spine
The bones located in the neck make up the cervical spine. It contains seven vertebrae and begins at the base of the skull. The cervical spine supports the full weight of your head.
The human neck is a complex structure, so many things can lead to pain and reduced function. Typically, its moving parts all work together harmoniously. However, the neck is vulnerable to a break down in its function, resulting in acute or chronic pain if the following components don’t work in concert:
- Neck vertebrae
- Intervertebral discs (can bulge or rupture)
- Facet joints (intervertebral connectors)
- Nerve roots (which extend through vertebral spaces)
- Connective tissues (that mobilize and support the neck)
Common Causes of Neck Pain
Even if you have suffered from chronic neck pain for quite some time, you may not be aware of the causes or triggers that contribute to your painful condition. For many patients, it’s a combination of factors. After undergoing a brief but comprehensive exam by Dr. Oskardmay of Acupractic Natural Healing Center, your diagnosis may shed light on what will be the most effective treatment to reduce or eliminate your neck pain. A respected neck pain doctor in Chapel Hill, NC, Dr. Oskardmay has helped her patients regain the quality of life they once enjoyed before their condition developed. Whether or not the triggers causing your neck pain are in this list, she can very likely help your:
- Muscle strain. If any of your neck muscles are overextended or stretched too far, they are susceptible to tearing. Poor posture or insufficient neck support can lead to neck muscle strain. A Chapel Hill, NC neck pain doctor such as Dr. Oskardmay can teach you how to avoid muscle strain.
- Mechanical issues with the discs or facet joints. When a person ages, they can experience wear and tear in these areas of the body, and that can cause chronic neck pain. After examining your condition, Dr. Oskardmay can determine if chiropractic treatment or acupuncture can reduce your pain levels.
- Cervical spine conditions. As an experienced neck pain doctor in Chapel Hill, NC, Dr. Oskardmay will be able to determine if you are suffering from any of a range of spinal issues. These can include:
– Cervical degenerative disc disease. If your cervical spinal disc is worn or has degenerated, it can cause occasional but severe pain and instability of the neck. For some, the pain is not as pronounced but is chronically uncomfortable. Nerves from the cervical spine carry muscle and sensory information to the shoulders, arms, elbow, forearm, wrist, and fingers; problems in the neck will affect these areas. Likewise, pain in the shoulders, arms, and hands can travel back to the neck changing degenerative processes there. A skilled diagnostician such as Dr. Lisa Oskardmay understands these connections and will work to get the correct diagnosis before treatment.
– Cervical osteoarthritis. If the cervical spine develops osteoarthritis, it can lead to neck stiffness and pain because it causes excessive friction between the neck’s facet joints. This friction and irritation between cervical vertebrae will result in pain and inflammation which, over time, will cause remodeling of the cervical vertebrae. It can also cause bone spurs which in turn can lead to nerve irritation and impingement with severe pain located at the base of the skull as well as in the hands, arms, or shoulders.
– Anterior head carriage is a cause of cervical hyperlordosis. Many people suffer from an anterior head carriage in today’s high-tech world because they lean forward to type on a computer or cell phone, both activities we need for home and work. The normal curve in the cervical spine, lordosis, is accentuated from the fixed head position, contributing to shortness and tightening of the anterior neck muscles and tightness and muscle spasm of the posterior neck muscles. Over time, muscle imbalance combined with vertebral misalignment causes pain and inflammation, eventually causing cervical spine vertebrae degeneration, herniated disc syndrome or shoulder impairment.
– Certain forms of arthritis affect the neck and cervical vertebrae preferentially. For instance, rheumatoid arthritis causes cervical vertebrae degeneration, instability and pain in the hands and wrists. If you have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis or have a family history of this or any other arthritis, be sure to tell Dr. Oskardmay. She may ask for additional diagnostic procedures such as x-ray, MRI or even blood work to make sure the treatment provided is helpful and safe. Blood work in persons with rheumatoid arthritis will show elevated markers of inflammation such as C-reactive protein or erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Additional blood panel indicators will be the presence of rheumatoid factor and antinuclear antibody. Blood tests can show the presence of markers such as those described, but it is essential to recognize that the mere presence of these markers does not mean the patient has rheumatoid arthritis or any other disease process; proper diagnosis relies on clinical finding, as well. On the other hand, other forms of vertebral degenerative disorder such as spondylosis are relatively uncommon in the cervical spine and not frequent causes of neck pain and disability. Be prepared to discuss your medical history with Dr. Oskardmay.
Symptoms of neck arthritis may include tingling, numbness, and weakness in the arms, hands, legs or feet; lack of coordination and difficulty walking; abnormal reflexes; loss of control over bladder and bowel. Neck pain might be the first indication of a deeper problem- be sure to have your neck pain checked today. Diagnosis and treatment will help you in many ways, on many levels.
Chiropractic Care for Neck Pain
When you have a neck problem like any of those listed above, it can interfere with many routine daily tasks. Maybe you can’t turn your head to look behind you. Or, the pain is interfering with your work. Perhaps you can’t get comfortable to sleep. A Chapel Hill, North Carolina neck pain doctor knows just how uncomfortable, annoying, and even debilitating that neck issues can be. Our office offers non-invasive and drug-free chiropractic treatments for neck problems that can relieve pain, restore mobility, and ideally, improve your quality of life.
A Non-Surgical, Drug-Free Way to Manage Neck Symptoms
Chiropractors, like a neck pain doctor in Chapel Hill, NC, are educated and trained in the use of numerous diagnostic tools which help them locate the source of the neck pain. Our chiropractor can evaluate your cervical spine with our cutting-edge diagnostic tools, and discuss your pain, movement restriction, lifestyle activities, and any other symptoms to determine the root cause of your pain.
We may recommend some of these therapies alone or in combination:
- Adjustments of the cervical spine
- Spinal decompression (to relieve pressure on discs and pinched nerve roots)
- Deep tissue therapy with massage, electrical stimulation, or laser (to alleviate muscle and tissue pain and promote healing)
- Physiotherapy techniques such as exercise rehabilitation and postural adjustments
- Nutritional and lifestyle changes to help support a healthy musculoskeletal system
Let the Neck Pain Doctor in Chapel Hill, NC at Acupuncture Natural Healing Center Help With Your Neck Problems
Neck pain is quite common, but it is definitely not normal. Often, people let their spinal problems go unevaluated and uncorrected. Maybe they hope that the pain will go away, and it may do that temporarily. But if misalignment of the cervical spine is causing the issue, it will likely become irritated again and the pain will come back. Without proper correction and maintenance, the problem can worsen and become more serious.
Some patients may wait too long. Then, surgery and addictive drugs or other medications with numerous side effects may be the only answer. We suggest that you get proper care for your neck problems before it’s too late.
Contact Our Office Today
Your neck is an extraordinary structure, and with a little help from our team, it could be healthy for a lifetime. If you have neck pain, we invite you to call us and schedule an initial consultation and musculoskeletal evaluation. We look forward to discussing how we can help you and hope to be your trusted allies in your clash with acute or chronic neck pain.
If you are suffering from chronic neck pain, you may be able to gain relief from acupuncture or chiropractic treatment. Talk to the Chapel Hill, NC neck pain doctor that the NC community turn to for assistance—make an appointment today.