Old Mill Chiropractic Addresses the Range of Motion of the Cervical Spine in Treating Neck Pain and Headache

December 21, 2021

The cervical spine is unique among the curves of the spine. Unlike its fellow thoracic and lumbar curves, the cervical spine houses the spinal cord quite snugly. The diameter of the vertebral canal in which the spinal cord lies ranges from 11 to 19 mm while the spinal cord measures from 7 to 14 mm depending on the level of the spine. If the size of the spinal canal is small and the cord large, a condition termed stenosis exists and makes pain and disability a greater problem. (4-8) Whatever the size, there is not a lot of space for the spinal nerves that exit the spinal cord let alone any disc herniation or bone spur and the like that may develop. Plus, the cervical spine has to support the average 9-pound head! The cervical spine is amazing. No wonder it appeals to researchers and anatomists and chiropractors like yours at Old Mill Chiropractic and causes such pain for St Peters neck pain sufferers. Fortunately, your St Peters chiropractor knows the cervical spine anatomy and potential painful cervical conditions in addition to the gentle, stretching technique protocols of the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management to relieve the pain.

RESEACHERS STUDY THE CERVICAL SPINE MOTIONS

Such cool developments in the field of radiology are now available and may help back pain healthcare providers like your St Peters chiropractor more beneficially diagnose and care for neck pain as well as surgical colleagues develop more suitable surgical techniques! New 3D computed tomography imaging allows a view of the cervical spine in different positions in normal volunteers. What did the researchers find happens in the neck with this? Flexion-extension range of motion is greatest at C1-2 and C4-5.  C1-2 is where 70% of all axial rotation happens, too. C3-4 range of motion for lateral bending is greater than C1-2, C5-6 and C6-7. (1) The use of Cox® Technic for cervical spine pain allows segment-specific treatment of each of the cervical spine ranges of motion to decrease pain and bring back normal ranges of motion as best as possible.

CERVICAL SPINE TREATMENT FOR CERVICOGENIC HEADACHE

The cervical spine range of motion is addressed in patients with cervicogenic headache. When St Peters chiropractic patients come in with a headache, they’ll often describe limited range of motion. That’s not uncommon. A randomized control trial of spinal manipulation compared to spinal mobilization for relief of cervicogenic headache explained that manipulation and mobilization have comparable effects on disability, pain, global rating of change score, and cervical ranges of motion. (2) Our chiropractic care of the cervical spine treats St Peters neck pain as well as related range of motion issues like acute neck pain.

SPINAL MANIPULATION FOR ACUTE NECK PAIN

Acute St Peters neck pain is a common condition for which patients will seek help from healthcare practitioners like chiropractors as well as general practitioners (GPs). Medications and/or manual therapy are usual treatments. Researchers wrote that GPs were sometimes hesitant to refer for manual therapy as they were not sure about effectiveness and adverse events. In a review of randomized controlled trials published about the effect of spinal manipulation for acute neck pain, researchers found that spinal manipulation alone or in combination with other modalities was effective for acute neck pain with no reported serious adverse effects. (3) Your St Peters chiropractor who knows the cervical spine well and delivers safe spinal manipulation works alongside St Peters general practitioners to assist neck pain sufferers get relief.

CONTACT Old Mill Chiropractic

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. David Kulla on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes how the Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction System of Spinal Pain Management helps him help his patients with neck pain and headache relief.

Set up your St Peters chiropractic appointment today. The uniqueness of the cervical spinal curve and the pain conditions affecting it deserve a unique treatment protocol to ease pain. At Old Mill Chiropractic, that protocol is safe, gentle, and effective!