7 Chiropractic Tips For Chronic Neck Pain

Chiropractors work closely with patients to identify the causes of chronic neck pain, so we can create personalized treatment plans for our clients. 

Once we have a clear diagnosis, we use our office consultations to implement proven chiropractic techniques. These include spinal manipulation and adjustment, traction, and other innovative healing services.

However, during this time we also answer questions and share information, techniques, and treatments patients can use at home and at work to support and heal chronic neck pain.

Neck Pain Relief: 7 Things You Can Do At Home & Work

The combination of regular chiropractic care appointments and supportive neck pain treatment at home exponentially relieves neck pain and soreness while treating related pain and discomfort, like headaches, joint stiffness, general tension, muscle tightness, and more.

Here are seven chiropractic tips for neck and whole-body pain relief you can maintain at home, at work, and in the car.

1. Focus on (and correct) healthy posture

While it might seem like a recent whiplash or similar neck injury led to sustained neck pain, there is a good chance these actions were a catalyst for symptoms already in motion.

How we stand, sit, sleep, and move in daily life tremendously impacts spine health. During your appointment, we'll watch your movements and have you demonstrate everyday motions or postures that affect the neck and spine. 

For example, while you may think you're sitting or standing perfectly straight, a look in the mirror may surprise you. The brain often corrects our perception of posture, so you can't necessarily "feel" things like:

• Forward head posture.
• Curvatures in the neck and back.
• Shoulder elevation or shoulder shrugging (in one or both shoulders).
• Slight tilting of the head on the axis of the spine (C2 vertebrae)
• Misalignments in the lower back that throw the whole spine out of whack.

As with many things in life, awareness is the first step. After your initial examination and neck adjustment, we'll show you (and gently manipulate your body through a series of adjustments) what healthy posture looks and feels like in your body. This gives you a starting point.

Then, at home, you can set a timer or alert on your phone (every 20 minutes is ideal), reminding you to:

• Take deep, slow belly breaths (a healthy pain management skill and a way to perform minute corrections in spinal alignment).
• Relax your shoulder and jaw.
• Look in a mirror (if possible) and correct notable forward head positions.
• Do a stretch or small exercise we've provided as part of your home physical rehabilitation routine. 
• Repeat

If you do this multiple times throughout the day, without straining or hurting yourself, your body will respond by growing stronger and relearning healthy posture muscle memory.

2. Make healthy lifestyle changes that support healing

New information is revealed daily about how much the body relies on healthy lifestyle choices to sustain well-being. 

When you come to see us, we'll evaluate your current lifestyle and build healing-friendly additions or changes to your treatment plan. If you are overweight, which exacerbates neck pain or other physical complications, healthy lifestyle changes are the foundation of sustainable weight management.

Focus on an anti-inflammatory diet

People who focus on an anti-inflammatory diet report exponential relief from chronic pain. This includes patients who have debilitating arthritis, back pain, or other chronic diseases. It's also a top diet plan used to manage some of the most common health conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

An anti-inflammatory diet centers around:

• Lean proteins
• Lots of fresh vegetables and fruits
• Complex whole-grains
• Minimal refined sugars and processed foods.

The Mediterranean Diet is one of the most well-known and easy-to-follow versions. Speak to your chiropractor and physician about which anti-inflammatory diet makes sense for your current medical history.

Stay hydrated (drinking mostly water)

Water is essential for spine health. Not only is the spine and hollow parts of the brain filled with cerebrospinal fluid (mostly water), the gel inside your vertebral discs is also primarily comprised of water. 

Whether you're suffering from degenerative disc disease, spinal compression, or just a series of misalignments in the spine or joints, any dehydration of the body means less fluid in the spine (and joints) - and that's a problem. Drink at least 8 to 12 glasses of water per day. If you suffer from neck pain, you should also minimize the amount of sugary beverages or alcohol you consume, as these are significant inflammatory triggers.

Do a little exercise every day

Normally, we recommend getting moderate exercise at least three to five days per week. However, when you're in the midst of chiropractic treatment for neck, shoulder, or back pain, a little exercise daily has exponential benefits.

In addition to chiropractic neck adjustments, the exercises we "prescribe" act like physical therapy. Some exercises or movements are strength-building, while recommended stretches increase flexibility and mobility.  This combined approach keeps the head/neck/spine in healthy positions while strengthening the muscles, ligaments, and other connective tissues that support correct alignment. 

For sustained relief from chronic neck pain, we recommend doing multiple shorter exercise sessions throughout the day. Over time, we'll adjust your exercise technique and methods in accordance with your symptoms, side effects, and pain levels.

Establish healthy sleep habits

Finally, healthy sleep habits are another critical lifestyle change that can work wonders for healing and pain relief. Deep sleep cycles are when the body does the most cellular restoration and healing. 

Sleep is also required for:

• Immunity boosting.
• Reduced inflammation.
• Hormone balance.
• Better energy levels. 
• Increased metabolism
• Etc.

We understand that interrupted sleep is a natural side effect of chronic pain. However, once you're committed to routine chiropractic care, our advice around daily exercise and healthy lifestyle habits - better sleep is one of many beneficial results.

3. Evaluate and correct home & work ergonomics

Ergonomics became quite a buzzword in the 90s when sedentary office life became the norm for many. The US Department of Labor explains ergonomics as

"...fitting a job to a person --- helps lessen muscle fatigue, increases productivity and reduces the number and severity of work-related MSDs [musculoskeletal disorders]."

However, you can take that practice into your home life as well. 

Ergonomics at home

At home, ergonomics would look like:

• Investing in a mattress and pillows that support how you sleep.
• Install adequate lighting (eye strain can cause head/neck strain that exacerbates existing issues).
• Ensuring countertops are at the right level for your height.
• Be mindful of haunching over, correcting posture whenever you can.
• Adjust home desks and chairs to your body proportions (more on that under the section "ergonomics at work").
• Ensuring your favorite chair or couch spot supports good posture, using pillows or chiropractor-recommended support aids).
• Using personalized postural support in your car (talk to use about the best lumbar supports for vehicle seats).

During our session, we can talk to you in more detail about home support and position systems that best support your specific condition.

Ergonomics at work

Since the pandemic, the lines between work and home life have been increasingly blurred. Many of the bullet points above make sense here as well.

However, we recommend reading the NIH's tips for computer workstation ergonomics to ensure all of your home and work desk stations are set up for your comfort or specific diagnosis. 

If you work in another industry, OSHA's page on ergonomics offers information specific to various industries and professions. And, of course, we're always here to provide additional information when you come in for a chiropractic adjustment.

4. Try heat therapy

When appropriate, we use heated pads and towels to provide gentle heat therapy for patients who find relief that way. Heat increases circulation, which provides healing benefits. It also relaxes the muscles, which get them out of tense, tight bundles that can trigger nerve pain signals. 

If you experience neck pain relief from heat therapy, use it daily at home to augment our in-office chiropractic adjustments. This might include:

• Heating pads
• Microwave-safe, therapy-specific pads you can get online or at local drug stores.
• Soaking in a hot tub or bath.
• Saunas.
• Hot, moist compresses (using a hot, damp towel folded and applied to the neck or shoulders) 

We always emphasize listening to your body. Don't do it if it doesn't feel good, and check in with us next time. However, if heat helps you relax and reduces pain, then continue using heat therapy and report back at your next session.

5. Use Cold therapy

While hot therapy relaxes neck muscles and increases circulation, cold therapy is used specifically to target reduced inflammation. Many patients find that alternating hot and cold therapies works wonders for their pain and can help them reduce or eliminate the need for pain medications.

Here in the office, we use cold laser therapy, which uses low-level laser light (it doesn't cut or burn) to stimulate healing at the cellular level. In addition to being safe, studies show cold laser therapy successfully reduces lower back pain and other common musculoskeletal discomforts in the majority of patients who use it. Recent research also indicates low-level laser therapy (cold laser therapy) may also catalyze nerve regeneration. While you won't have access to this type of therapy at home, you can use ice packs for a similar but less dramatic effect.

You can purchase ice packs specific to the neck online or in stores. You can also wrap a bag of frozen peas or similar vegetables in a dish towel or hand towel and place it on the neck/shoulder area for up to 10 to 20 minutes at a time.

Again, some patients find great benefits from cold therapy; others don't. Do what feels right for you, and we can discuss it next time we see you. 

6. Use a home TENS unit

TENS stands for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. This process uses a very mild electrical current to stimulate nerve and muscle tissue.

We use EMS therapy in our office, so you'll have your first experience of it with us. We'll recommend our favorite home units, which can be used daily and at the level that is most comfortable for you. These gentle electrical impulses can:

• Reduce pain signaling in the nerves, providing instant pain relief.
• Minimize inflammation and edema (fluid collection).
• Stimulate healing.
• Ease muscle tension, creating longer periods of post-therapy relaxation.

You'll almost feel like you've had a professional massage after combining heat therapy, some good stretching, and a session with your home TENS machine.

7. Quit smoking and excessive drinking

Multiple studies and evidence-based research show that people who smoke are at higher risk for chronic pain. The same applies to adults who consume more than three drinks per day. Those who smoke and drink are at even higher risk due to changes in the nervous system, including lower pain sensitivity.

If you smoke or drink heavily, please be honest with us. We are a judgment-free place where patients can get the help they need to quit unhealthy habits and work with us to enjoy greater ease and wellness.

Schedule An Appointment With Zahn Chiropractic & Heal Chronic Neck Pain

If you suffer from chronic neck pain, we invite you to schedule a consultation with Zahn Chiropractic. We use a whole-body approach to health and wellness and will do all we can to provide sustainable and manageable pain relief.

Contact us to request an appointment so we can learn more about your story and find ways for you to integrate these and other tips that bring comfort and joy back into your daily life.