MECHANICAL NECK PAIN
A very common complaint of most people of all ages is neck pain. The culprit for most of the people who are suffering is Mechanical neck pain. Mechanical neck pain can cause people to miss work or go through their daily activities struggling with discomfort.
Mechanical neck and back pain implies the source of pain is in the spine and/or its supporting structure. This occurs when one of the joints in the spine loses its normal joint play (resiliency and shock absorption). It is detected through motion palpation, a procedure in which the doctor gently moves the joint in different directions and assesses its joint play. When a joint develops dysfunction, its normal range of movement may be affected and it can become painful. In addition, joint dysfunction can lead to a muscle imbalance and muscle pain and a vicious cycle:
- The loss of joint play can cause abnormal signals to the nervous system (there are an abundance of nerve receptors in the joint).
- The muscles related to that joint can subsequently become tense or, conversely, underactive.
- The resulting muscle imbalance can place increased stress on the joint, aggravating the joint dysfunction that already exists.
Any joint of the spine, from the neck all the way down to the sacroiliac joints, can cause mechanical pain. Joints are designed to move and when they do not, pain and degeneration occurs. Conservative treatment is designed for maximizing motion, improving flexibility and finally maximizing muscular coordination, endurance and strength.
Mechanical neck pain can not only create local neck symptoms but also symptoms into the shoulders and upper extremities, as well as headaches. Most people with mechanical back pain experience pain primarily in the lower back. The pain may radiate (spread) to the buttocks, thighs, or knees. Many people may also experience spasms with mechanical back pain. Conservative management and changes in physical activity behavior will typically resolve this condition and can prevent future episodes. A study (08/03) published in Spine tested which method worked better to treat chronic spine pain, acupuncture, spinal manipulation, or drugs.
Results: "Manipulation is superior to both drugs and acupuncture."
Method: 115 patients randomly assigned to receive either manipulation, drugs (Celebrex, Vioxx, or paracetamol), or acupuncture.
The patients in the manipulation group reported 47% improvement as compared to 15% for the acupuncture group and 18% for the medicine group. The improvement was not limited to just back pain, but also included improvement of one's overall health. There have been many studies since then confirming this finding as well as studies that support manipulation AND exercise as the best form of treatment.
Mechanical Neck Pain