Neck Pain, How is it caused?

Neck pain is a very common problem. Causes range from poor posture and a general lack of mobility through to more sudden and traumatic injuries such as whiplash after a motor vehicle accident.

The nature of neck pain can vary significantly from just a mild ache through to a pain so severe that it can totally interfere with your daily life.

The neck consists of seven vertebrae with discs between them as well as two facet joints at each level behind the disc.

Collectively the anatomy of the cervical spine allows us to move our head freely in space so that we can look left and right up down and experience our world.

When dysfunction and inflammation of the spinal joints and local soft tissues affect the ability of the neck to move properly, this can be experienced as neck pain. Usually this neck pain is reasonably well isolated to just a small area but if the problem becomes significant enough it can also irritate nerve roots which then may lead to referral patterns, typically into one or both arms in the form of a dull ache, a pins and needles or even a shooting pain.

Parkinson Chiropractic is well equipped to determine the likely cause of your neck pain and treat it accordingly.

When we treat you for your neck pain we will not merely focus on the chiropractic treatment of a joint which may be painful, but rather we like to take a holistic view of the other surrounding soft tissues as well. This is why in our treatment you will receive heat and massage before any other sort of chiropractic work is given. It is our belief that when you are relaxed before your treatment better results are gained. Your treatment will usually involve heat and massage as well as specific spinal adjustments, appropriate rehabilitation exercises and home care advice.

Got Neck Pain? Come see us!

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Posture, Headaches & Chiropractic

By Duane Parkinson • October 2, 2019

Millions of people suffer each and every day with headaches as a result of their posture. Our modern world finds us for too many hours sitting in front of a PC or looking down at our phones or tablet devices. Whenever we look down and our head is carried forward, increased pressure is placed on the tissues and joints of the neck. This in turn over time leads to premature degenerative changes as well as chronic headaches. Maintaining good spinal posture helps not only to reduce stress on the spinal tissues and joints of the neck but can also help to significantly reduce headaches. Re-establishing normal joint motion in the neck is an essential first step to reduce stress on the neck and its soft tissues and to ease pain by reducing inflammation. This is why chiropractic can be so effective in treating tension type headaches. After better neck mobility is re-established, evidence-based chiropractors will then give you a specific exercise program so things continue to work well into the future. If chronic headaches have become a problem for you, there is a good chance posture and stress on the neck may be the issue and that some appropriate chiropractic care is the very thing you need. Parkinson Chiropractic @ Toowoomba Allied Health is an evidence-based chiro clinic where each visit is always longer than 30 minutes and you will always receive heat packs and a good massage before any chiro work is given. Ph: 4632 1136 #parkinsonchiropractic #toowoombaalliedhealth #chiropractic #posture #headaches #spine #pain

Learn about the different types of headaches

By Dr Duane Parkinson • August 1, 2019

There are numerous different types of headache, ranging from Tension and Cervicogenic headaches through to much more serious causes such as headache secondary to a head injury or brain tumor. If there is any suspicion that the cause of your headache needs urgent medical attention, you will be immediately referred to your GP. Thankfully though, the majority of tension and cervicogenic type headaches will respond well to Chiropractic treatment. Each appointment at Parkinson Chiropractic & Musculoskeletal Centre includes heat and massage from a massage therapist as well as your chiropractic treatment. It is all included as the one experience. Your visit lasts over 30 minutes so you will have plenty of time to relax and ask questions as well as for us to give you the best care your body needs. We've always believed in this more relaxed pace of treatment and our focus is very much on you during your time with us. Headache Types 1. Cervicogenic Headache Although the pain is very much felt in the head, the actual source of the problem is in the neck joints. Typically these headaches are one-sided intense non-throbbing headache that can cause nausea and vomiting if severe enough. It can sometimes feel like the pain is behind one eye ball. There will be no visual disturbance or neurological signs as are sometimes found in migraine and typically involves pain and discomfort in the upper neck 2. Tension Headache This type of headache usually presents as a generalised headache characterized as a dull tightness around the scalp. Tension headaches can affect concentration, mood and can cause nausea. 3. Migraine Headache Usually an intense headache on one side that can involve nausea, vomiting and visual disturbance. Some migraines begin with visual disturbance like partial blind spots or squiggly lines in the visual field with the headache pain starting after about 20 minutes. It has a throbbing pulsating nature. Due to its severity and the other symptoms the migraine patient cannot function and is often bedridden. Diagnosis and Treatment At your appointment we will conduct a headache history as well as any tests needed. Providing that the headache is not due to a serious medical issue, treatment will have at it’s core the goal of pain relief via the use of heat, massage and also specific spinal manipulation/adjustments to restore good joint functioning. Essentially we want to restore proper joint functioning in the neck and thus reduce muscular tension and also local soft tissue inflammation. These are often the reason why headaches are being experienced.

Back pain is a significant problem in our society

By Dr Duane Parkinson • July 24, 2019

It is estimated that up to 80% of the adult population will experience an episode of back pain at least once.

What's causing your shoulder pain?

By Dr Duane Parkinson • July 24, 2019

At the Parkinson Chiropractic & Musculoskeletal Centre we do not limit ourselves to only care of the spine. Shoulder problems can also often be aided with Chiropractic care as well as massage. Sometimes shoulder pain is caused by irritation and inflammation of the shoulder joint structures themselves and at other times the shoulder pain being felt is more because of a referred pain from another area such as the neck joints. The shoulder joint is the most mobile joint in the body. It needs to be so that we can place our hand in all the many and varied positions we do through any given day. This fantastic mobility though comes with a catch. The shoulder joint is not stabilised by a deep socket as it the case in the hip, rather it is stabilised by a grouping of muscles that together are called the rotator cuff. A breakdown of the normal functioning of the rotator cuff is a major cause of many shoulder pain issues. Causes of Shoulder Pain Shoulder pain can range from a mild annoyance to a complete inability to move the shoulder. This is because shoulder pain can actually come from many different causes. Mild shoulder pain following over-use is often caused by swelling and inflammation of the muscles, tendons or joint itself. Minor shoulder inflammation secondary to some low level activities such as sport or shoveling may often go away on its own in a few days and need no treatment. Pain that lasts past a few days however is something that should be evaluated. Rotator Cuff Injury Rotator cuff syndrome is caused by inflammation, swelling, or even tears in the muscles and tendons of the rotator cuff. The most common tendon injured in rotator cuff syndrome is the supraspinatus tendon. The supraspinatus tendon is on the top of the shoulder and is located between two bones. Whenever you raise your arm to the side and up to your ear, the supraspinatus tendon can (if things aren’t working properly) be pinched between the two bones. Muscular imbalances can place the supraspinatus tendon in a position where it is even more likely to be pinched. Rotator cuff syndrome causes shoulder pain in the front and side of the shoulder, and the pain is often worse at night. Lifting the arm to the side, especially if you are holding anything, is very painful. Any activity that involves a lot of overhead arm motion, such as swimming, throwing, or even sleeping with your arm up, can cause rotator cuff syndrome.