The cervical spine is unique among spinal curves. Unlike its fellow thoracic and lumbar curves, the cervical spine contains the spinal cord a bit more snugly. The diameter of the vertebral canal in which the
spinal cord lies varies 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 little and the cord big, a condition termed stenosis exists and creates greater pain and disability. (4-8) Whatever
the size, there isn’t a lot
of space for the spinal nerves that exit the spinal cord regardless
of any disc herniation or bone spur and such that
may develop. Plus, the cervical spine has to support
the average 9-pound head! The cervical spine is amazing.
No wonder it interests researchers and anatomists
and chiropractors like yours at OrthoIllinois Chiropractic and produces
such pain for McHenry neck pain sufferers. Luckily,
your McHenry chiropractor knows the cervical spine
anatomy and potential painful cervical conditions as well as the gentle, stretching
treatment protocols of the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management
to relieve the pain.
RESEACHERS STUDY THE CERVICAL SPINE MOTIONS
Such cool advances in the area
of radiology are now available and may assist back pain healthcare
providers like your McHenry chiropractor more beneficially
diagnose and care for neck pain and surgical
colleagues develop more appropriate 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) Using Cox® Technic for cervical spine pain allows
segment-specific treatment of each of the cervical
spine ranges of motion to ease pain and restore
normal ranges of motion as optimally as possible.
CERVICAL SPINE TREATMENT FOR CERVICOGENIC HEADACHE
The cervical spine range of motion is addressed
in patients with cervicogenic headache. When McHenry chiropractic
patients seek care for a headache, they will
often note limited range of motion. That is not unusual. A randomized control trial of spinal
manipulation versus spinal mobilization for relief of
cervicogenic headache reported that manipulation and mobilization
have similar effects on disability, pain, global rating of
change score, and cervical ranges of motion. (2) Our chiropractic care of the
cervical spine addresses McHenry neck
pain as well as related range of motion issues like acute neck
pain.
SPINAL MANIPULATION FOR ACUTE NECK PAIN
Acute McHenry neck pain is a typical
issue for which patients will look for help
from healthcare practitioners like chiropractors and general
practitioners (GPs). Medications and/or manual therapy are usual
treatments. Researchers wrote that GPs were occasionally
undecided in referring for manual therapy
as they weren’t sure about effectiveness and adverse events. In
a review of randomized controlled trials published regarding the
effect of spinal manipulation for acute neck pain, researchers revealed
that spinal manipulation alone or in combination with other modalities
was valuable for acute neck pain with no serious adverse effects being reported. (3) Your
McHenry chiropractor who understands the cervical spine
well and provides safe spinal manipulation works alongside
McHenry general practitioners to help neck pain
sufferers get relief.
CONTACT OrthoIllinois 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 McHenry
chiropractic appointment soon. The uniqueness of the cervical
spinal curve and the pain conditions affecting it merit
a unique treatment protocol to ease pain. At
OrthoIllinois Chiropractic, that protocol is safe, gentle, and effective!