Your neck also called your cervical spine, begins at the base of the skull and contains seven small vertebrae. The cervical spine supports the weight of your head, around 12 pounds. Because we are able to move our neck in nearly every direction, this flexibility makes the neck very susceptible to injury.

Prolonged sitting, repetitive activities, accidents, falls and everyday wear and tear also contribute to neck pain and dysfunction.

Typical Causes of Neck Pain:

Injury and Accidents: a sudden "whipping" motion injures the surrounding and supporting muscles, ligaments and tendons of the head and neck. Muscles react by tightening and contracting which results in pain and stiffness. Severe whiplash can also effect the discs, and nerve roots. Car accidents are the most common cause of whiplash.

Growing Older: Degenerative disorders such as osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, and degenerative disc disease affect the spine.

• Osteoarthritis, a common joint disorder, causes progressive deterioration of cartilage. The bodies reaction is to form bone spurs that can affect joint motion or in the cervical spine compress nerves.

• Spinal Stenosis causes the small nerve openings in the vertebrae to become narrow, compressing the nerve roots which results in arm, shoulder, neck pain as well as numbness and burning.

• Degenerative Disc Disease affects the intervertebral disc heights. Over time the disc may bulge or herniate causing tingling, numbness, and pain that can extend from the neck to the hand.

Other Causes: Poor posture, obesity, and a weak abdominal muscles often cause poor spinal balance. The result is a forward head carriage or military neck. Stress and emotional tension can cause muscles to tighten and contract resulting in pain and stiffness. Poor posture contributes to chronic neck and upper back pain.

Consult Our Office

During your visit, a thorough history and comprehensive exam will be performed in order to locate the source of your pain. Your exam will include an evaluation of posture, range of motion and physical condition, noting movements that causes pain. A neurological exam will include an evaluation of reflexes, muscle strength. X-rays may be recommended in order to evaluate disc spaces, fractures, bone spurs, and arthritis.

Chiropractic care has a history of producing excellent results with those suffering from neck pain. And we do it naturally, without drugs or surgery.

At ChiroZone Fitness we specialize in reducing interference to the nervous system in the neck. Many of our patients find that chiropractic care gives them relief from both minor and major neck and shoulder complaints.

Call 404-578-2114 or email Dr. Cone with your question using the link below. Schedule a no-obligation consultation and find out if you're a good candidate for today's safe and natural chiropractic care. 

Email your questions to Dr. Cone at                       drcone@chirozonefitness.com