Neck pain that does not stay in your neck

Neck pain can come from strained muscles and stiff joints, an irritated nerve, or something that needs a medical doctor instead of us. So neck pain treatment at Source Chiropractic in Clarksville starts with your symptoms, your history and an exam, and we'll tell you if care here fits what we find.

When is neck pain an emergency?

These are the warning signs MedlinePlus lists. Call 911 for neck pain with fever, a severe headache and a very stiff neck, or if you can't move an arm or hand after an injury. Neck or arm pain with chest discomfort, shortness of breath, sweating or nausea may also be an emergency. New weakness, trouble walking or keeping your balance, or bladder or bowel changes need a prompt medical assessment.

New difficulty passing urine, loss of bladder or bowel control, or numbness around the genitals, buttocks or inner thighs also needs emergency assessment, especially alongside back or leg symptoms. Those can be signs of cauda equina syndrome, an emergency involving the nerves at the bottom of the spinal canal.

Please don't wait for a routine appointment with us if you have any of these.

Is it a stiff neck or a pinched nerve?

A stiff, sore neck can follow hours in one position, desk work or an awkward night's sleep, and many episodes settle over a few weeks. For that ordinary kind, the NHS suggests a low, firm pillow.

Pain that travels into an arm, especially with tingling, numbness or weakness, may involve a nerve root in the neck, where a herniated disc or age-related changes can narrow the space around the nerve. The medical name is cervical radiculopathy, often called a pinched nerve.

The two can overlap, and the spot that hurts most isn't always where the problem starts, so we want to hear about your shoulder, arm and hand too. Our arm and leg pain guide covers nerve symptoms, and our disc injury guide explains the terms on an imaging report.

What helps ordinary neck pain day to day?

For uncomplicated neck pain, the NHS recommends staying mobile and avoiding long stretches in one position. It advises against driving or cycling if a stiff neck makes either unsafe, and says pain that won't go away, or pins and needles, should be assessed.

Everyday details worth going over with us:

• how often your screen, reading position or work routine lets you change position
• which movements suit your symptoms, and which symptoms are a sign to stop
• how well your pillow supports you in the position you usually sleep in
• which changes in arm strength or feeling you should report promptly

An individual plan is more useful than forcing a stretch to a preset angle or copying an ice schedule off the internet. Every plan here is built around your own exam and history.

What happens at a neck pain assessment?

Your chiropractor will ask when it started, if there was a fall or a collision, where the pain travels and what it's keeping you from doing. Bring reports from any earlier treatment, and tell us about medical conditions that could affect your care. Then the exam: how the joints in your neck move, where muscles are tight, any swelling, and any sign of nerve irritation running into your arm.

Not every sore neck needs an X-ray or MRI. According to MedlinePlus, imaging may be recommended when your symptoms or medical history raise a specific concern, such as a fracture, an infection, a tumor or a neurological problem.

After the exam we'll go over what we found, whether it's your neck's joints and muscles, a nerve, or something for another doctor, before we recommend anything. Depending on your condition and goals, that may mean a short course of care, longer-term options, or a referral elsewhere.

Neck manipulation: the risks and the other options

You can ask us what a treatment is meant to help with and what would change the plan, and you're free to turn down any technique. Active rehabilitation or a referral are options too.

We'd rather you hear the risks from us. According to the NCCIH, part of the National Institutes of Health, manipulation can cause soreness or a headache, serious neurological complications have been reported with uncertain frequency, and neck manipulation is associated with artery tears that can cause a stroke.

If your neck pain started with a collision, our whiplash guide covers the warning signs that need an emergency room before any routine care.

If we are not able to help you with your problem or are unable to reduce your pain levels, we will make sure to give you a recommendation to another experienced provider.