Do you have neck pain in Altoona? It’s so easy to forget how often we use a certain muscle or part of our spine in everyday life until we experience pain there. The neck is probably the most overlooked part of our bodies that are responsible for so much of our daily experiences. While you are in your car checking your blind spot or someone asks you a question and turn your head and OUCH! Anyone who has had to do the “whole body turn” technique to minimize movements of the neck to decrease pain knows exactly what I’m talking about. If you are having or have had this type of problem, it is crucial to get your neck checked by a chiropractor. Until then, lets take a look at some of the major causes of neck pain.

Spinal Misalignments-
Your spine misaligns due to stress, trauma and toxins. If you are under a lot of stress, had a recent injury or repetitive injuries, or are not eating the healthiest your spine should be checked in our chiropractic office.

Poor Posture-
A major cause of neck pain, especially if most of your day is spent on a computer, is poor posture. We tend to slouch and have forward head carriage after long periods of computer time resulting in muscle strains and eventually disc pressure.

Injury-
There are many ways to injure your neck but most are related to car accidents, sports injuries, or are work related. Regardless of how it happened, it is important to have your spine checked after one of theses occasions even if you don’t have pain because injury could have been done to your spine and ligaments surrounding your spine. If not corrected, this could result in chronic neck pain in the future.

Degeneration-
Unfortunately as we age, the degeneration process sets in. Disc size decreases/becomes less hydrated and bone spurs start forming. This process may cause pain. The only way to decrease how quickly this process occurs is to exercise, eat healthy and get your spine adjusted.