You don’t realize just how much you depend on specific parts of your body until they hurt.

Injuring your neck or back make it painfully obvious that they play a starring role in your every move like driving, cooking, brushing your hair or sitting in front of the TV. Pain in your neck or back can be anything from annoying to debilitating.

Chiropractic care is a widely respected treatment for neck and back pain as both a healing and preventative course of action. Consider visiting a local chiropractor to find out if treatment is right for you.
One of the most obvious causes of neck and back pain is trauma. Whether you were in a motor vehicle accident, wiped out on an icy driveway, or play contact sports the resulting injuries often include whiplash, herniated discs and compressed nerves, and muscle strains. Degenerative diseases such as osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis, can also wreak havoc on the tender points of your upper torso.

Your chiropractor will work to ease your discomfort and help you understand why you’re in pain and customize your treatment for your lifestyle. Chiropractic treatment focuses on helping the body to heal itself by correcting subluxations in the spine that may prevent the body from sending signals that healing is required, or to relax tense muscles that are holding the spine in an unnatural form.

Chiropractic treatment for neck and back pain may include traditional manual adjustments, or innovative technology such as spinal decompression therapy, which uses a specialized table to provide adjustments to your spine that rehydrate herniated discs, and laser therapy that harnesses photobiomodulation to promote circulation and allow the body to heal. All of these options are gentle, non-invasive treatments.

Despite your greatest attempts at remaining upright, you may not be aware of daily habits that contribute to back and neck pain. Do you drive often, play videogames, or peek at your phone several times a day? Here is a list of activities or habits that may affect your posture and cause neck or back pain:

•    Looking down at your cell phone or tablet
•    Reading a book either paperback or on an e-reader
•    How you sit and position your legs when you drive
•    The way you sit in your chair at work
•    Your favourite sleep position

Do you hike carrying a backpack on weekends, or carry a purse everywhere, or lift your baby up and down all day? Even if it isn’t terribly heavy, carrying around the extra weight on your hip or back could make you lean slightly.

Improper or worn-out footwear can put a hitch in your step. Your mattress may not stably support your favourite sleeping position. Over time even the slightest changes to your posture could put more stress on one side of your body, causing painful herniated discs and muscle strains.

Whether the pain you experience in your neck or back is chronic or sporadic, irritating or unbearable, a chiropractor may be able to help. Book an appointment with Dr. Jason Wilson at Wilson Health Services today by calling (519) 624-8000.