Acupuncture for Neck Pain

The slightest movements can cause pain when you have a neck injury or condition. Turning your head to greet a friend or a quick glance in your car's side mirror triggers lingering pain. Medication can dull your symptoms, but often comes with side effects, unlike acupuncture. The ancient medical practice eases neck pain and stiffness, helping you enjoy a life without limits once again.

Neck Pain Causes

The neck is made up of a complex system of vertebrae, muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Injuries to any of these structures can lead to pain that may become chronic without treatment. Neck pain is one of the most common types of musculoskeletal (bone, muscle and soft tissue) pain reported in the world, according to the International Association for the Study of Pain.

Common causes of neck pain include:

• Whiplash. Car accidents aren't the only cause of whiplash. Anything that jerks the head back and forth abruptly, such as a ride on a roller coaster, can inflame or damage the muscles, nerves, tendons, or bones in the neck.
• Strains. Strained neck muscles or tendons could be the reason your neck hurts. Strains can be caused by stress, an injury, poor posture, or lifting heavy objects. Do you bend your head when using your cellphone or tablet? Keeping your head bent for hours at a time can eventually cause a painful condition called tech or text neck.
• Stress. Stress tightens muscles in the neck and could be the reason for neck pain and headaches.
• Pinched Nerves. Swelling and inflammation in the tissues surrounding a nerve could pinch or press on the nerve, triggering pain that radiates from your neck to your arm, shoulders, or back.
• Herniated Discs. Your pain could be related to a herniated or bulging disc in your neck.
• Cervical Spondylosis. Cervical spondylosis, or osteoarthritis of the neck, affects more than 85% of people over 60, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Younger people can also develop cervical spondylosis. although the condition usually occurs due to years of wear and tear.

Treating Neck Pain with Acupuncture

Acupuncture eases pain by:

• Reducing Inflammation. Inflammation probably plays a role in your neck pain, no matter the cause. Acupuncture reduces inflammation naturally, relieving pain and stiffness.
• Relieving Pain. As hair-thin acupuncture needles enter your skin, your body releases a flood of endorphins and serotonin. These hormones keep pain under control naturally. Acupuncture is also effective for the headaches that may accompany neck pain. According to American Family Physician, acupuncture improves several painful conditions, including chronic and tension headaches.
• Controlling Stress. Acupuncture loosens muscles in your neck and shoulders that tighten in response to stress. The same hormones that ease your neck pain could also improve stress. Serotonin and endorphins have a naturally calming effect, in addition to their pain-killing properties. Acupuncture treatments also decrease cortisol, a key stress hormone.
• Improving Blood Flow. Blood flow is necessary for healing, yet inflammation could prevent an injured area from receiving adequate flow. The blood carries nutrients needed for healing and removes waste products that could be contributing to inflammation. When inflammation decreases, circulation improves.
• Loosening Muscles. Acupuncture treatments relax the tight fibers in your muscles in addition to inducing relaxation.
• Improving Movement. Acupuncture may improve your ability to move your neck freely by reducing inflammation, pain, and stiffness.

Acupuncture offers an effective way to treat neck pain, according to University of Southampton (UK) researchers. During their research project, 124 chronic neck patients received either eight actual acupuncture treatments or eight sham acupuncture treatments. Study results showed that the patients who received acupuncture treatments experienced a statistically significant reduction in pain and used less acetaminophen, the only pain medication allowed during the trial.

Acupuncture treatments could be just as helpful for your neck pain. Give us a call to schedule your acupuncture appointment.

Sources:

International Association for the Study of Pain: Neck Pain, 2021

https://www.iasp-pain.org/resources/fact-sheets/neck-pain/

American Family Physician: Acupuncture for Pain, 7/15/2019

https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2019/0715/p89.html

University of Southampton: Acupuncture No Longer a Pain in the Neck, 12/21/2004

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/news/2004/12/a-pain-in-the-neck.page

WebMD: What to Know About "Text Neck," 10/12/2022

https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/what-to-know-text-neck

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Acupuncture What You Need to Know, 10/2022

https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/acupuncture-what-you-need-to-know