5 Common Causes of Neck Pain and Shoulder Pain (and how to relieve them) - Boise, Idaho

As they say, protect your neck.

It happens to all of us, some of us more often than we might like: Neck and shoulder pain. Sometimes it can be minor pain, and sometimes it can be agony. Either way, you should know the most common causes, and what you can do to keep yourself out of pain.

1.) Overexertion

The most obvious cause of neck and shoulder pain is, of course, overdoing it. Overexertion can strain the muscles and force your body to insist that you take a rest. Sometimes, the results of overexertion won't sink in until the next day, so you might wake up unhappy.

The solution? Take it easy for a day or two, and try not to strain your muscles too much.

2.) Poor Posture

How many of us spend our days hunched over a keyboard, wrists in the air, tapping away at emails in an uncomfortable office chair? Poor posture pushing our necks out of a balanced position can have enormous, although subtle, effects on everything from our moods to our overall health, and one of the ways it manifests is through aches and pains.

Solve this problem by building a more ergonomic space at work that lets you sit up straight and keep your hands even. Proper alignment of your neck can help you reclaim your health. Consider booking an appointment with Upper Cervical Health Centers Boise today.

3.) Pinched Nerves

Pinched nerves, also called compressed nerves, strike when you've got a nerve that's going through a narrow area, and doesn't have a lot of soft tissue to cushion it. Hence, nerves near bones, tendons, and ligaments are all at risk of becoming pinched nerves.

The main way to treat a pinched nerve is rest. If the pain continues, though, it is advised to find and consult with a competent Chiropractor immediately.

4.) Tendonitis

Tendons are what connects our muscles to our bones; as such, they do a lot of work, and help keep the joints secure along with the ligaments. That said, work a tendon enough and it will inevitably become damaged, or possibly inflamed, causing neck and shoulder pain. If you have chronic tendonitis that is not going away with rest then it is time to seek out a Chiropractor for a joint evaluation.

For many cases of tendonitis, the answer is, just like muscle strain, to take it easy, NEVER TAKE IBUPROFEN as this will slow down the healing process. Physical therapy can also be considered after seeing a Chiropractor for a joint evaluation. But, if pain continues, or you think you have a ruptured tendon, this would be an emergency, call your doctor or head to E.R.; surgery may be your only option.


The neck and shoulders need proper alignment.

5.) Upper Cervical Misalignment

What's an upper cervical misalignment? Simply put, your neck and your head are not in proper alignment. This may sound like something you'd notice, but many of us go around for years without realizing we've got an alignment problem. In fact, it can be easy to mistake the pain caused by this misalignment with lower neck and shoulder pain or the normal aches and pains the body collects as we get older. If you've ever had a sports accident, a car accident, or some other form of neck or head trauma, you might be out of alignment and not even know it.

The solution, fortunately, is simple. At Upper Cervical Health Centers, we can put you back into alignment and clear up a surprising amount of aches and pains. Many people are genuinely surprised how much a simple alignment improves their health and quality of life.

Don't "live" with pain. For a complimentary consultation call Upper Cervical Health Centers at (208) 559-0541 or click here to send us a consultation request. Discover how much better you can feel with, literally, your head back on your shoulders.

Photo credits: Michael Dorausch

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Dr. Grayson Blom