​If you are suffering from neck pain, you have probably tried everything that both you and your doctor can think of in order to get some relief. However, some cases of neck pain can be stubborn. In such a case, the key to correcting neck issues may be discovering the most commonly overlooked cause of neck pain. We are going to discuss what this underlying catalyst is and how you can find genuine relief from chronic or recurrent neck pain.

The Most Overlooked Cause of Neck Pain
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The most overlooked cause of neck pain is actually the simplest – a misalignment of the Atlas (C1 vertebra). How does Atlas misalignment cause neck pain? This bone is at the top of the spine and is responsible for balancing the skull. When a subluxation occurs, changes in the neck and spine below will take place in order to keep the head up right. 

These changes can disturb the alignment of the rest of the neck (and spine below for that matter). Soft tissue is also affected, so muscles can become sore, and ligaments or tendons can be strained. Nerves may even be irritated which can create radiating pain, burning, numbness, or tingling. If the misalignment exists for a long period of time, it can even begin to increase the rate at which the discs between the vertebrae wear, leading to long-term issues with arthritis and degeneration in the high stress areas that develop.

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and chronic neck pain download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.

How can you correct the problem, relieve pain, and avoid ongoing issues? We would like to introduce you to upper cervical chiropractic care.

Upper Cervical Chiropractic for Natural Neck Pain Relief

At Upper Cervical Health Centers Boise, Dr. Blom focuses specifically on the precise position and alignment of the Atlas. Using cutting edge diagnostic imaging techniques and gentle adjustments, we measure Atlas subluxation and provide custom-fit and safe corrections for each patient.

If you are suffering from chronic or recurrent neck pain, the root of the problem may have been overlooked for years. Call us today at 208.559.0541 to schedule a consultation. We can help you fix the underlying cause of your problem so that you can get genuine relief.
 
To schedule a consultation with Dr. Blom click the button below or call 208-559-0541.

Do you suffer from chronic neck pain? If you deal with neck pain on a daily basis, there can be a number of different reasons for the pain. We’re going to address some of the more common culprits. Then we will address how upper cervical chiropractic care can offer you the long-term relief from neck pain that seems so elusive.

Causes of Chronic Neck Pain

There are a number of underlying factors that can contribute to chronic neck pain. These include:

• Disc degeneration – When the discs between the vertebrae begin to wear away or bulge, this can cause pain and nerve irritation. Disc degeneration can be sped up when the spine is locked in a stressed position such as when an upper cervical misalignment exists.
• Traumatic injuries – Car accidents, sports injuries, and even a simple slip and fall can cause long-term problems to develop in the structures of the neck. Whiplash injuries and concussions commonly cause neck injuries, but head and neck trauma doesn’t have to be severe to affect the soft tissue that protects the cervical spine.

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and chronic neck pain download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.

• Poor posture – Whether you are working, driving, or enjoying some relaxation, poor posture can increase the wear and tear on the spine. Everything from working at a desk that is not set up ergonomically to binge-watching your favorite shows with your mobile device positioned too low can put constant strain on the neck.
• Sleep issues – From sleeping in an uncomfortable position for your neck to using the wrong pillow, if you are experiencing chronic neck pain that is worse in the morning, you may need to reexamine your sleep habits.

Relief from Chronic Neck Pain in Boise, Idaho

If you are dealing with chronic neck pain, Upper Cervical Health Centers Boise has the natural solution you are looking for. By correcting upper cervical misalignment in a safe and gentle way, we give the soft tissue of the neck the opportunity it needs to heal. That can lessen your pain immediately and gradually lead to complete relief. To learn more, contact us today by calling 208.559.0541 to schedule an appointment. 

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Blom click the button below or call 208-559-0541.​

Are you suffering from neck pain? It is a very common issue in our modern, technology-forward society. Here are a few of the ways that technology is contributing to how much neck discomfort we see here at the office as well as how upper cervical chiropractic care provides safe and gentle relief from neck pain.

How Technology Is Leading to Neck Pain
​The human head weighs between 10-16 pounds, and the medical field has nicknamed the bone at the top of the neck that balances it the atlas. When the atlas is out of alignment, the rest of the bones and soft tissue of the neck (and spine below) experience changes to keep the head properly balanced. This can lead to pain!

While head and neck injuries can obviously lead to misalignment, so can using poor posture that increases the strain on the neck. Take smartphone use as an example. The neck is used to holding up 10-16 pounds, and it doesn’t really strain your neck to do that. However, when you crane your neck forward at a 60-degree angle to check a text, use social media, watch a video, or do anything else on your smartphone, you are now placing 60 pounds of extra pressure on your neck. Think about how many times you do that per day.

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and chronic neck pain download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.

Neck and shoulder pain are common issues, and they are very often related. Nerves that run through the shoulders and down the arms extend from the neck. Head and neck misalignment can affect the bones and soft tissues of the shoulders.

Let’s take a quick look at the symptoms that can accompany neck and shoulder pain. We will also discuss how upper cervical chiropractic care can help you to find genuine, long-lasting relief.

Symptoms of Neck and Shoulder Pain
Besides the pain, when there are issues with the neck and shoulders, you may experience additional symptoms. Some of these include:

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and chronic neck pain download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.

Neck pain is a common condition that afflicts millions of Americans.  Symptoms may include not only neck pain itself but also shoulder, arm, and hand pain as well as headaches. Because neck pain is such a common ailment, various classifications have been developed to help provide proper care for patients. Let’s take a look at the 3 classifications of neck pain. Then we can discuss a natural way for you to get help for your neck pain that you very likely have never even considered before.

​The three neck pain categories are:

• Axial – This pain springs from soft tissue, muscle, or skeletal issues in the neck. When a muscle strain occurs or someone suffers a whiplash injury, this is the type of neck pain that results.
• Myelopathy – This includes neck pain that is the result of spinal cord pressure. This type of neck pain usually presents with numbness, pain, or weakness in the arms or legs depending on the location of the pressure.
• Radiculopathy – This classification includes pain from nerve compression. When this occurs in the cervical spine, neck pain is usually accompanied by weakness or numbness in the arms.

Regardless of which classification of pain a person is experiencing the neck pain may be further broken down as being either acute or chronic.

Acute pain involves sudden onset and is usually the result of an injury or stress. Acute pain may resolve itself and care usually involves pain medication to hold a person over until the pain goes away.

Chronic pain, by definition, has to last at least 3 months. When conservative methods of relieving pain are exhausted, a doctor may recommend drastic measures such as surgery to correct an underlying issue.

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and chronic neck pain download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.

When a primary care physician diagnoses neck pain, there are a few options for treatment depending on the underlying cause of the pain. In order to make an appropriate diagnosis, a doctor may use any of the following means:

• Blood test – This can help to rule out something like cancer.
• Diagnostic imaging – This would include x-rays, CT scans, and MRIs.
• Lumbar puncture – This would be used to rule our conditions such as spinal meningitis.

Depending on the results, various forms of care may be recommended. Here are some common forms of neck pain treatment listed (approximately) from least to most invasive:

• Ice (for inflammation) or heat (to improve blood flow)
• Stretching
• Moderate exercise
• Physical Therapy
• Cervical collar (to limit motion)
• Pain medications or muscle relaxers
• Corticosteroid injections
• Hospitalization (if the underlying cause is something like meningitis)
• Surgery (which is used as a last resort)

Of course, this is not a comprehensive list of ways to deal with neck pain. Acupuncture, massage, and chiropractic care may also be recommended.

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and chronic neck pain download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.

Have you ever heard of upper cervical chiropractic care? Upper cervical chiropractic care is a specialized form of chiropractic that addresses neck misalignment's using a precision method to gently correct spinal misalignment that occurs in the upper neck.  Upper cervical care is a low force method used to correct Atlas (C1 vertebra) and Axis (C2 vertebra) misalignment naturally.

Neck pain and the accompanying symptoms often begin after an atlas misalignment takes place.  Atlas misalignment most commonly occurs due to an accident or injury such as a car accident, as lip or fall, a sports injury or long hours of poor posture such as the repetitive motion of checking a smartphone dozens of times per day.  Correcting atlas misalignment is a natural way to restore balance to the body.

Dr. Grayson Blom is a Boise, Idaho native that works with a nationwide group of Doctors expertly trained and specializing in the Upper Cervical procedure. Dr. Blom is also one of the few Doctors in the state of Idaho trained and certified in the Upper Cervical procedure. 

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Blom click the button below or call 208-559-0541

You may wonder why it is so important for a doctor to have a complete patient history when diagnosing neck pain. The fact is that diagnosing the underlying cause of neck is a very important part of finding the right form of care.  As a result, we’re going to take a look at several factors that are important to consider during a neck pain diagnosis. Then we will look at a drug-free way to find relief from many forms of neck pain. 

​When it comes to diagnosing neck pain, here are 6 factors that need to be considered.

1. Symptoms – Understanding what symptoms accompany the neck pain and whether they came on suddenly or gradually can all hint at the underlying issue.
2. Employment – Many neck problems go back to the workplace. Manual labor can certainly result in neck problems, but so can a desk job, especially if one must look at a monitor much of the day.
3. Habits – Text neck is an emerging problem resulting from the habit of people looking down at electronic devices for texting, using social media, binge watching shows, playing video games, or other uses.
4. Sleep – If neck pain is worst in the morning, sleep position or the type of pillow a person uses may be contributing factors.
5. Injuries – Whether the injury just occurred or it is a decade old, any past injury could be the cause of neck pain. In fact most chronic neck pain is the result of an old injury to the neck.  
6. Posture – Neck pain may occur gradually over time due to a phenomenon called hysteresis where repetitive poor posture can damage the supporting connective tissues of the spine resulting in chronic neck pain. 

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and chronic neck pain download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.

Of all the 6 factors above old injuries to the head and neck are by far the most common cause of chronic neck pain.  Old injuries to the head and neck commonly result in damage to the supporting connective tissues which allows the upper neck to misalign causing your lower neck and spine to compensate to make up for the weight of the head no longer being balanced.  Chronic neck pain is likely to follow over the coming weeks months and years.  The average chronic neck pain case we see in the office suffered an injury to the head or neck averaging 10-15 years prior.   

Dr. Grayson Blom is a Boise, Idaho native that works with a nationwide group of Doctors expertly trained and specializing in the Upper Cervical procedure. Dr. Blom is also one of the few Doctors in the state of Idaho trained and certified in the Upper Cervical procedure. ​ 

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Blom click the button below or call 208-559-0541

Neck pain can vary in range from mild stiffness to excruciating pain that limits movement and activity. While neck pain may sometimes go away on its own after a day or two, many suffer from chronic neck problems. When neck pain includes other symptoms, it is an indication that an underlying problem needs to be corrected. What symptoms are commonly associated with neck pain and how can the pain be relieved naturally?

​Here are some of the problems that come along with chronic neck pain:

• Stiffness – It can be difficult to move the head, particularly turning to the side.
• Shoulder/Arm Pain – Pain may radiate into one or both arms.
• Headaches/Migraines – Headaches and migraines are commonly associated with neck pain.
• Numbness in Fingers – This can present as numbness, weakness, or tingling and make it difficult to grasp and lift.

In many cases neck pain symptoms gradually present over time. This is a common result of a chronic  neck problem that will also frequently results in degenerative changes throughout the neck and lower spine as well.  At other times, symptoms start acutely.  This usually indicates an injury has occurred. 

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and chronic neck pain download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.

Upper cervical chiropractic care is a specific and gentle form of chiropractic that focuses on the atlas (C1) vertebra. This form of chiropractic is very effective when it comes to neck pain because it has a global effect on the spine below to addresses symptoms that occur throughout the spine as a whole.  For example, an atlas misalignment is often the underlying factor in headaches, or vertigo. When the atlas is misaligned, the rest of the neck in virtually all cases will follow suit, and this can particularly affect the shoulders, arms, and fingers as that chain reaction reaches the lower neck vertebrae and continues on down the spine.  Also of note is the fact that many chronic neck pain sufferers also suffer from  lower back pain. 

Dr. Grayson Blom is a Boise, Idaho native that works with a nationwide group of Doctors expertly trained and specializing in the Upper Cervical procedure. Dr. Blom is also one of the few Doctors in the state of Idaho trained and certified in the Upper Cervical procedure. ​

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Blom click the button below or call 208-559-0541

Neck pain is a common condition. According to research performed by the National Institute of Health up to 15% of Americans suffer from neck pain (which ads up to approximately 46 million people). Thus neck pain is a big deal. Understanding what can cause chronic neck pain is important and likewise natural, drug-free ways to find relief. 

​There are numerous ways that a person can end up with chronic neck pain. Some of the most common underlying factors include:

• Whiplash – When a person’s head is whipped forward and back or side to side rapidly, a whiplash injury may occur.
• Trauma – Neck trauma such as car accidents or sports injuries can lead to chronic neck pain.
• Cervical Spondylosis – This is the medical term for arthritis of the neck. It occurs when the discs between the vertebrae gradually degrade and the bones of the neck also degrade right along with the discs. 
• Tension Headaches or Migraines – Both headaches and migraines very commonly have neck pain as a symptom.
• Torticollis – This is a condition in which the neck is twisted or tilted.
• Fibromyalgia – Neck pain is a common fibromyalgia symptom.
• Scoliosis - Abnormal curves within the spine.

While this is not a comprehensive list of every underlying neck condition, it does reveal a trend.  

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and chronic neck pain download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.

​One thing all of the conditions above have in common is that they can all be related to an Atlas/Axis subluxation which is a misalignment of the C1 or C2 vertebra. The atlas can easily become misaligned due to whiplash or another form of neck trauma. Such a misalignment can lead to headaches, migraines, torticollis, fibromyalgia, or degenerative cervical arthritis. Atlas/Axis subluxation is the most commonly overlooked source of chronic neck pain.  

Dr. Grayson Blom is a Boise, Idaho native that works with a nationwide group of Doctors expertly trained and specializing in the Upper Cervical procedure. Dr. Blom is also one of the few Doctors in the state of Idaho trained and certified in the Upper Cervical procedure. ​

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Blom click the button below or call 208-559-0541

It is remarkable that the cervical curve has been a point of contention with the argument that a loss of cervical curve (hypolordosis) to a reversed cervical curve (kyphosis) is just a common normal variant and nothing more.  It would seem like common sense that a loss of any of the natural curves of the spine would be a bad thing.  Would it be any surprise that health problems such as pain and spinal degeneration would develop due to a loss of natural spinal curvatures?  

Sadly this is not the case, because common sense is not common.  The reality is that a loss of cervical curve or even a reversed kyphotic cervical curve is NOT normal and a treatment program aimed at restoration of the cervical curve as well as the natural curvatures of the spine is in fact a valid objective and outcome.  

Harrison et. al. designed a study putting patients into 3 groups to assess cervical curve in patients that were: 
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1. Neck pain free (asymptomatic) 
2. Having acute neck pain symptoms (acute meaning a recent occurrence)   
3. Patients having chronic neck pain symptoms (chronic meaning long-term)

In each of these three groups it was found that patients that were neck pain free (asymptomatic) had cervical curves that appeared to be within the normal range which is known to be 31-40⁰. (see table below). Please note that three different methods were used to assess the cervical curve.  The findings remain consistent regardless of the cervical curve measurement method, which is important to note.   
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The acute neck pain group had a loss of cervical curve and had fallen out side of what is considered normal.  The chronic neck pain group was noted to have even more loss of cervical curve.  There is an obvious trend that is revealed showing the more cervical curve lost the more symptomatic the patient will become.

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and chronic neck pain download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below. 

​It is also important to note that other studies have found a similar trend, a statistically significant movement that showed an increase in neck pain in patients that had a significant loss in cervical curve.  Again this would seem like common sense, right?  

​Our number one suggestion would be to visit an Upper Cervical Chiropractor for a spinal evaluation, as they specialize in the neck.  The number one cause of chronic reoccurring neck pain is a condition called Atlas Subluxation Complex (ASC).  

The noninvasive treatment of choice for chronic reoccurring neck pain is Upper Cervical Chiropractic care for the correction of Atlas Subluxation Complex.