Neck Pain
Neck pain from a desk, a pillow, or a long drive is common at every TexStar clinic. The chiropractor separates that stiffness from arm tingling, headaches that start in the neck, and injuries from a crash.
What it feels like
The Versions That Walk in Most
- A tight band across the top of the shoulders by the afternoon
- Turning your head to reverse the car being the worst movement
- Waking stiff and blaming the pillow most mornings
- Ache at the base of the skull that creeps toward a headache
Desk and Driving Patterns
A head that sits forward loads the lower neck and the muscles across the shoulders. Care may include an adjustment, a short decompression trial if a disc is suspected, and posture work so the change lasts past the parking lot.
Why the Mid-Back Gets Examined
The neck sits on top of the thoracic spine, and when that region stops rotating the neck makes up the difference every single day. A neck that keeps getting stiff again after treatment often has a mid-back that is not doing its share, which is where rehab tends to get added.
Arm Symptoms Change the Plan
Stiffness that stays in the neck is one problem. Tingling into the thumb or the little finger, or a grip that has weakened, is another. That second group gets nerve testing, and the tools considered shift toward cervical decompression rather than muscle work.
What to Expect from a Gentler Approach
Necks are frequently treated with less force than people expect, including drop-piece and instrument work. If the idea of a manual thrust to the neck bothers you, say so during the exam, because there are other ways to treat the same joint.
Symptoms That Change the Plan
Pain with fever, a severe headache unlike any you have had, or arm weakness needs medical screening before chiropractic treatment. Ordinary neck stiffness without those signs can start with the new-patient exam.
Step by step
A First Visit for Neck Pain
Expect the chiropractor to look below the neck as well as at it.
- 1A consultation covering your desk, your sleep, and any arm symptoms
- 2Range of motion, plus nerve testing if the arm is involved
- 3A trial treatment matched to the findings, gentler options included
- 4A findings review with the posture or workstation changes that matter
Neck Symptoms Needing Medical Assessment First
Do not book an adjustment for these. They need screening before any hands-on treatment.
- The worst headache of your life, arriving suddenly
- Neck pain with fever and a stiff neck you cannot flex
- Dizziness, slurred speech, double vision, or trouble swallowing
- Weakness or clumsiness in both hands
- Neck pain that started with a crash, fall, or blow to the head
Where
Available at all four clinics
Austin
4601 Southwest Pkwy, Suite 101, Austin, TX 78735
Mon–Thu 8am–6pm · Fri 8am–12pm
Austin clinicBee Cave
11614 Bee Caves Rd, Suite 110, Bee Cave, TX 78738
Mon–Thu 8am–6pm · Fri 8am–12pm
Bee Cave clinicBuda
181 Cimarron Park Loop, Suite D, Buda, TX 78610
Mon–Thu 9am–6pm · Fri 8am–12pm
Buda clinicDripping Springs / Belterra
13341 W US-290, Suite 102, Austin, TX 78737
Mon–Thu 8am–6pm · Fri 8am–12pm
Dripping Springs / Belterra clinic
First visit
What the $98 New-Patient Visit Includes
- 1
Consultation
You tell the chiropractor what hurts, what you want to get back to, and which clinic you are visiting.
- 2
Exam
A neuro-musculo-skeletal exam looks for the source: the joint, the muscle, and the nerve.
- 3
Trial Treatment
One session of spinal decompression, cold laser, or spot cryotherapy, chosen from the exam. That session is included in the visit.
- 4
Findings Review
Your Chiropractor will go over the results of the exam and discuss a plan of care.
Questions
Common Questions
Is whiplash treated the same way as other neck pain?
No. A crash is a different history. Tell the clinic the date of the collision so the exam starts from that.
Is it safe to have my neck adjusted?
The chiropractor screens for the findings that would rule it out before treating, and can use instrument or drop-piece methods instead. Raise any concern during the exam so the technique is chosen with you.
What pillow should I use?
The one that keeps your head level with your spine in the position you actually sleep in, which differs for side and back sleepers. The chiropractor can look at this with you rather than recommending a product blindly.
Why do my shoulders hurt when the problem is my neck?
The muscles across the top of the shoulders attach to the neck, and the lower neck refers pain into that area. It is a common pattern and does not mean you have two separate problems.
Can a bad workstation really cause this?
A screen that is too low or a mouse too far away holds your head forward for hours at a time. That sustained position is usually a contributor rather than the sole cause, and it is worth fixing either way.
Keep reading
Related Pages
Whiplash and Auto Injury
Neck pain that started with a collision, examined differently.
Headaches
When the neck is driving the head pain.
Adjustments
Technique options, including gentler instrument work.
Neck Pain in South Austin
Dr. Amy M. Ho at 4601 Southwest Parkway, Suite 101.
Neck Pain in Bee Cave
Dr. John E. Jacobson at 11614 Bee Caves Road, Suite 110.
Neck Pain in Buda
Dr. Ryan T. Woods. Weekday doors open at 9am.
Neck Pain in Dripping Springs
Dr. Corey J. Miller at 13341 W US-290, Suite 102.
Founder
Dr. Michael P. Henry, DC
Dr. Henry founded TexStar Chiropractic in 2011. He grew up in Manchaca, studied kinesiology at The University of Texas, and was appointed to the Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Your visit is with the chiropractor at the clinic you choose.
Get an exam, not a guess
The consultation, the exam, one trial treatment, and a review of the findings, in a single appointment. Mention the $98 offer when you book. Restrictions may apply.