If You Have Neck and Upper Back Pain
And Get Temporary Relief from
Chiropractic, Massage, and Acupuncture
The Muscles and Joints are Not Your Primary Issue
Exception:
Spinal degeneration can create a situation where ongoing palliative care is necessary, and curative care is no longer possible.
What Are Other Causes of Neck and Back Pain?
The muculoskeletal system (bones, joints, muscles, fascia) is the voice of the body.
It will holler and tell you there is a problem, but it won’t tell you what it is.
If you have neck and upper back pain that is musculoskeletal in origin it should resolve with chiropractic adjustments and massage.
Other reasons for neck and upper back pain are
- The pericardium (the bag that holds the heart) is pulling on the neck and upper back and not allowing the joints to set up and the muscles to relax
- The lung lobes are not moving properly
- The lymphatic system is backed up
- The venous system is not draining properly
- The transverse planes of the body above and below the thoracic outlet (where the neck and upper back meet) are not horizontal, so are creating torsion of that system
How Does Dr. Caroline Peterson Treat Neck and Upper Back Pain That Hasn’t Resolved with Chiropractic and Massage?
Dr. Caroline Peterson will begin by listening to your body with her hand on your sternum (breastbone).
Commonly, your body will guide her to evaluate where the stiffness in your system is, and then to check lymphatic movement, and movement of the pericardium.
Often the body will want to have the structures around the thoracic outlet transverse plane (collar region) addressed first.
Everyone is different, but commonly the body will next direct her to look at other transverse planes like the mouth/throat, sphenoid/tentorium, and respiratory diaphragm.
Dr. Caroline Peterson will use visceral/vascular manipulation, lymphatic drainage, craniosacral therapy, and adjusting to help your body become self-regulating.
Incorrect Breathing Practices Often Contribute to Chronic Neck and Upper Back Pain
When we breathe correctly we should expand the whole rib cage two inches circumferentially.
Most people get little or no rib excursion with breathing.
Because we don’t breath correctly, the pressure gradient system of the body is disturbed and there is a collapse through the upper ribcage and a compression of the neck on the upper back.
Dr. Caroline Peterson will teach you how to breathe correctly, to alleviate your upper back and neck pain.
Correct Movement Patterns for Neck and Upper Back
Most chiropractors will already have instructed patients on corrective exercises and tips to normalize neck and upper back posture.
If your chiropractor has not already guided you on corrective exercises and postural tips, Dr. Caroline Peterson can help you with this, too.