Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care Can Treat Kids’ Neck Pain

Neck pain is an umbrella term that describes any discomfort or soreness felt in the neck region. While anyone can suffer from neck pain, it is becoming a concerningly frequent problem in children and teenagers. As kids and teens become ever more immersed in smartphone and computer technologies, they are spending enormous amounts of time hunched over phones and in front of computers. Unsurprisingly, there is a growing body of research linking this phenomenon to increasing rates of neck pain in children. 

Signs and Symptoms of Kids’ Neck Pain

The signs and symptoms of neck pain in children or teenagers are largely unchanged from those seen in adults with the same issue. While the severity of symptoms will vary depending on the underlying cause, kids with neck pain will typically experience symptoms like recurrent headaches, postural defects, stiffness in the neck, insomnia, nerve pain, or even localized muscle spasms. 

If you’re concerned that your child is suffering from neck related discomfort, take note of whether they’re favoring one side of their neck or showing any of the above symptoms. 

Kids’ Neck Pain and The Upper Cervical Spine

When dealing with recurrent neck pain, it’s important to consider what role the upper cervical spine could be playing in your child’s pain. The upper cervical spine consists of a set of seven stacked vertebrae which support the base of the skull and protect the spinal cord. Functioning as the main framework of support for the head, the upper cervical spine has a key role in the maintenance of good posture and neck function. 

Injuries in the upper cervical spine are a common factor when it comes to children suffering from neck pain. In many cases, long-term postural defects or sporting injuries can cause one or more vertebrae in the upper cervical spine to be shifted out of their natural alignment. Unsurprisingly, these kinds of upper cervical injuries lead to repetitive muscle strains, pinched nerves, and generalized inflammation across the neck and shoulders. Unless the root cause is addressed, strained muscles, pinched nerves, inflammation, and any other knock-on effects will begin to manifest as recurrent neck pain. 

How Treatment Works

If conventional treatment interventions have failed to help your child’s neck pain, consider speaking with an upper cervical chiropractic specialist. Upper cervical chiropractic treatment uses painless, non-invasive adjustment techniques to gently correct misalignments in the upper cervical spine.

During an upper cervical chiropractic assessment, a Blair Chiropractic Technique chiropractor will create a specialized treatment plan to identify the cause of your child’s neck pain. To do so, we first need to pinpoint the location of any vertebral misalignments in the upper cervical spine. This typically involves the use of cone-beam computed tomography scans and/or digital X-rays to determine the exact angle and location of any misalignments in the upper cervical spine.

If a misalignment is detected, the Blair Chiropractic Technique chiropractor will use a series of precise, low-force adjustment techniques to restore the vertebrae to its natural alignment, thereby alleviating the underlying source of stress on the muscles, ligaments, and nerves in the neck.