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Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC Addresses the Range of Motion of the Cervical Spine in Treating Neck Pain and Headache

December 21, 2021

The cervical spine is unique among spinal curves. Unlike its fellow thoracic and lumbar curves, the cervical spine contains the spinal cord a bit more snugly. The diameter of the vertebral canal in which the spinal cord lies varies from 11 to 19 mm while the spinal cord measures from 7 to 14 mm depending on the level of the spine. If the size of the spinal canal is small and the cord big, a condition termed stenosis exists and makes pain and disability a greater problem. (4-8) Whatever the size, there is not a lot of space for the spinal nerves that exit the spinal cord regardless of any disc herniation or bone spur and the like that may form. Plus, the cervical spine has to support the average head weighing 9 pounds! The cervical spine is amazing. No wonder it appeals to researchers and anatomists and chiropractors like yours at Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC and triggers such pain for La Grande neck pain sufferers. Luckily, your La Grande chiropractor knows the cervical spine anatomy and potential painful cervical conditions as well as the gentle, stretching technique protocols of the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management to relieve the pain.

RESEACHERS STUDY THE CERVICAL SPINE MOTIONS

Such cool developments in the area of radiology are now available and may assist back pain healthcare providers like your La Grande chiropractor better diagnose and treat neck pain and surgical colleagues create more suitable surgical techniques! New 3D computed tomography imaging allows a look at the cervical spine in a variety of positions in normal volunteers. What did the researchers see with this? Flexion-extension range of motion is greatest at C1-2 and C4-5.  C1-2 is where 70% of all axial rotation happens, too. C3-4 range of motion for lateral bending is greater than C1-2, C5-6 and C6-7. (1) Using Cox® Technic for cervical spine pain allows segment-specific treatment of each of the cervical spine ranges of motion to relieve pain and bring back normal ranges of motion as best as possible.

CERVICAL SPINE TREATMENT FOR CERVICOGENIC HEADACHE

The cervical spine range of motion is involved in patients with cervicogenic headache. When La Grande chiropractic patients come in with a headache, they’ll often note limited range of motion. That is not unusual. A randomized control trial of spinal manipulation versus spinal mobilization for relief of cervicogenic headache found that manipulation and mobilization have comparable effects on disability, pain, global rating of change score, and cervical ranges of motion. (2) Our chiropractic care of the cervical spine takes care of La Grande neck pain as well as related range of motion issues like acute neck pain.

SPINAL MANIPULATION FOR ACUTE NECK PAIN

Acute La Grande neck pain is a common condition for which patients will seek help from healthcare practitioners like chiropractors as well as general practitioners (GPs). Medications and/or manual therapy are typical treatments. Researchers wrote that GPs were occasionally undecided to refer for manual therapy as they were not sure about effectiveness and adverse events. In a review of randomized controlled trials published regarding the effect of spinal manipulation for acute neck pain, researchers revealed that spinal manipulation alone or in combination with other therapies was valuable for acute neck pain with no serious adverse effects being reported. (3) Your La Grande chiropractor who understands the cervical spine well and provides safe spinal manipulation works with La Grande general practitioners to help neck pain sufferers get relief.

CONTACT Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. David Kulla on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he shares how the Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction System of Spinal Pain Management helps him help his patients with neck pain and headache relief.

Set up your La Grande chiropractic appointment today. The uniqueness of the cervical spinal curve and the pain conditions involving it deserve a unique treatment protocol to ease pain. At Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC, that protocol is safe, gentle, and effective!