How A Teacher Fixed Her Neck Pain And Headaches
Shortly after the start of the 2020-2021 school year, a school teacher sought out answers for her ongoing headaches and neck pain at Southern Spine & Rehab. The pain was not only hampering her daily routine, but she was struggling to perform her job.
With increased hours sitting and staring at a computer due to online learning, she needed to find a quick, effective, and long lasting solution. She had heard that Southern Spine specializes in these conditions and offers longer and more comprehensive exams and same day treatments.
As a chiropractic physician, I conducted an in-depth consultation and examination. This lead us to the diagnosis of cervicogenic headaches:
Cervicogenic headaches are defined as head pain originating from the cervical spine (neck) localized to the neck and occipital region; pain is precipitated or aggravated by specific neck movements or sustained postures & may radiate to forehead, orbital region, temples or ears (Vizniak).
Listed below are some of the key findings that helped us obtain this diagnosis and realize it was muscle and joint related:
All vascular assessments were normal
All neurological assessments were normal
Altered neck posture
Restricted and painful neck range of motion
Tenderness of neck muscles
Trigger points within her musculature
After the evaluation, we discussed our findings and the prognosis of this condition. We first addressed some of her concerns, one of which was her desire not to take medications and another being how quickly would her pain decrease and function improve.
In her several years of teaching, she has known many other educational instructors who have struggled with this same condition. She expressed that she did not want to be a teacher who was in pain every day with no solution.
At Southern Spine, every single patient receives a completely individualized and personalized treatment plan. It was explained to her that we could achieve great results with chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue therapy, and corrective exercises specific to her headaches and neck pain. Appointments at Southern Spine are longer than anywhere else. We spend more time each visit with our patients because that is the kind of care they deserve.
By adhering to our treatment plan, she was able to perform all work duties in significantly less pain and concentrate on her students without headaches. She saw no other specialist nor took any medications.
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In Health,
Dr. Kolten Pedigo
Chiropractic Physician
Science Sources
Gómez F, Escribá P, Oliva-Pascual-Vaca J, Méndez-Sánchez R, Puente-González AS. Immediate and Short-Term Effects of Upper Cervical High-Velocity, Low-Amplitude Manipulation on Standing Postural Control and Cervical Mobility in Chronic Nonspecific Neck Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2020 Aug;9(8):2580.