REFERENCE MATERIALS
 
   
      Reference Materials      

This section is compiled by Frank M. Painter, D.C.
Send all comments or additions to:
    Frankp@chiro.org
 
   

Whiplash and Chiropractic
A Chiro.Org article collection

Enjoy this extensive collection about neck injuries.

Neck and Back Pain in Children
A Chiro.Org article collection

There is a significant and growing body of research about the prevalence of neck and back pain in children, as well as the safety and effectiveness of pediatric chiropractic care.

The Forward Head Posture Page
A Chiro.Org article collection

Persistent forward head posture (a.k.a “hyperkyphotic posture”) forces the suboccipital muscles to remain in constant contraction as they elevate the chin, and this puts pressure on the 3 suboccipital nerves. This nerve compression may cause headaches at the base of the skull, and can also mimic sinus (frontal) headaches.

The Neck Disorder Guidelines Section
A Chiro.Org article collection

Enjoy this extensive collection of guidelines.

Chiropractic and Pain Management
A Chiro.Org article collection

Review this expanding collection of articles detailing the effectiveness of chiropractic care for reducing pain.

The McKenzie Method Page
A Chiro.Org article collection

The McKenzie Method is grounded in finding a cause and effect relationship between the positions the patient usually assumes while sitting, standing, or moving, and the generation of pain as a result of those positions or activities. The therapeutic approach requires a patient to move through a series of activities and test movements to gauge the patient's pain response. The approach then uses that information to develop an exercise protocol designed to centralize or alleviate the pain.

Chiropractors As the Spinal Health Care Experts
A Chiro.Org article collection

Enjoy these learned articles about chiropractors as first-contact Spinal Health Care Experts.

Soft-Tissue Neck Trauma
Chapter 15 from: “The Rehabilitation Monograph Series”

By Richard C. Schafer, D.C., FICC and the ACAPress

The mechanical relationship between the head and neck has been crudely compared to a brick attached to a flexible rod. As the structural mass of the head is so much greater than that of the neck, it is no wonder that injuries of the neck are so prevalent. Even the person with a short neck and well-developed neck muscles and ligaments is not free of potential injury. The viscera of the neck serve as a channel for vital vessels and nerves, the trachea, esophagus, and spinal cord, and as a site for lymph and endocrine glands. When the head is in balance, a line drawn through the nasal spine and the superior border of the external auditory meatus will be perpendicular to the ground.

Cervical Spine Trauma
Chapter 22 from: “The Rehabilitation Monograph Series”

By Richard C. Schafer, D.C., FICC and the ACAPress

The cervical spine provides structural stability and support for the cranium, and a flexible and protective column for movement and balance adaptation, along with housing of the spinal cord and vertebral arteries. It also allows for directional orientation of the eyes and ears. Nowhere in the spine is the relationship between the osseous structures and the surrounding neurologic and vascular beds as intimate or subject to disturbance as it is in the cervical region. Whether induced by trauma or not, cervical subluxation syndromes may be reflected in total body habitus. IVF insults, and the effects of articular fixations can manifest throughout the motor, sensory, and autonomic nervous systems. Many peripheral nerve symptoms in the shoulder, arm, and hand will find their origin in the cervical spine, as may numerous brainstem disorders.

Joint Trauma
Chapter 8 from: “The Rehabilitation Monograph Series”

By Richard C. Schafer, D.C., FICC and the ACAPress

The general stability of synovial joints is established by action of surrounding muscles. Excessive joint stress results in strained muscles and tendons and sprained or ruptured ligaments and capsules. When stress is chronic, degenerative changes occur. The lining of synovial joints is slightly phagocytic, is regenerative if damaged, and secretes synovial fluid that is a nutritive lubricant having bacteriostatic and anticoagulant characteristics. This anticoagulant effect may result in poor callus formation in intra-articular fractures where the fracture line is exposed to synovial fluid. Synovial versus mechanical causes of joint pain are shown in Table 1.

Chiropractic Clinical Practice Guideline: Evidence-based Treatment
of Adult Neck Pain Not Due to Whiplash

J Canadian Chiro Assoc 2005 (Sep); 49 (3): 158–209 ~ FULL TEXT

Researchers worked with the Canadian Chiropractic Association, the Canadian Federation of Chiropractic Regulatory Boards, the Clinical Practice Guidelines Development Initiative, and the Guidelines Development Committee (GDC) to provide an evidence-based clinical practice guideline for the chiropractic cervical treatment of adults with acute or chronic neck pain not due to whiplash.

Psychosocial Factors and their Role in Chronic Pain:
A Brief Review of Development and Current Status

Chiropractic & Osteopathy 2005 (Apr 27); 13 (1): 6 ~ FULL TEXT

The belief that pain is a direct result of tissue damage has dominated medical thinking since the mid 20th Century. Several schools of psychological thought proffered linear causal models to explain non-physical pain observations such as phantom limb pain and the effects of placebo interventions. Psychological research has focused on identifying those people with acute pain who are at risk of transitioning into chronic and disabling pain, in the hope of producing better outcomes.

What Causes Chronic Neck Pain?
North American Spine Society

It is usually not possible to know the exact cause of neck pain in the days or weeks after a car accident. We know the muscles and ligaments get strained and are probably inflamed, but they usually heal within six to ten weeks. Pain that lasts longer (than 6-10 weeks) is usually due to deeper problems such as injury to the disc or facet joint, or both. Read more here.

Return to CHRONIC NECK PAIN

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