Going to a chiropractor for neck pain can provide immediate pain relief in some situations, but there are some cases in which you should seek the help of a physician. Your chiropractor can help you understand when a physician is needed, but the following are some signs your condition requires a medical professional.
1. You Can’t Sleep at Night
You should be able to get a good night’s rest so your body can get to work healing itself. If your neck pain is keeping you up at night, that simply won’t happen. If the pain is bad enough that you can’t fall asleep, or that it wakes you in the middle of the night, it could be a sign of something more than pain. You should seek a physician’s advice to figure out the cause of what’s keeping you up. Sometimes pain indicates infections, which can get bad quickly, so it’s important you act fast.
2. You Recently Fell or Were in an Accident
Sometimes you fall or are in an accident and don’t immediately feel the pain associated with the injuries you sustained. If you are experiencing neck pain and have recently fallen or been in some type of accident, it’s likely that pain is a result of the trauma you experienced. You may have a broken bone or a variety of other injuries, so it’s important to have it checked out by a physician. If osteoporosis is something you’ve already been diagnosed with, you shouldn’t wait for the pain, but should see a doctor immediately after the accident.
3. Your Arms Are Numb or Weak
Neck pain could be accompanied by numbness or weakness of the arms. This is typically sciatica, which is a tight muscle putting pressure on the root of a spinal nerve. There are ways a physician can treat sciatica, and for immediate relief you should seek immediate medical care.
4. You Can’t Move
Your neck pain might cause stiffness so you can’t move. It’s also possible you can move, but when you do it causes more serious pain. In either situation, you should see a physician to find out exactly what is causing the pain.
5. Your Pain Lasts Longer Than Expected
Any time you experience pain for an extended period of time, there’s probably something deeper going on. If it has been longer than three or so weeks, you might be experiencing chronic pain or you might be dealing with an unknown injury. A physician can diagnose the situation.
Contacting a Chiropractor
When you visit a chiropractor for neck pain, he or she can help you determine if your neck pain should be checked out by a physician. Contact your chiropractor, like Back Pain Doctor, today to get started.
