Neck Pain Treatment

Neck Pain Chiropractor in Phoenix–Ahwatukee

Neck pain can make it hard to check your blind spot, look down at a phone, or sleep through the night. Life Chiropractic helps people with neck pain and stiffness at our Ahwatukee office on Ray Road and our North Scottsdale office. This page covers the usual causes of neck pain, the warning signs that need a medical doctor first, how our first visit works, and the tools we may use. We’d rather give you honest information than promises, so you’ll find what the research actually says here too.

Common causes of neck pain

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus encyclopedia, a common cause of neck pain is muscle strain or tension, most often from everyday activities such as:

• Bending over a desk for a long time
• Poor posture while watching TV or reading
• A computer monitor set too high or too low
• Sleeping in an uncomfortable position
• Jarring twists and turns while exercising
• Lifting too quickly or with poor posture

MedlinePlus also lists accidents and falls, including whiplash, plus conditions such as cervical arthritis or spondylosis, a ruptured disk, spinal stenosis, sprains, torticollis and, rarely, infection or cancer. Because the list is so wide, an exam comes before any treatment.

See a medical doctor first if you have these warning signs

MedlinePlus lists signs that need medical care rather than a chiropractic visit:

If we find any of these signs during your visit, we’ll stop and refer you to the right medical provider.

Types of neck pain we see

What your first visit looks like

1. Free consultation. We talk about when your pain started, what makes it better or worse, and what you’d like to get back to.
2. History and exam. We check how your neck and upper back move, your posture, and nerve function in the arms: strength, sensation and reflexes.
3. X-rays if appropriate. We can take them in our office when your history or exam calls for it.
4. Red-flag screening. We ask about the warning signs above, plus your health history and medications, which matters for neck care in particular.
5. Your plan. We explain what we found, your options, how often we’d suggest coming in, and what you can do at home.
6. Re-checks. We track how you’re doing. If you’re not improving, we change course or refer you out, including for an MRI or a surgical opinion.

How we treat neck pain at Life Chiropractic

For more than 30 years, Life Chiropractic has practiced corrective chiropractic care in Ahwatukee, and today we see patients at our North Scottsdale office too. Our approach starts with listening with compassion and understanding. We ask about your life history, any previous injuries and your medical background before anything else. Many of our patients come to us with long-standing problems, so we look for the underlying cause rather than just the symptoms, and we tell you honestly whether chiropractic care is a good fit.

For neck pain, we look at how the joints, discs, muscles and nerves of your neck are working, using a thorough exam and digital X-rays when they’re appropriate. Your plan may include gentle, specific adjustments, Graston soft-tissue work, massage and, in some disc-related cases, spinal decompression. If you’d rather not have your neck adjusted, just tell us.

We invite your loved ones to join the findings and recommendations meeting after your initial consultation, so they can see what you’ve been going through and ask their own questions. Then we explain what we found in plain language before any care begins. If you start care, we re-check your progress with exams and, when appropriate, X-rays, and we refer you out for an MRI or a surgical opinion when that’s the right next step. Every adjustment is gentle and adapted to your age, size and comfort. As we like to say, healthy living begins with Life.

Tools we may use for neck pain

• Chiropractic adjustments to the neck and upper back. If you’d prefer not to have your neck adjusted, tell us. We can work around it.
• Graston technique, instrument-assisted soft-tissue work for tight muscles in the neck, shoulders and upper back.
• Massage for muscle tension and guarding.
• Spinal decompression, which we may consider in some disc-related cases.
• Home care: simple movement, posture and workstation changes.

Pain that spreads into the shoulder? See our shoulder pain page. Jaw tension along with neck pain? See our TMJ page.

What the research says, and the risks

The NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health summarizes the research this way. For acute neck pain, a 2021 analysis of six studies found spinal manipulation helped reduce pain intensity, but the reviewers urged caution because there was little evidence. For chronic neck pain, a 2019 review of 47 trials concluded that manipulation or mobilization may reduce pain and improve function, with low-to-moderate-quality evidence.

NCCIH also notes that mild soreness, stiffness or headache are common after manipulation and usually go away within 24 hours. Neck manipulation has been linked to rare tears in neck arteries that can lead to stroke. They’re very rare, but it’s why we take a careful history, screen for warning signs, and use gentler methods when they make more sense. Results vary, and we can’t promise a specific outcome.

Everyday habits that ease neck strain

• Raise your screen so the top of the monitor is near eye level, and bring your phone up instead of your chin down.
• Take short breaks from long desk sessions. MedlinePlus specifically names bending over a desk for long periods as a cause.
• Check your pillow. Your neck should stay roughly in line with your spine whether you sleep on your back or side.
• Carry loads evenly. Heavy shoulder bags and backpacks pull on the neck. Our backpack tips article applies to adults too.

Neck pain care in Ahwatukee and North Scottsdale

Our Phoenix–Ahwatukee office is at 4722 E. Ray Rd., Ste 5, near the I-10 and an easy drive from Ahwatukee Foothills, Chandler, Tempe and south Phoenix. See our Ahwatukee office page or our North Scottsdale office page for hours and directions, and read what patients say on our testimonials page.

Frequently asked questions

Can a chiropractor help with neck pain?

For some people, yes. The NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health reports that, for chronic neck pain, a 2019 review of 47 trials concluded spinal manipulation or mobilization may reduce pain and improve function, though the evidence was low to moderate quality. We start with an exam to decide whether chiropractic care is a reasonable fit for you.

When should I see a medical doctor instead?

MedlinePlus says to seek help right away for a fever and headache with a neck so stiff you can’t touch your chin to your chest, or for heart-attack symptoms such as shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, or arm or jaw pain. Also contact a provider for numbness, tingling or weakness in the arm or hand, pain after a fall or injury, or pain that wakes you at night.

Is it safe to have my neck adjusted?

Serious problems are rare, but they can happen. NCCIH notes that neck manipulation has been linked to rare tears in neck arteries that can lead to stroke. That’s why we screen carefully, ask about your health and medications, and offer gentler options. You can always say no to a neck adjustment.

Do you take X-rays?

Yes, we can take X-rays in our office when they’re appropriate. If you need an MRI or a surgical opinion, we refer you out.

What if my neck pain started with a car accident?

Get checked by a medical provider first, especially if you hit your head or have arm numbness or weakness. After that, see our car accident chiropractor page.

Can neck pain cause headaches?

It can. Some headaches start in the neck. Our headache and migraine page explains the difference between neck-related headaches, tension headaches and migraine.

How much does a first visit cost?

The consultation is free. If you decide to go ahead with care, we’ll explain the costs up front. Ask about our payment plans.

This page is general information, not medical advice or a diagnosis. Chiropractic care is not right for everyone, and results vary from person to person. If you have any of the warning signs above, see a medical doctor or go to the emergency room.