The Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research published a case study on May 3rd, 2018 documenting the resolution of hand numbness and accompanying neck pain in a patient who was undergoing chiropractic care. Neck pain is a very common condition in the United States population.
How Common is Neck Pain?
Approximately 25% of all patients that see chiropractors do so because of neck pain.
Estimates show that at any given time, nearly 13% of the population suffers from some form of neck pain. Overall, nearly 50% of the population will suffer from neck pain at some point in their lives. Neck pain is one of the more common conditions that people seek chiropractors for.
According to the study, neck pain is more common in people whose work requires performing repetitive static tasks, or physically demanding work. Neck pain is also more common in people who have had previous neck trauma, and those suffering from other conditions such as headaches, depression, or low back pain.
In this case, a 28-year-old man suffering from neck pain and tingling in his hands sought chiropractic care. The man reported that his neck pain started about five months earlier, though he could not recall any particular incident that brought on the problem. He also reported that he did not remember when his hands started tingling. He had not seen any other type of doctor and was not taking any medications for these conditions.
The man described the neck pain as a dull achy kind of pain in his lower neck that he rated as only a 2 out of 10 in severity. He noted that his hands felt like pins and needles with the feeling being more prevalent in his right hand. Although he felt that these annoying conditions did not prevent him from performing normal daily activities, he did state that these issues prevented him from working out as hard as he used to.
The Initial Diagnosis
An examination was performed at the chiropractic office which included checking his vital signs, orthopedic and neurological exams, cervical static, and motion palpation, along with a range of motion tests in both the cervical and lumbar regions. A postural analysis did reveal some abnormal positioning as well as limitations in specific motions of some neck vertebrae. Cervical thermographic scans showed irregularities. X-rays of the neck showed mispositioning of cervical vertebrae in addition to moderate disc degeneration and spurring in the neck.
Based upon the finding of the examination and x-rays, it was determined that subluxations were present and specific forms of chiropractic adjustments were started. After the first adjustment, at his subsequent visit, the patient did not report any improvement. Care was continued based on specific findings that indicated the need for a chiropractic adjustment.
The Outcome
On the sixth visit, the man happily reported that his neck pain was gone, and he only had some minor neck stiffness. He also stated that his hand tingling had reduced to only occasional tingling in his fingers.
By the seventh visit, the man reported no neck pain or stiffness, and his hand tingling was completely gone. He elected to continue chiropractic care for the correction of subluxations.
This is the kind of outcome we aim for in every patient that comes into The West Coast Integrative Wellness Center, formerly Kaster Chiropractic of Fort Myers, Florida. If you are living with pain, please come see us. Make your appointment today by calling 239-332-2555.
www.WestCoastIntegativewellnesscenter.com www.KasterChiropractic.com