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Chronic neck and back pain

Pain that follows your work week.

Worst by Thursday, fine on vacation, back the week you return. That is a cause you repeat every day, and it is treatable.

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Try it

What your neck is actually holding.

Upright15°Down at your lap
27 pounds on the cervical spine, about a two year old

Twelve pounds when your head sits over your shoulders. Tip it forward and your neck carries a multiple of that, for as many hours as you hold the angle.

Modeled estimate published by Hansraj in Surgical Technology International, 2014. A model, not a measurement of you.

Common complaints

What it usually turns out to be.

Stiff neck and headaches

You describe
Tightness turning your head, and headaches that start at the base of the skull and creep forward.
It usually is
Joint restriction in the upper neck, with the muscles underneath working overtime to hold your head up.
I check first
Whether the neck is the source or is compensating for a locked upper back.

Tension between the shoulder blades

You describe
A band of tightness across the mid back that no amount of stretching clears.
It usually is
Thoracic and rib joints that have stopped moving through their full range, in a posture you hold all day.
I check first
Rib motion and shoulder blade mechanics, before anything in the spine itself.

Low back pain and sciatica

You describe
Pain that flares after sitting, sometimes running down one leg past the knee.
It usually is
Either a disc under load or an irritated joint. They feel similar and need opposite things.
I check first
Which of the two it is, with orthopedic testing and imaging when it is warranted.

Numbness down an arm or leg

You describe
Pins and needles, a patch that feels dull, or a hand that loses grip by the end of the day.
It usually is
A nerve compressed somewhere along its path, which is not always where you feel it.
I check first
Where along the path it is being pinched, and whether it needs a physician rather than me.
How I treat it

Questions

Before you book.

How many visits will I need? +
It depends on how long the pain has been there and what is causing it. You get an honest estimate after the first exam, and the plan is meant to end rather than run indefinitely.
What if chiropractic has not held for me before? +
That describes a lot of my patients. The usual reason is that the adjustment addressed the symptom while the cause stayed in place. I spend the first visit on the cause, looking at structure, the nervous system, and how you spend your days.
Is it covered by my insurance? +
Booking runs through ZocDoc, which checks your plan before you confirm the appointment.
Do I need a referral? +
Confirm with Bobby Most New York plans do not require one for chiropractic care, but a few do.
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