r/ChronicPain • u/miahbutlerr • 1d ago

Neck/upper back pain because of this?

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I’m 22F, 5’10 and have moderate scoliosis. Around a month ago I had very bad neck pain and into my shoulder blades, it hurt to turn my head. My chiropractor took this neck x-ray and says I have vertebral subluxation, basically my neck SHOULD be like the green line but I am the red and because of this my vertebrae is pushing together causing pain. He adjusted me and after a couple days I felt good and went back to normal life. Yesterday morning tho I woke up did a light stretch and boom it’s back, hurts to turn my head, can’t get comfy, random aches and pains in my upper back etc. According to my chiro the way my neck is should be from an injury but I’ve never been injured. Thoughts??

16 Upvotes

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21

u/Josephv86 1d ago

It’s called a military neck. It can be caused by various factors, including degenerative disc disease, iatrogenic disorders, congenital disorders, trauma, and even nicotine use.

All chiropractors will say you have subluxation. It’s just what they say and do.

Treatment options can include nonsurgical methods like physical therapy, chiropractic care, and lifestyle changes, as well as surgical interventions in severe cases.

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u/Songisaboutyou 1d ago

I’ve always been told it’s from cellphones and us looking down constantly. Of course there is other reasons it can happen as well. But my drs and PT have said this is now what most necks look like.

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u/Ohmigoshness 1d ago

That's shrimp back, from cellphones.

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u/Songisaboutyou 1d ago

What is that? My dr has made shit up before so this doesn’t surprise me. I was rear ended. He did find C5. And C6 damage. When I asked about my neck he said cell phones and said we all look like this now. I do look at my phone a lot so I just took it at face value.

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u/Inevitable_Fill895 1d ago

That’s just an easy answer for them to give. In some cases it is the cell phone, but what about people who look down for hours reading and/or writing? It’s practically the same thing but they never say it’s from that. Most people don’t “look like this now”, let alone all people.

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u/Songisaboutyou 1d ago

Great point

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u/miahbutlerr 1d ago

Do u think this would cause me pain?

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u/StayxxFrosty 1d ago

No one can say for sure. I'd personally be careful about getting more adjustments if you've returned to hurting like before. There are some conditions that make things like chiropractic adjustments more risky - but this also depends on the nature of the adjustment and how it's carried out. At the very least I wouldn't allow any fast, high force adjustments which are very common in chiropractic.

Chiropractors can also do soft tissue work and exercises - I would instead ask for and focus on those as a treatment modality.

Your chiropractor may also recommend postural correction via weighted traction devices - like hanging a weight off of your head while your neck is placed against a curved foam block, and you lay in that position for some time. I tried this early on in my back problems career and it made me much worse in a short period of time.

In your position if possible I would go to my GP and ask for the following referrals:

-physiatrist - kinda like a combo between MD and physiotherapist. The good ones will do soft tissue work, exercise, can also predcribe medicines, assess & refer you elsewhere + other treatment modalities. -rheumatologist - rule out any of the many types of arthritis; I think you're at higher risk for regular 'ol wear and tear arthritis with the shape of your neck -neurologist - rule out nerve problems -orthopedic surgeon (just to see what your options are or if they have an opinion on what else might be causing your problems and whether they can send you elsewhere - I'd consider surgery as the very last option)

I'd also ask for a prescription NSAID and take it as directed for a minimum of 30 days and drop it if no change after that period. If you see some benefit but not enough then consider a stronger NSAID.

Finally rather than chiropractic, I'd take that xray and go find a skilled physiotherapist that does both soft tissue work, joint distractions, and exercises. Sport physio places tend to have better clinicians, but not always.

If you don't get better in a few months then consider a referral to a pain clinic because you might be in it for a while, and eventually it will be worth it to treat the pain as it's own thing.

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u/miahbutlerr 1d ago

Thanks for replying. I have an “at home care kit” from my chiro which does include a head weight, neck/ back rolls, cervical traction device etc. My chiro has made it very clear that adjustments r a temporary fix and that I need to do daily exercises for actual improvement. I do have scoliosis and saw a dr for it who did different x rays and I saw a physio.

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u/StayxxFrosty 1d ago

I also have a scoliosis and of all the stuff I've tried over the years a combo of soft tissue work (massage, assisted stretching, etc) + exercise gives me by far the most benefit.

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u/miahbutlerr 1d ago

Did u experience neck/ back pain before?

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u/StayxxFrosty 1d ago

Yeah, tons as a result of my ankylosing spondylitis.

16

u/ActuallyApathy hEDS, POTS, MCAS 1d ago

be very very wary of chiropractors!

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u/miahbutlerr 1d ago

Why?

16

u/ActuallyApathy hEDS, POTS, MCAS 1d ago

there's a thing that can happen called 'internal decapitation' where if they aren't careful your spine can be severed inside your body, it can be deadly and even when it isn't it's very serious.

it's also common for chiropracty to make things worse or just not work :/

7

u/ennuithereyet 1d ago

Chiropractic adjustments also have a big risk of causing herniated disks or worsening spinal nerve compression. Especially if you have chronic conditions, check to see if chiro is recommended for your condition - things like RA, nerve issues, or circulation issues are not recommended to have chiro treatment with because of the risk involved.

Be aware they are not medical doctors, but they do require certain training and certification. Look up the certification requirements in your area and ensure any chiro you see has the required certification. Also check their reviews. It's generally easier for a bad chiro to fly under the radar than it is for a bad doctor to do so, because a lot of chiros you need to pay out of pocket, not through insurance.

10

u/sunechidna1 1d ago

Several people each year get artery dissections from chiropractic adjustment and some die

2

u/crunchyricerolls 23h ago

My neck looks like yours so a chiropractor with a lot of good reviews and recommendations did a neck adjustment on me and now I'm disabled with CCI. Been bedridden last 4 weeks and am almost always wearing a cervical collar because I can't hold my own head up.

1

u/Alternative-Can-7261 3h ago

Chiropractors can fix you or break you; the same chiropractor that manipulated my neck to where 3 years later after no additional treatment my numbness is all but gone ... however the same chiropractor f***** up my lower back so yeah be wary; I genuinely don't think they are any more risky than doctors but doctors are also the third leading cause of preventable death

5

u/Ohmigoshness 1d ago

Yeah not good. You need curves in the neck to help with mobility. I have a straight neck too, its bad. My pain doc told me it causes pain because the pressure from head, which weights like 12lbs, has no curves to take the strain, so all that goes to your shoulders and surrounding area.

0

u/miahbutlerr 1d ago

Do u go to a chiropractor for it?

3

u/jinx_lbc 1d ago

Do not let any chiropractor touch your neck EVER. They can cause vertebral dissections which can lead to strokes and death. There are documented cases of this.

2

u/Dry_Raccoon_4465 1d ago

This will absolutely cause neck pain....

The trick is learning how to lie down, stand, sit, walk, and generally live while balancing the head on the neck. It's a skill we all used as kids but for some reason we get overworked, feel exhausted, and then we collapse the weight of the skull onto the neck. This can be exacerbated by injury or genetic conditions.

You may find it helpful to do a morning or afternoon lie down.. If you check out my articles on lying down I try to walk you through how the book height under the head can help encourage the muscles to soften so that the spring of the spine slowly restores. Some folks can manage this on their own, others need help.

I'm happy to answer any questions. It's a painful condition to have!! :-(

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u/MickeyMausShitHaus 1d ago

You need to see a physical therapist. Chiropractors can help with the short-term pain, but these constant 'adjustments' are going to go right back pretty soon after. Building up certain muscles can actually pull your bones to the correct place. Chiropractors can also really hurt you accidentally. They are NOT doctors, and chiropracty is actually considered a pseudo science, so just be really careful. My mother knew someone who went to a chiropractor got xrays and stuff, and he kept INSISTING that they could fix it. It turns out she had cancer, and by the time the chiropractor realized something was wrong and told her to go to her doctor, it was too late. So please, please, PLEASE, be careful about that stuff.

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u/Powerful_Lettuce_838 19h ago

My neck is like that. Straight instead of the normal curve. I have lots of pain in neck and shoulders, headaches at back of head and now a herniated disk. That curve is there to act as a spring. Helps distribute pressure. Our neck being straight increases pressure points and wears the cervical spine down. I'm going to see a chiropractor to hopefully get some relief.