Neck Pain Treatment in Portland & Hood River

What is neck pain?

Your neck balances a roughly 10–12 pound head on seven small vertebrae while allowing a huge range of motion. That combination makes it vulnerable to strain. Neck pain can come from muscles, joints, discs or nerves, and it often spreads into the shoulders, upper back or head.

Common symptoms of neck pain

• Aching or stiffness in the neck, worse after long screen time
• Reduced ability to turn or tilt your head
• Muscle tightness across the shoulders and upper back
• Headaches starting at the base of the skull
• Pain, tingling or numbness into the arm or hand if a nerve is involved

What causes neck pain?

Common causes include sustained forward-head posture at a computer or phone ("tech neck"), sleeping in an awkward position, muscle strain, facet joint irritation, disc bulges or herniations, degenerative changes and whiplash from car accidents or sports.

Tech neck and desk posture

When your head drifts forward to look at a screen, the load on your neck muscles and joints increases. Over hours and years, that can contribute to stiffness and pain. Small changes — screen height, chair support, regular breaks and strengthening exercises — often make a noticeable difference.

Neck pain after whiplash

Whiplash from a car accident or sports collision can strain neck muscles, ligaments and joints, and symptoms sometimes appear a day or more later. Always get a medical evaluation first after a crash. Learn more on our auto accident and whiplash page.

When should you see a doctor right away?

Most neck pain is not an emergency, but some symptoms need immediate medical care. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room — rather than booking a chiropractic visit — if you have any of the following:

• Neck pain after a significant car crash, fall or blow to the head
• Neck stiffness with fever, headache and sensitivity to light
• Progressive arm weakness, hand clumsiness or balance problems
• Sudden severe headache, vision changes, slurred speech or dizziness
• Neck pain with unexplained weight loss or a history of cancer

How chiropractic care may help neck pain

Chiropractic care for neck pain combines gentle adjustments — manual or instrument-assisted, depending on your comfort — with posture coaching, workstation advice and simple exercises to strengthen deep neck muscles. StemWave may help with tight, tender upper-shoulder muscles.

If a cervical disc is irritating a nerve, Dr. Craig may recommend cervical DRX9000 spinal decompression at our Portland clinic. In Hood River, Dr. Alvis provides chiropractic care and can refer you to Portland when decompression may help.

Services used for neck pain:

• Chiropractic Adjustments
• Spinal Decompression (Portland)
• StemWave

Is spinal decompression right for neck pain?

Cervical decompression may be a fit for neck pain caused by a bulging or herniated disc, especially with arm pain or tingling. It is not appropriate for neck pain after acute trauma until fractures and instability are ruled out, or with cervical fusion hardware.

Decompression is generally not appropriate during pregnancy, after spinal fusion or with surgical hardware in the treatment area, or with spinal fracture, tumor, severe osteoporosis, advanced infection or an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Candidacy is always decided at an exam.

Portland only: DRX9000 spinal decompression is performed by Dr. Jerome Craig, D.C., LMT at 2916 NE Broadway, Suite B. Hood River patients can be evaluated by Dr. Alvis and referred when appropriate. Learn about spinal decompression →

What to expect at ALVIS

Care for neck pain at ALVIS Chiropractic follows three simple steps, starting with a free consultation. Nothing is decided until the doctor has heard your story and examined you, and there's no obligation to begin care.

1. 1Free consultation: tell the doctor about your neck pain — when it started, what makes it better or worse, and your goals.
2. 2Exam: a hands-on chiropractic exam, with X-rays or other imaging reviewed or referred if needed, to identify the likely source and rule out red flags.
3. 3Personalized plan: the doctor explains the findings and recommends a plan, which may include chiropractic care, StemWave, home exercises or — in Portland — spinal decompression, or a referral if another provider is a better fit.

At-home tips while you heal

These general tips are safe for most people. Stop anything that clearly worsens your symptoms and ask your doctor what's right for you.

• Raise your screen to eye level and bring your phone up instead of looking down.
• Take a short movement break every 30 minutes at the computer.
• Use a pillow that keeps your neck level with your body when sleeping.
• Try gentle chin tucks and shoulder rolls through the day.