Quick answer: Most neck pain comes from posture, long hours at a desk or on a phone, sitting, stress, injuries such as whiplash, and disc or joint wear. At Forward Spine Center in Golden Valley, Dr. Timothy Klesk, DC and Dr. Madeline Klesk, DC start with an exam to find what is driving your pain, then combine chiropractic adjustments, soft-tissue work, exercises and workstation advice. Acupuncture can be added in the same visit. We see patients from Golden Valley, Minneapolis, St. Louis Park, Plymouth, New Hope, Robbinsdale and Crystal.
The neck may be small, but it supports almost everything you do. When it doesn't move well, driving, dressing, lifting and even resting can be painful. With more screen time, remote workstations and less movement in our days, neck pain has become more common. This post covers:
- Why you may have neck pain
- Common symptoms and causes
- Neck pain from desk work and phones
- How we treat neck pain in Golden Valley
- When to get medical care
Why do I have neck pain?
Our Golden Valley clinic has seen a rise in neck pain patients, and the reasons vary. Your neck muscles hold up your head all day, so the soft tissues and the cervical spine (the part of the spine in your neck) are almost always working.
Common symptoms of neck pain include:
- Pain or stiffness in the neck
- Loss of range of motion, or trouble turning your head side to side or up and down
- Pain when you stretch your neck
- Neck discomfort that gets worse through the day
- Trouble sleeping comfortably
- Pain that gets in the way of work, exercise or social plans
Common reasons people develop neck pain include:
- Posture, ergonomics and workstation setup
- Long periods on a phone or tablet, and long periods sitting or standing
- A less active lifestyle
- A slip and fall or car accident
- Sports, overuse and repetitive motions
- Normal wear and tear with age
- Stress
Conditions that can cause neck pain include disc herniation and other disc problems, degenerative disc disease, arthritis, sprains and strains, nerve irritation, chronic headaches and whiplash. If your neck pain travels into your arm or hand, read Dr. Tim's posts on arm and hand symptoms.
Neck pain from desk work and phones
Many of our neck patients work at a desk in Golden Valley, Minneapolis or the west metro. Hours of looking down at a laptop or phone overload the muscles at the back of the neck while the deep muscles at the front get weak. Small changes help:
- Raise your screen so you look straight ahead, not down
- Take screen breaks and change positions through the day
- Hold your phone higher instead of dropping your head to it
- Do short neck stretches and deep neck strengthening during the workday
More in our guides to setting up your workstation and tech neck exercises.
How we treat neck pain in Golden Valley
Finding what is causing your symptoms comes first. Dr. Tim breaks spine pain into four structures that can cause symptoms: the joints, the discs, the nerve roots and the muscles. Your plan is built around your exam, your goals and your daily life, and may include:
- Chiropractic adjustments: a quick, controlled movement to a specific joint to restore motion in the neck and upper back.
- Soft-tissue release: Active Release Technique and other muscle work to ease tension so the change holds.
- Exercises and stretches: one-on-one mobility training, plus exercises to strengthen weak deep neck muscles and stretch tight ones.
- Acupuncture: can be combined with an adjustment in the same visit for neck and shoulder tension.
- Mechanical traction: gentle traction to decompress the spine when a disc or nerve is involved.
- Yoga and movement: strengthening, flexibility and breathing habits that support a healthy neck.
- Workstation and posture guidance: your desk setup, screen height, phone habits and sleep position.
Most plans combine in-office care with exercises you do at home, so you have the tools to keep your neck moving well between visits.
When to get medical care
Call 911 or get emergency care if your neck pain follows a serious accident or fall, or comes with sudden weakness, trouble walking, loss of bladder or bowel control, fever with a stiff neck, or a sudden severe headache.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the best chiropractor for neck pain in Golden Valley?
Forward Spine Center at 701 Decatur Ave N, Ste 102, Golden Valley, MN is a two-doctor clinic, Dr. Timothy Klesk, DC and Dr. Madeline Klesk, DC, rated 5.0 on Google. Neck pain care combines adjustments, Active Release Technique, exercise, acupuncture and workstation advice, based on an exam. In network with most major insurance plans, and no referral is needed.
Can a chiropractor help neck pain from working at a desk?
Yes. Desk-related neck pain usually comes from tight muscles at the back of the neck and weak deep neck muscles. Care combines adjustments and soft-tissue work with strengthening exercises and changes to your screen height, breaks and phone habits.
Do you see patients from St. Louis Park and Plymouth?
Yes. Forward Spine Center is in Golden Valley and sees patients from St. Louis Park, Plymouth, Minneapolis, New Hope, Robbinsdale, Crystal and Wayzata.
Can neck pain cause headaches?
Yes. Tension in the neck and irritation of the occipital nerve at the base of the skull can cause cervicogenic headaches. See 3 tips on managing cervicogenic headaches and our headache care page.
Does insurance cover chiropractic care for neck pain?
Most health insurance plans cover chiropractic care, and Forward Spine Center is in network with most major plans. We also accept Medicare, most Medicaid plans, workers' compensation and personal injury claims, and HSA and FSA cards.
Keep reading
- Neck pain care in Golden Valley
- Headache and migraine care in Golden Valley
- Herniated and bulging disc care
- What is causing the symptoms into my arm?
Ready to get your neck moving comfortably again? Book online or call 763-332-2680.
Originally published December 23, 2022. Updated by Forward Spine Center, Golden Valley, MN. This article is educational and is not a substitute for an in-person evaluation.
