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Conditions We Treat
Neck Pain Treatment in Pawleys Island, SC
Neck pain rarely stays in the neck. It refers into the shoulders, the base of the skull and down the arms.
Why necks hurt
The cervical spine carries the weight of your head through a small, mobile set of joints. Long hours at a screen, sleeping awkwardly, an old car accident, or simple wear over decades can all restrict how those joints move.
Once motion is restricted, surrounding muscles tighten to protect the area and nerves exiting the cervical spine can become irritated, which is why neck problems so often produce headaches or arm symptoms.
Common Sources
What Is Actually Causing Your Neck Pain
The neck is small, mobile and carries a heavy load all day. Several distinct problems produce similar symptoms.
Forward head posture
Every inch your head sits forward of your shoulders multiplies the load on the neck. Phones and monitors make this the most common finding we see.
Restricted cervical joints
A segment that has stopped moving properly irritates the nerve beside it and forces the muscles around it to compensate, which is what you feel as tightness.
Cervical disc involvement
A disc in the neck can bulge just as one in the lower back can. When it reaches a nerve root you get symptoms into the shoulder, arm or hand.
Old whiplash
A collision from years ago can leave altered joint mechanics that only become symptomatic much later, often after an unrelated minor strain.
Sleeping position
A pillow that holds your neck out of neutral for seven hours a night is a genuine mechanical load. Waking stiff most mornings points here.
Stress and jaw tension
Chronically raised shoulders and a clenched jaw load the upper cervical spine continuously. This is a physical problem even when its origin is not.
Common symptoms
- Stiffness and reduced ability to turn your head
- Aching at the base of the skull or between the shoulder blades
- Headaches that start in the neck
- Tingling, numbness or weakness in the arm or hand
- Pain that worsens after long periods at a desk or phone
What treatment looks like
After examination and imaging, care typically combines gentle cervical adjustments to restore motion with Summus laser therapy to settle inflammation. Where a cervical disc is compressing a nerve root, DRX9000 decompression may be appropriate.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Only if that is appropriate and you are comfortable with it. Low-force instrument methods such as the ArthroStim achieve a similar result without the rotation or the audible release. Tell Dr. Fico your preference before treatment begins.
The upper cervical joints refer pain into the head, so headaches that begin at the base of the skull frequently come from the neck. Our headaches and migraines page covers this in more detail.
Yes. Nerves serving the arm and hand exit through the cervical spine, so compression there can produce tingling, numbness or weakness in the arm, sometimes with no neck pain at all.
That depends on what the examination finds and how long the problem has been present. You will get a specific answer at your report of findings, before committing to anything.
Meet Your Chiropractor
Dr. Neil Fico, D.C.
Dr. Neil Fico has cared for patients on the Grand Strand for nearly 30 years. Pawleys Island is both where he practices and where he lives, and he personally evaluates every new patient who walks through the door.
His approach is integrative: corrective chiropractic adjustments, Summus laser therapy and DRX9000 spinal decompression, chosen to relieve the pain and correct what is causing it. If chiropractic care is not right for your condition, he will tell you.
New Patient Special
Start With A $49 First Visit
Before any treatment plan, Dr. Fico sits down with you to find out what is actually causing the pain. That first visit, the consultation, full exam and X-rays if you need them, is $49 instead of $250.
- One-on-one consultation with Dr. Neil Fico
- Complete orthopedic and neurological exam
- Digital X-rays if clinically indicated
- Sit-down report of findings and care plan
No obligation to start treatment. If chiropractic care is not right for your spine, Dr. Fico will tell you and point you where to go next.
Prefer to talk first? Call (843) 979-CARE (2273). Mon and Wed 8am to 12:30pm and 2pm to 6pm, Tue and Thu 9am to 12:30pm and 2pm to 6pm, Fri 8am to 1pm.
LIMITED TIME OFFER
New Patient Special
Initial Consultation, Exam & X-Rays
$250 ValueONLY $49
Receive an initial consultation, chiropractic exam and X-rays, if needed, for only $49.
