chronic neck pain and in people with normal ranges of motion

Although I have been taking care of patients for a quarter century, I’m not above being fooled.  Allow me to give you an example.  It’s typically the case that a patient I am examining with CHRONIC NECK PAIN and HEADACHES has some sort of problem with their neck that restricts mobility.  In fact many, if not most, have an absolutely terrible range of motion in their cervical spine (CHECK YOUR OWN ROM).  Although there can certainly be other factors at play, this is usually a dead giveaway as to what is causing all, or at least some, of their pain.  However, things can get trickier in patients that have “normal” c-spine ranges of motion.

The first time I really started noticing this phenomenon was about a decade ago, when I treated a wiry 15 or 16 year old boy suffering with Chronic Neck Pain and daily Headaches.  It’s a common story that plays out in Chiropractic Offices all over the country.  I would adjust him, and no matter what, he would never hold for more than a few days — or a week at the most. Then he was back, complaining about the exact same thing.  I was fooled because the range of motion in his neck was absolutely normal — maybe even a bit more than normal — when I measured it.  Because I had done some SCAR TISSUE REMODELING on his mom, she suggested that I try this on her son.  Stupid me (picture me sharply smacking my forehead with the butt of my palm)! 

After his very first treatment, the range of motion in his cervical spine (neck) increased dramatically —- even though technically, it was already as good as it could get before I started.  Live and learn.  Not only did a couple of Tissue Remodeling Treatments decrease the number of this kid’s headaches by about 95%, his cervical range of motion increased to the point that I started calling him “The Owl“. Although I rarely see this phenomenon in the over-30 crowd, the younger the patient, the more likely I am to find this situation occurring. It sort of reinforces the old idea that there is really no such thing as ‘normal’ or ‘standard’ when it comes to the human body.