Neck Pain Treatment in Bee Cave, TX
Neck pain can make everyday things surprisingly difficult. Turning your head, sitting at your desk, looking down at your phone, or simply getting comfortable at night can all become harder when your neck is stiff or painful.
At Elite Wellness Chiropractic, Dr. Mikala Hiben, DC, looks at your neck, posture, and surrounding areas to figure out what may be contributing to your symptoms. Your evaluation helps determine whether corrective chiropractic care is a good fit for you.
Key Takeaways
- Neck pain can have more than one cause. Your daily habits, posture, an old injury, muscle tension, restricted movement, or changes in the cervical spine may all play a part.
- An X-ray doesn't tell the whole story. Dr. Hiben looks at your imaging alongside your symptoms, movement, history, and examination findings.
- Your care plan starts with an evaluation. What happens next depends on what Dr. Hiben finds and may include adjustments, corrective exercises, soft-tissue work, or other strategies.
- Neck pain can show up in different ways. Stiffness, headaches, pain into the shoulders or arms, numbness or tingling, and trouble getting comfortable at night can all occur with neck problems.
- You may have exercises to do at home. Depending on your situation, Dr. Hiben may include corrective exercises as part of your care, so you're not relying on what happens in the office alone.
Understanding What May Be Behind Your Neck Pain
Neck pain can come from a lot of places. A long day at a computer, hours looking down at a phone, an old whiplash injury, muscle tension, or changes in the cervical spine can all play a role. Sometimes there isn't one neat explanation.
Research also gives us a good reason not to treat an X-ray or MRI finding as the whole story. A 2018 systematic review found that cervical spine MRI findings did not consistently predict future neck pain, and a 2019 review found that the evidence comparing MRI findings in people with neck pain and pain-free people was generally low quality. In other words, what shows up on an image needs to be considered alongside what you're actually experiencing.
That matters when deciding what to do next. Rather than looking at an image and automatically deciding what treatment you need, Dr. Hiben can consider your symptoms, movement, history, and clinical findings together.
There is also evidence for using more than one tool when managing persistent neck pain. A 2023 systematic review of 17 randomized controlled trials involving 1,190 people found that manipulative therapy was associated with improvements in pain intensity and neck disability, although the studies varied considerably in their methods and interventions. Clinical guidelines for neck pain also support approaches that combine hands-on care with exercise and other active strategies for appropriate patients.
What Our Patients Say About Neck Pain Relief
“...Arthritis pain in my neck was at a consistent 8 -10 pain level most every day until I started going to Elite Wellness. After a few months it was gone!...”
Chris H.
What’s Causing Your Neck Pain?
Your neck rarely gets irritated for just one reason. You might spend eight hours at a computer, look down at your phone between meetings, sleep awkwardly, and then wonder why turning your head the next morning suddenly hurts.
An old injury can complicate things, too. A car accident or whiplash injury may have happened years ago, while the stiffness or restricted movement is something you notice much later.
When Dr. Hiben evaluates neck pain, these are some of the things she looks for:
- How you use your neck every day: Hours at a desk, looking down at a phone, or staying in one position can put repeated stress on the neck and upper back.
- What happened before the pain started: A car accident, fall, sports injury, or other impact can change how the neck moves.
- What your muscles are doing: Tight or overworked muscles around the neck, shoulders, and upper back can affect how comfortably you move.
- How you sleep: Your pillow, sleeping position, and the way your neck is supported overnight can all matter when you're already dealing with stiffness.
- How the cervical spine is moving: Restricted movement or changes in the joints of the neck may be part of the picture.
- The discs between the vertebrae: Disc changes can sometimes contribute to neck pain, stiffness, or symptoms that travel into the shoulder or arm.
The goal isn't to pick one item from a checklist and call it the cause. It's to look at how the different pieces fit together and see what actually matches your symptoms and examination findings.
What Does Neck Pain Actually Feel Like?
Neck pain isn't always a sharp pain in your neck. You might notice that your head doesn't turn as easily as it used to, that your shoulders feel tight, or that something starts hurting after you've been at your desk for a few hours.
Depending on what's going on, you might notice:
- Stiffness or limited movement when turning or tilting your head
- A dull ache or sharper pain in your neck
- Pain that travels into your shoulders, upper back, or arms
- Headaches that seem to start around your neck
- Numbness or tingling in your arms or hands
- Clicking or grinding when you move your neck
- Discomfort at night that makes it harder to get comfortable or sleep
Your Clear Path to Neck Pain Relief: Our 3-Step Process
Neck pain care shouldn't feel like you're being handed a generic treatment plan and sent on your way. The first step is figuring out what’s actually going on, then deciding what makes sense based on what Dr. Hiben finds.
Start With an Evaluation
Dr. Hiben looks at your symptoms, medical history, movement, posture, and other clinical findings to get a clearer picture of what may be contributing to your neck pain. X-rays may also be recommended when they can provide useful information.
Build Your Care Plan
Your findings guide what happens next. Depending on what’s going on, your plan may include chiropractic adjustments, corrective exercises, soft-tissue work, or other strategies that fit your needs.
Check How Things Are Going
Your care shouldn't stay on autopilot. As you move through treatment, Dr. Hiben can reassess your symptoms and movement and make changes when needed.
What Can Neck Pain Care Help You Do?
Neck pain can affect much more than your neck. Turning your head to check your blind spot, getting through a workday, sleeping comfortably, or even looking down at your phone can become frustrating when movement is limited or symptoms keep coming back.
Care is aimed at helping you move more comfortably and giving you practical ways to manage the factors that may be contributing to your symptoms.
Depending on what Dr. Hiben finds, care may help with:
- Neck movement: Making it easier to turn, tilt, and move your neck.
- Muscle tension: Addressing tightness around the neck, shoulders, and upper back.
- Posture and movement habits: Identifying positions or habits that may be putting extra stress on your neck.
- Headaches associated with neck problems: Addressing contributing musculoskeletal factors when appropriate.
- Everyday activities: Making movements like working at a desk, driving, exercising, or sleeping more manageable.
Could Your Posture Be Affecting Your Neck?
The way you sit, work, sleep, and use your phone can all change how much work your neck and upper back have to do. A quick posture check can help you spot habits that may be contributing to stiffness, tension, or discomfort.
It only takes 2 minutes.
Common Questions About Neck Pain & Chiropractic Care
It depends on what's causing your neck pain. Chiropractic care may be appropriate for stiffness, restricted movement, muscle tension, posture-related neck pain, some types of headaches, and pain associated with issues such as whiplash or cervical joint dysfunction. Dr. Hiben first looks at your symptoms and examination findings to determine whether chiropractic care is appropriate for your situation.
The first step is figuring out what may be contributing to the problem. Dr. Hiben looks at your symptoms, movement, posture, history, and clinical findings. When X-rays are appropriate, they can provide additional information about the cervical spine. From there, your care plan may include adjustments, corrective exercises, and other strategies based on what the evaluation shows.
For the right patient, cervical chiropractic care can be an appropriate treatment option. Safety starts with screening. Dr. Hiben considers your medical history, symptoms, neurological findings, and any relevant imaging before deciding what type of care is appropriate. Some conditions require medical referral or a modified approach rather than routine cervical adjustments.
“Tech neck” isn't a formal diagnosis. It's a common term for the postural changes that can develop from spending a lot of time looking down at phones, tablets, or computers. Chiropractic care may be part of addressing those changes, particularly when restricted movement or altered posture is contributing to your symptoms. Corrective exercises and changes to your daily setup can also be part of the plan.
It can happen, but there's no way to promise that. Some people notice a change after an adjustment, while others need more time and repeated care before they notice a meaningful difference. Your symptoms, how long you've had the problem, and what's contributing to it all matter. Dr. Hiben can give you a better idea of what to expect after your evaluation.
Sometimes. X-rays aren't automatically necessary for every case of neck pain. When they're clinically appropriate, EWC uses digital X-rays to look at the cervical spine and establish a baseline for care. The findings are considered alongside your symptoms and examination rather than used on their own to determine treatment.
It can, particularly when your headaches are associated with tension, restricted movement, or other musculoskeletal issues in the neck. Forward head posture can also contribute to certain types of headaches. Dr. Hiben looks at the relationship between your neck symptoms and headaches before deciding whether chiropractic care is appropriate.
There's no set number that applies to everyone. Someone with a recent problem may need a different amount of care than someone who has been dealing with neck pain or postural changes for years. EWC reassesses your progress throughout care so the plan can be adjusted based on how you're responding.
Your first visit is focused on gathering information rather than rushing into treatment. You'll discuss your symptoms and health history, followed by an examination and posture assessment. Digital X-rays may be taken when clinically indicated. At your Report of Findings, Dr. Hiben goes through what was found and explains the care she recommends. If you decide to move forward, your first adjustment is performed during that second visit.
Elite Wellness Chiropractic is a cash-pay practice. The $60 New Patient Experience includes your examination and digital X-rays during the first visit, followed by your Report of Findings and first adjustment during the second visit. EWC also accepts letters of protection for patients involved in auto accidents. For current pricing or payment questions, the office can be reached at (512) 817-1653.
Ready to Take the Next Step With Your Neck Pain?
Neck pain can start affecting your work, sleep, workouts, and the little things you normally don't think twice about. You don't have to guess what's behind it or keep trying random fixes on your own.
At Elite Wellness Chiropractic, Dr. Hiben will look at your symptoms, movement, history, and clinical findings to determine what's going on and whether chiropractic care is a good fit for you.