Why is it important to be aware of the curve in my neck?

• The neck, or cervical curve, is the curve that supports the head.

• The cervical curve helps with posture, flexibility, and shock absorption.

• The cervical curve is important because as it straightens it pulls on your neck and shoulder muscles creating tight muscles. These tight muscles cause tension headaches, aches and pains in the neck/traps/upper back, and it can even effect your jaw muscles and lead to TMJ/TMD pain.

• A loss of the cervical curve can cause excessive tension on the disc(s), leading to degeneration. Curve changes also put more pressure on the nerves so they don’t communicate as effectively. Straightening can also cause the top vertebrae to tilt at an abnormal angle causing pressure on the brain stem. This can lead to headaches, dizziness, and even contribute to excess anxiety.

Can curves change?

Absolutely!

They can change for the better or become worse!

• When babies are born their spine is essentially a C shape. As they hit developmental milestones like raising their head during tummy time and crawling the neck curve develops.

• Technology has led us to poor rounded postures. Looking down at phones, laptops, and other devices cause the curve to straighten.

• With Chiropractic care and a little homework you can restore the curve to a healthy angle!