Is neck pain the same problem as whiplash?
No. Whiplash is a neck injury from a sudden force, usually a crash, and it is evaluated as a personal injury. Neck pain from desk work, sleep, a lift, or no clear accident is what this visit covers.
Neck Pain, Pinched Nerves, and Desk-Related Stiffness
An exam for pain that stays in the neck, travels into the arm, or shows up as a headache from the base of the skull.
The neck
Understanding neck pain
Neck pain at Levitt Chiropractic Center may stay in the neck, travel into the arm, or begin as a headache at the base of the skull. Dr. Alan Levitt has been in practice since 1987 and at 6200 Excelsior Blvd, Suite 201, Saint Louis Park, MN 55416 since 1999. The phone number is 952-920-7535.
People arrive with a neck that locked after sleeping, a shoulder that burns by the end of a screen day, or an arm that tingles when they turn. Those are different stories. A neck that was thrown in a car crash is whiplash. That evaluation, including records after an auto accident, is part of personal injury care. Low-back pain and sciatica are treated as back pain.
A pinched nerve means something is irritating a nerve: a joint that will not move, a disc that has changed shape, or a muscle in spasm. Pressure can bring inflammation, pain, and sometimes weakness. The visit is for finding which of those fits. The name alone does not identify the structure.
How it shows up
How neck pain can feel
Use these as history, not as a diagnosis you give yourself.
A stiff local neck
Turning to check a blind spot or looking up is limited. The pain stays in the neck or the top of the shoulder. The arm feels normal.
Pain or tingling into the arm
A line of pain, numbness, or weakness leaves the neck and travels into the shoulder blade, arm, or hand. That pattern needs a nerve check, not a guess.
Headache that starts at the skull base
Some headaches begin where the neck meets the skull and move toward the temple or behind the eye. Other headaches do not come from the neck at all.
The screen-day neck
Patients call the ache after a day of looking down “tech neck” or “desk neck.” It is a description of the posture, not a separate disease.
Desk and sleep
Neck pain from desk work and sleep
The head is heavy when it sits forward of the shoulders. A long meeting, a phone in the lap, or a pillow that keeps the neck kinked can leave the joints stiff and the muscles guarding. People call that tech neck. What we can check is whether the joints actually move, whether the arm is strong, and whether the headache, if there is one, starts in the neck.
A headache from the neck often begins at the skull base. Noise, fatigue, and stress can make any headache louder, but they do not prove the cause. We do not use a percentage for how many headaches come from the neck. If the exam points at the neck, care is aimed there. If it points somewhere else, we say so.
Sleep position matters in the history. So does the work setup, in plain language: screen height, how long you sit, and what you do on breaks. We will not hand you a gadget list. Two or three changes you can keep beat a perfect desk you abandon.
The visit
What the neck exam is looking for
Bring a photo ID and plan on 10 to 15 minutes of paperwork. Tell us when it started, whether the arm is involved, and what a turn or a cough does to it. Prior imaging and any medication another clinician prescribed belong in that history.
Dr. Levitt checks motion, the joints that are stuck, and strength and sensation when the arm is part of the story. X-rays are taken when they would change the plan, which is the same rule as the rest of the practice. You should leave with a working idea and the next step. The first-visit outline is on what to expect.
If an adjustment is appropriate, the technique is Diversified, Zone Therapy, or Torque Release. Diversified is a quicker contact. Torque Release is gentler. Zone Therapy includes spinal massage for the region. You hear which one before it happens. More on technique is under adjustments. A fast thrust is not the opening move after unexplained trauma or when arm strength is falling off.
What can be added
Other care that may be included
Cold laser therapy is a handheld light, about the size of a flashlight, held on the sore area for 30 seconds to several minutes. It does not heat the skin in any meaningful way. It is optional and it is dropped if the neck exam is not changing. Learn how cold laser is used before you ask for laser alone.
Targeted ice is for a neck that is hot and newly irritated. It is not a whole-body cold chamber. A few exercises for endurance, strength, or mobility are how a neck stays looser between visits. Exercise covers endurance, strength, and mobility. A long stretch sheet you will not do is not the plan.
A disc in the neck may be degeneration, a bulge, or a herniation. Disc care explains those findings against the arm exam. An adjustment is not a promise to put disc material back. If hand clumsiness or walking is getting worse, that is a physician visit.
Ordinary activity that does not spike arm pain is usually better than a week of holding the neck perfectly still. We will not promise a visit count. Call 952-920-7535 or request a new-patient visit.
Recovery
What improvement can look like
The scoreboard is turning your head, sleeping, and whether the arm symptoms are shrinking. Some recent necks feel more movable after care starts. A neck that has guarded for a long time needs the daily position changed as well. If strength is dropping, we stop and refer. Feeling better is the hope. It is not a guarantee, and we do not quote a fee before the exam.
Questions
Questions about neck pain
These answers are for booking and for sorting emergencies. They are not a personal diagnosis.
What is a pinched nerve in the neck?
It means a nerve is irritated or compressed. A stiff joint, a disc bulge, or muscle spasm can do that. The result can be pain, tingling, or weakness in the arm. The name does not tell us which structure is involved until the exam.
Can a headache come from the neck?
Sometimes. A headache that starts at the base of the skull can be mechanical. Migraines, sinus pain, and a sudden severe headache are different problems. A headache with confusion, a blow to the head, or the worst pain of your life needs emergency care, not an adjustment.
Which treatments does this office use for the neck?
After the exam, the options already offered here are spinal adjustments (Diversified, Zone Therapy, or Torque Release), cold laser, targeted ice, and a few home exercises. The gentler contact is chosen when a fast thrust is a poor fit. Surgery, injections, and prescription drugs are not services of this office.
How many visits will a stiff neck take?
There is no number before the exam. Some recent mechanical necks loosen over a short series. A neck that has been guarded for months, or an arm that is weak, is a different plan. If the same tests are not changing, the plan changes or you are referred.
Related care
Care that often goes with neck pain
Neck pain that did not start with a crash is the focus here. These links cover crashes, the low back, and the treatments we may add.
- Whiplash and auto accidentsNeck injury from a sudden crash, including the injury exam.
- Back pain and sciaticaLow-back pain and leg pain are evaluated separately from the neck.
- Other conditionsHeadaches, joint pain, and other problems, with links to the matching care.
- How an adjustment is chosenDiversified, Zone Therapy, and Torque Release.
- Disc problemsHerniated and worn discs, including in the neck.
- New patient appointmentOr call 952-920-7535. Existing patients have a separate form.
Address
6200 Excelsior Blvd, Suite 201
Saint Louis Park, MN 55416
Phone
952-920-7535Hours
- Mon / Thu:8:30–11:30am · 2:30–5:30pm
- Tue / Fri:8:30am – 11:30am
- Wed:10:00am – 12:00pm
- Sat:By Appointment
- Sun:Closed