Why You Need That Cervical Curve
You may not think about it as we do, but the natural curves that occur in the four different regions of your spinal column help to balance your body as well as prevent injury.
The curve that should be present in the upper part of the spinal column, called the cervical spine, is a lordotic curve. When viewed from the side, this is a forward curve.
Injury or uncorrected trauma can cause the cervical spine to straighten and lose this vital lordotic curve. This is known as cervical kyphosis and can progress to the point where a reverse curve is formed. Even a slight reduction in the normal lordotic curvature can produce subtle or more obvious health problems.
The causes of cervical kyphosis can include:
- Degenerative disc disease
- Congenital Kyphosis that appears at birth
- Trauma, such as whiplash from an auto accident
- Injury from a medical procedure
Symptoms can range in severity from mild discomfort and headaches, to decreased range of motion in the neck and in the most severe cases, paralysis.
Neck pain may be common, but it’s not normal. If you’re experiencing any type of neck pain, please call our practice to schedule a thorough examination. Chiropractors are specially trained to locate abnormalities in the spinal column and are quite successful in improving proper spinal curves. We would love to help you or someone you know.
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