Why do you need the curve in your neck?

Does having the curve in your neck matter? The answer, in a nutshell, is YES! Through research and biomechanical principles, the cervical curve (the curve in the neck that your spine should have) is extremely important. It not only acts as a shock absorber for the forces your body receives, but it also allows the rest of the spine to function properly.

A study published in 2017 by Zikun, et al. talks about modic changes in the cervical spine. This study looked at 100 people, 50 males and 50 females. But first, what are modic changes?

Modic changes are inflammatory changes in the bones of the spine leading to problems such as spinal decay and degenerative disc disease. Essentially, modic changes are the precursor to long term issues in the spine.

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What they found:

Forward head posture and loss of neck curve were SIGNIFICANTLY MORE COMMON in people with modic changes (degeneration). This tell us that forward head posture and loss of neck curve can put you at much greater risks for these conditions.

Modic degenerative change in the neck may cause issues such as neck pain, motion disorder, and neurologic deficits. (THIS CAN BE PREDICTED BEFORE THEY HAVE PAIN!)

Notice the modic changes seen on imaging often come BEFORE pain is experienced. Pain is often the last warning sign that our body gives us indicating that something is seriously wrong internally. For instance, when having a heart attack, pain is the last sensation that you feel in the cascade of long term events leading to that moment.

So what can we do to prevent these problems from occurring?

Misalignment of the cervical spine has been proven to accelerate segment degeneration, which results in cervical degenerative disorders.

This means that by correcting misalignments in the spine, we can put a halt to these degenerative changes. This is a major reason that every person should be checked for spinal health and misalignments. Many conditions that become common later in life can be prevented by proper upper cervical chiropractic care. In addition, this shows why imaging by your chiropractor is vital. Information such as loss of cervical curve, degeneration, and misalignments are all of extreme importance to the chiropractor.

Contact our chiropractic clinic in Traverse City today for more information or to take action!