Most people will experience chronic back or neck pain at some point in their life. Acute pain is sudden, sharp pain that subsides after a few days or a couple of months. However, some people continue to be afflicted from the pain long term and this is what we would characterize as chronic back or neck pain. Chronic pain may last for a dozen plus weeks, numerous months, or even multiple years and be continuous or intermittent. There are levels to chronic back or neck pain ranging from mild all the way to disabling however both can restrict mobility and interfere with your quality of life.

What causes back and neck pain?

In most cases, back and neck pain may have many different causes, including any of the following:

• Overuse, strenuous activity, or improper use, such as repetitive or heavy lifting
• Trauma, injury, or fractures
• Degeneration of vertebrae, often caused by stresses on the muscles and ligaments that support your spine, or the effects of aging
• Infection
• Abnormal growth, such as a tumor or bone spur
• Obesity, which places increased weight on your spine, and pressure on your discs
• Poor muscle tone
• Muscle tension or spasm
• Sprain or strain
• Ligament or muscle tears
• Joint problems, such as arthritis
• Smoking
• Protruding or herniated (slipped) disk and pinched nerve
• Osteoporosis and compression fractures
• Congenital (present at birth) abnormalities of your vertebrae and bones
• Abdominal problems, such as an aortic aneurysm

Chronic back and neck pain affects many individuals at various stages in their lives. While acute pain is short-lived, lasting days to months, chronic pain persists beyond twelve weeks and can be debilitating. Understanding the symptoms and causes of this pain is crucial for effective treatment.

This article focuses on Craniosacral Therapy, an innovative, non-invasive approach practiced in New York City, aimed at easing chronic back and neck pain.

What are the symptoms of back and neck pain?

Symptoms associated with back pain may include:

• Dull, burning, or sharp pain in your back.  The pain can be confined to a single spot or cover a large area
• Leg numbness or tingling above or below your knee
• Stiffness or achiness that occurs anywhere along your spine (from your neck to your tailbone)
• Sharp, shooting pain that radiates from your low back to your buttocks, down the back of  your thigh, and into your calf and toes
• Consistent ache in the middle or lower part of your back, especially after standing or sitting for an extended period

Symptoms associated with neck pain can be:

• Arm numbness or tingling
• Headaches
• Shoulder pain
• Sharp shooting pains or a dull aches in your neck

A Craniosacral Therapist is devoted to the non-surgical treatment of disorders of the nervous system and/or musculoskeletal system. 

In a non-invasive, non-addictive treatment, known as a Craniosacral Therapy the point is to reduce joint restrictions or misalignments in the spine and other areas in the body in an effort to lessen inflammation and better the function of both the affected joint and nervous system. Mobility can be restored to joints restricted by tissue injury often from a traumatic event, such as falling, improperly trying to lift a heavy object, or repetitive stress such as sitting in an office chair without proper back support over time.