Neck Pain Relief: When Your Neck Won’t Stop Hurting

Your neck has been bothering you for weeks. Maybe months. It started as occasional stiffness, but now it’s constant. You wake up with it. You go to bed with it. You can’t turn your head to check your blind spot when you’re driving. You’ve tried everything—heat, ice, stretching, over-the-counter painkillers—and nothing’s working.

If this sounds familiar, you’re dealing with chronic neck pain. And you’re definitely not alone. Neck pain is one of the most common reasons people visit chiropractors in St. Paul and the Twin Cities area.

The good news? Neck pain is treatable. You don’t have to just live with it. Let me explain what’s causing your neck pain, when you should see a chiropractor, and how we actually fix it at Twin Cities Chiropractic.

What Causes Chronic Neck Pain?

Your neck does a lot of work. It supports the weight of your head (about 10-12 pounds), allows you to move your head in all directions, and protects your spinal cord. When something goes wrong, you feel it.

Here are the most common causes of neck pain we see at our St. Paul clinic:

Poor posture and tech neck. If you spend hours every day staring at a computer screen or looking down at your phone, your neck is taking a beating. For every inch your head moves forward from its natural position, it adds 10 pounds of pressure on your neck. Sitting hunched over a laptop for eight hours a day, you’re setting yourself up for chronic neck pain.

Muscle strain and tension. Stress, poor sleeping positions, or holding your neck in awkward positions all day can cause your neck muscles to tighten up and stay tight. Over time, this creates constant pain and stiffness.

Previous injuries. Maybe you were in a car accident years ago and developed whiplash. Even if you felt okay at the time, whiplash symptoms can appear days after an accident and turn into chronic neck problems if they’re not treated properly.

Herniated discs in your cervical spine. The discs between your neck vertebrae can bulge or herniate, putting pressure on nerves and causing pain that radiates into your shoulders and arms.

Arthritis and degenerative changes. As you get older, the cartilage in your neck joints can wear down, causing pain and stiffness. This is especially common in people over 50.

Workplace injuries. If your job involves repetitive motions, awkward positions, or sitting at a desk all day, you’re at higher risk for neck pain. We see this constantly with workplace injuries—office workers with terrible desk setups, warehouse workers doing repetitive lifting, and construction workers in awkward positions all day.

The key is figuring out what’s causing your specific neck pain so we can treat it effectively.

When Should You See a Chiropractor for Neck Pain?

A lot of people wait way too long before getting help. They assume neck pain will just go away on its own, or they keep popping ibuprofen and hoping for the best.

Here’s when you should see a chiropractor for neck pain:

The pain has lasted more than a few weeks. Occasional neck stiffness is normal. Constant pain that won’t go away is not. If you’ve been dealing with neck pain for more than two or three weeks, it’s time to get evaluated.

The pain is getting worse, not better. If your neck pain started mild but has been gradually increasing, that’s a sign that something structural is wrong and needs to be addressed.

You can’t move your neck normally. If you can’t turn your head to check your blind spot, look over your shoulder, or tilt your head without pain, that’s a problem. A restricted range of motion means something is wrong with your joints or muscles.

The pain radiates into your shoulders, arms, or hands. This usually means a nerve is being compressed somewhere in your neck. That’s not something that will fix itself.

You’re getting headaches. Many headaches start in the neck. If you’re getting frequent headaches that start at the base of your skull and radiate up, your neck is likely the culprit.

You’ve been in a car accident. Even if you felt fine after the accident, neck injuries from car accidents often don’t show up until days later. If you’ve been in a car accident in Minnesota, get your neck checked out.

If you’re wondering whether to see a chiropractor or a doctor for your neck pain, here’s the simple answer: if your pain is from a structural problem—misalignment, muscle tension, disc issues—chiropractic care is the right choice. If you have symptoms like fever, unexplained weight loss, or severe neurological symptoms, see a doctor first.

How Chiropractors Treat Neck Pain

At Twin Cities Chiropractic in St. Paul, here’s how we approach neck pain treatment:

Comprehensive Evaluation

First, I need to figure out exactly what’s causing your neck pain. I’ll do a physical exam, check your range of motion, test your reflexes and muscle strength, and look at your posture. If you’ve had X-rays or MRIs, I’ll review those too.

The goal is to identify the root cause—not just treat symptoms.

Chiropractic Adjustments

If your neck vertebrae are misaligned or your joints aren’t moving properly, I’ll perform specific chiropractic adjustments to restore normal alignment and function. When your neck is properly aligned, it reduces pressure on nerves, decreases inflammation, and allows your body to heal.

These adjustments are gentle and precise. I’m not just “cracking your neck”—I’m making specific corrections to the vertebrae that are causing your problem.

Most people feel some relief after the first few adjustments, but it takes time for the inflammation to go down and the muscles to relax. Consistency matters.

Soft Tissue Work and Manual Therapy

Neck pain isn’t just about your bones—your muscles play a huge role too. Tight, knotted muscles in your neck and shoulders make the pain worse and prevent your neck from healing properly.

That’s where Joy Vang, our licensed massage therapist, comes in. She uses deep tissue massage, myofascial release, and trigger point therapy to release the muscle tension that’s contributing to your pain.

When we combine chiropractic adjustments with massage therapy, people recover faster. You need both the structural work and the soft tissue work to fully resolve chronic neck pain.

Spinal Decompression for Disc Issues

If your neck pain is caused by a herniated or bulging disc in your cervical spine, spinal decompression therapy can be incredibly effective. This treatment gently stretches your spine, taking pressure off the compressed disc and allowing it to heal.

Decompression is comfortable and non-invasive. Most people relax or even fall asleep during treatment.

Posture Correction and Ergonomics

If poor posture or a bad desk setup is causing your neck pain, we need to fix that too. I’ll give you specific advice on how to set up your workstation properly, how to hold your phone, and what changes to make in your daily habits.

We’ll also give you exercises to strengthen your neck and upper back muscles so your body can better support proper posture.

How Long Does Treatment Take?

It depends on how long you’ve had the pain and what’s causing it.

Some people with acute neck pain from sleeping wrong or minor muscle strain feel significantly better within a week or two.

Others with chronic neck pain from years of poor posture or old injuries might need 6-8 weeks of consistent treatment to get full relief.

Here’s the typical progression:

First 1-2 weeks: The constant pain starts decreasing. You have a greater range of motion and can move your neck more easily.

Weeks 3-4: Significant improvement. The pain is much less frequent, and when it does happen, it’s not as intense.

Weeks 5-8: Most of the pain is gone. You’re back to normal activities without constant discomfort.

The key is sticking with treatment. If you come in sporadically or stop as soon as you feel a little better, the problem will likely come back.

Finding the Right Chiropractor in St. Paul

If you’re searching for a “chiropractor near me” or “chiropractor in Twin Cities,” here’s what to look for:

Experience treating neck pain specifically. Not all chiropractors focus on the same conditions. You want someone who treats neck pain regularly and understands the different causes.

Comprehensive treatment approach. Good neck pain treatment includes adjustments, soft tissue work, and rehabilitation—not just quick adjustments.

Clear communication. Your chiropractor should explain what’s causing your pain, what the treatment involves, and what kind of results to expect.

At Twin Cities Chiropractic, I’ve been treating neck pain in St. Paul since 2001. We combine chiropractic adjustments with manual therapy from Joy to give you comprehensive care that actually resolves the problem.

Don’t Wait Until It Gets Worse

Chronic neck pain rarely just goes away on its own. The longer you wait, the more chronic it becomes, and the harder it is to treat.

If you’ve been dealing with neck pain for more than a few weeks, if it’s getting worse, or if it’s affecting your daily life, get evaluated by a chiropractor who specializes in neck pain treatment.

At Twin Cities Chiropractic in St. Paul, we’ve helped hundreds of people get relief from chronic neck pain. I’ll figure out what’s causing your pain and create a treatment plan to get you back to normal.

Dealing with chronic neck pain in St. Paul or the Twin Cities? Contact Dr. Scot Sorum at Twin Cities Chiropractic. We treat neck pain with chiropractic adjustments, manual therapy, and spinal decompression. Get relief without drugs or surgery.