Neck Pain Chiropractor in Vancouver, WA
Neck pain has a handful of common patterns. Once we know which one you have, treatment stops being guesswork.
Which One Sounds Like You?
Almost every neck pain patient we see fits one of three broad patterns. None of them are official diagnoses on their own, but recognizing which one you’re dealing with is usually the fastest way to understand why your neck hurts and what will actually help.
The Desk-and-Phone Neck
A dull, tight ache across the base of the skull and upper shoulders that builds through the day and eases up over the weekend, only to come right back on Monday. Usually tied to hours spent looking down at a screen, with the head drifting forward of the shoulders. Stretching helps temporarily, but the underlying joint restriction keeps bringing it back.
The Collision Neck
Pain that started suddenly after a car accident, a fall, or a sports hit, sometimes the same day, sometimes not until a day or two later. Often comes with stiffness turning your head, headaches, or a general sense of being “jolted.” This pattern needs a proper evaluation before any adjustment, since the mechanism of injury matters.
The Nerve-Referral Neck
Pain, tingling, or numbness that doesn’t stay in the neck, it travels into the shoulder, down the arm, or into the fingers. Usually points to a nerve being irritated where it exits the cervical spine, rather than a simple muscle issue. This is the pattern most likely to need imaging if it doesn’t respond to initial care.
What We Check at Your First Visit
Dr. Bryan Gehm tests how far your neck rotates and bends in each direction, checks reflexes and strength in your arms if there’s any radiating pain, and asks about the timeline: when it started, what makes it worse, and whether it followed an accident. That combination usually tells us which of the three patterns above we’re dealing with before any treatment begins.
Treatment Depends on the Pattern
Cervical Adjustments
Restores motion to restricted joints in the neck, most useful for the desk-and-phone pattern and stable collision cases.
The Activator Method
A precise, low-force option we lean on heavily after auto accidents or whiplash, where a gentler approach is warranted early on.
Soft Tissue & Trigger Point Work
Targets the tight upper trap and suboccipital muscles behind most tension-driven neck pain and related headaches.
Nerve-Focused Care
For radiating arm pain, treatment targets the specific level where the nerve is being irritated, not just the sore spot.
Questions We Hear Before a First Visit
I was in a car accident. Should I wait to see if it heals on its own?
We’d rather see you sooner. Whiplash-type injuries often feel worse on day two or three, and getting evaluated early gives us a baseline to work from and can shorten your recovery.
My pain radiates into my hand. Is that normal?
It’s common, but it does mean a nerve is likely involved rather than just a tight muscle. We’ll test your reflexes and strength to figure out which nerve level and build a plan around that specifically.
Will you adjust my neck on the first visit?
Only if the exam supports it. If there’s any indication your case needs imaging first, especially after an accident, we’ll tell you before recommending any hands-on treatment.
Figure Out Which Pattern Fits Your Neck Pain
Same-day evaluations are usually available, including for recent auto accidents.
Request an Appointment
Call (360) 573-5500
We see neck pain patients from across Clark County, including Vancouver, Camas, Ridgefield, and Battle Ground.