Neck Pain Treatment in Milwaukee, WI

Neck too stiff to turn? Let’s look for what’s behind it.

Trusted, personal care in neighborhood clinics throughout Greater Milwaukee.

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Understanding neck pain

What is neck pain?

Neck pain is pain, stiffness, or soreness anywhere from the base of your skull to the tops of your shoulders. It can feel like a dull ache, a sharp catch when you turn your head, or tightness that spreads into your shoulders or upper back.2

Your neck holds up your head all day while letting you look in every direction. Strained muscles, stiff joints, wear over time, and the way you sit, sleep, and use your phone can all play a part. Most neck pain isn’t serious, but it can get in the way of work, sleep, and the things you enjoy.

203 million

people worldwide were living with neck pain in 20201

Ages 45–74

is when neck pain is most common, for both men and women1

~45% higher

rate of neck pain in women than in men1

Symptoms

Neck pain symptoms: what you may notice

Neck pain feels different from person to person, and it can change from day to day.2

  • Neck

    Stiffness

    Your neck feels tight, and turning or tilting your head is harder than it should be.

  • Movement

    Pain when turning your head

    A sharp catch when you check your blind spot or look over your shoulder.

  • Posture

    Pain that builds in one position

    Holding your head in one place, like at a desk or behind the wheel, makes it worse.

  • Muscles

    Muscle tightness or spasms

    The muscles along your neck and shoulders feel knotted or cramp up.

  • Head

    Pain at the base of your skull

    An ache right where your neck meets your head.

  • Head

    Headaches

    Headaches that start in the neck and spread toward the forehead.

  • Shoulders

    Shoulder and upper back pain

    Tightness that spreads across your shoulders or between your shoulder blades.

  • Morning

    Waking up with a crick

    A stiff, sore neck after sleeping in an awkward position.

  • Nerves

    Pain, tingling, or numbness in an arm

    Can mean an irritated nerve. Mention it to your doctor right away.

  • Sleep

    Trouble sleeping

    Pain makes it hard to find a comfortable position at night.

Neck pain after a car accident or fall? See our whiplash page.

When to seek medical care first

Most neck pain isn’t dangerous. A few warning signs need a hospital, not a chiropractic clinic.2 Once a medical provider has cleared you, we’re here to help with the pain and stiffness that often linger.

Call 911 or go to the emergency room if you have:

  • Severe neck pain after a car crash, fall, or diving accident
  • Weakness in an arm or leg, or trouble walking
  • Severe neck pain with a high fever. This can be a sign of an infection around the brain and spinal cord.

See a medical provider promptly if neck pain:

  • Gets worse even with self-care
  • Lasts more than a few weeks
  • Spreads into your arms or legs
  • Comes with headache, numbness, or tingling
Causes

What causes neck pain?

Your neck moves all day and carries the weight of your head. Common causes include:2

Muscle strain Posture and tech neck Sleeping in an awkward position Stiff or worn joints Arthritis Pinched nerves and disc problems Car accidents, sports, and falls

Neck pain after a crash? See our whiplash and car accident injuries pages. Headaches too? See headaches and migraines.

What can raise your risk

Long hours looking down

Phones, tablets, and laptops pull your head forward and down for hours at a time.2

Desk work and long drives

Holding your head in one position for a long time makes pain more likely.2

Sleep position and pillow

Sleeping with your neck twisted or bent can leave you stiff and sore in the morning.2

Age

Neck pain is most common between ages 45 and 74, as joints and discs change with time.1

Around Greater Milwaukee, long desk days, commutes, and physically demanding jobs all take a toll on the neck. We accept workers’ compensation, and we offer workplace wellness programs for local employers.

Tech neck

What is tech neck?

Tech neck, also called text neck, is neck pain and stiffness linked to looking down at phones, tablets, and laptops for long stretches. The farther your head tips forward, the more work your neck muscles do to hold it up.

One widely cited model estimated how that load grows as you look down.5 It’s an estimate, and research hasn’t proven that phone use alone causes neck pain. One study of young adults found no clear link.6 What seems to matter most is staying in one position too long.

The fix isn’t giving up your phone. Raise your screen, change positions often, and keep your neck moving. Your doctor can look at how you sit, work, and use your devices.

Read our complete guide to tech neck
Head tilted forwardEstimated load on your neck
UprightAbout 10 to 12 pounds, the weight of your head
15°About 27 pounds
30°About 40 pounds
45°About 49 pounds
60°About 60 pounds

Model estimates, not measurements of real people.5

Where it starts

Where is your neck pain coming from?

Neck pain usually starts in one of a few places. Your exam helps show which, and that shapes how your care begins.2

SourceHow it often feels
MusclesTight, achy, or knotted. Often worse after desk work, driving, or a bad night’s sleep.
JointsStiff, with a sharp catch when you turn your head. Sometimes with clicking or grinding.
NervesPain, tingling, or numbness that travels into the shoulder, arm, or hand.
InjuryPain and stiffness after a crash, fall, or sports hit, sometimes starting a day or two later.
Your care

How chiropractic care helps neck pain

Your chiropractor for neck pain starts by listening: when it started, what makes it better or worse, and how you sit, sleep, and work. Then your doctor looks for what’s behind it, with a full exam and X-rays only if your exam calls for them.

Your doctor explains what they found and talks through care options with you. You decide what’s right for you.

Care is natural and drug-free, designed around your condition, your medical history, your daily life, and your goals.

What the research says

Care guidelines for neck pain recommend hands-on care, such as spinal adjustments or gentle joint movement, along with exercise you do at home.3,7

Small changes add up

Raising your screen to eye level, getting up every 30 minutes or so, and choosing a pillow that keeps your neck level can all ease the strain between visits.

What your care may include

Good to know

If you don’t want your neck adjusted

Say so, and your doctor won’t. Gentle joint movement, muscle work, and exercise are other ways to get where you want to go. You choose your care.

Hands-on

Chiropractic adjustments

Gentle, targeted adjustments help restore motion to neck joints that have become stiff or restricted.

Gentle option

Gentle joint movement

Slow, controlled movements help loosen a stiff neck when a full adjustment isn’t the right fit.

Rehab

Strengthening and posture exercises

Guided exercises build the muscles that hold your head up, so your neck handles long days better.

Select clinics

Physical therapy

Available at our Menomonee Falls, Waukesha, and West Allis North clinics.

Select clinics

Massage therapy

Available at our Hales Corners and Oconomowoc clinics.

Every day

Desk, phone, and sleep guidance

Practical tips for your screen height, your car, and your pillow help protect your neck between visits.

Every patient

A plan you understand

Your doctor explains what they found in plain language, so you know what’s going on and what you can do between visits.

Recovery

How long does neck pain last?

A stiff neck from sleeping wrong often eases within days. Other neck pain tends to come and go. A major international review found that many people who have neck pain will have it again within a few years.4

That’s why care looks beyond today’s pain to the habits behind it, like how you sit, sleep, and use your devices. See a provider if your pain lasts more than a few weeks or keeps getting worse.2

50–85%

of people with neck pain report it again within one to five years.4

Insurance and your first visit

Care that fits your coverage

We’re in-network with most insurance plans, including Medicare, and our team can check your benefits before you come in. No insurance? New patients can start with the $29 first visit.

New-patient special
$29*
First
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  • Consultation
  • Exam
  • X-rays if needed
  • With or without insurance
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With insurance
In-network with most insurance companies
  • Most commercial plans
  • Medicare
  • Auto accident claims
  • Workers’ compensation
Verify your insurance
Your first visit

What to expect at your first visit

  1. Share your story

    Your doctor asks when the pain started, what makes it better or worse, your daily activities, and your goals.

  2. Get a thorough exam

    Your doctor checks how your neck and shoulders move, where it’s tender, and the strength, reflexes, and sensation in your arms. X-rays are taken if needed.

  3. Talk through your options

    Your doctor explains what they found and walks you through care options. You decide what's right for you.

  4. Begin care at your next visit

    Treatment begins at visit two. In acute cases, your doctor may decide same-day treatment is appropriate.

You'll see the same doctor as your care continues, so the person treating you knows your history and your progress.

Your care team

Meet Milwaukee chiropractors who treat neck pain

Our chiropractors care for neck pain every day. These doctors bring backgrounds that fit patients with neck pain.

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More about Dr. [Name]

[Doctor name], DC

DC · [Clinic]
[Focus area][Focus area]

[One or two sentences on this doctor’s background with neck pain.]

More about Dr. [Name]

[Doctor name], DC

DC · [Clinic]
[Focus area][Focus area]

[One or two sentences on this doctor’s background with neck pain.]

More about Dr. [Name]
Meet your care team
Why Milwaukee trusts us

Trusted by Greater Milwaukee since 1982

Personal care in neighborhood clinics, with more than 1,400 five-star Google reviews from real patients.

400,000+
Patients cared for
1,400+
Five-star Google reviews
20+
Neighborhood clinics
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Serving Greater Milwaukee since
  • Best of MilwaukeeRecognized 13 years
  • Top Choice AwardsRecognized 7 years
  • UWM AthleticsOfficial chiropractors since 2019

Winners and finalists, including our doctors and practices before they joined us. See every award, with sources

Common questions

Frequently asked questions about neck pain

Many patients find chiropractic care helps them move more comfortably. Care guidelines for neck pain recommend hands-on care, such as spinal adjustments or gentle joint movement, along with exercise. Your doctor looks for what’s behind your pain, then talks through options with you.

Tech neck, or text neck, is neck pain and stiffness linked to looking down at phones, tablets, and laptops for long stretches. Research hasn’t proven that phone use alone causes neck pain, but holding your head forward and down for a long time adds strain. Raise your screen, change positions often, and keep your neck moving.

A sharp catch when you turn your head often comes from a stiff joint or a tight muscle in the neck. Pain that travels into your arm, or comes with numbness or tingling, can mean an irritated nerve and is worth an exam soon.

Sleeping on your back or side usually puts less strain on the neck than sleeping on your stomach. Choose a pillow that keeps your neck level with the rest of your spine, not tipped up or down. Your doctor can suggest a position that fits your pain.

Many people find heat relaxes tight neck muscles. Some prefer ice in the first day or two after a strain. Use whichever feels better, for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, and protect your skin.

Yes. Problems in the neck can cause headaches that start at the base of the skull and spread toward the forehead. If a headache comes with confusion, vision changes, a high fever, or vomiting, get medical care right away.

The popping sound is usually gas releasing from a joint, and an occasional pop isn’t a reason to worry. If you feel the urge to crack your neck often, that stiffness is worth an exam. Don’t twist your neck forcefully, and stop if it hurts.

Both can help, and they often work well together. Chiropractic care helps restore movement in stiff joints, while physical therapy builds strength and stability. Physical therapy is available at Menomonee Falls, Waukesha, and West Allis North, so your doctor can talk through a combined plan when it makes sense.

Not always. Your doctor decides based on your history, your symptoms, and your exam. When needed, X-rays are taken right in the clinic.

Tell your doctor and they won’t. Gentle joint movement, muscle work, and exercise are other ways to care for neck pain. Your doctor explains the options, and you decide what’s right for you.

Often, yes. Same-day appointments are available at many of our clinics, depending on the day and each clinic’s hours. Call your nearest clinic or request an appointment online to check today’s openings. Your first visit is for your consultation and exam, and treatment typically begins at your next visit.

Usually not. Your first visit is for listening, a full exam, and X-rays if needed. Treatment begins at visit two. In acute cases, your doctor may decide same-day treatment is appropriate.

No referral is needed. Some insurance plans may require one for full benefits. Our team checks your plan when you verify your insurance and lets you know before your visit.

Eligible new patients can request a first visit for $29, including a consultation, an exam, and X-rays if needed. The offer requires requesting an appointment online and a visit within five business days. Medicare and Medicaid patients aren’t eligible.

Chiropractic Company has 20+ neighborhood clinics across Greater Milwaukee, and every one offers chiropractic care for neck pain. Find a location close to your home or work.
Milwaukee-area chiropractic clinics near you

Find neck pain care near you: 20+ locations

Every clinic offers chiropractic care for neck pain, close to home or work.

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Neck pain shouldn't keep you from doing what you love.

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Keep reading
Article

Neck Adjustments: What to Expect and Safety Questions

Mild soreness after a neck adjustment is common.

Article

Tech Neck: What It Is and How to Ease It

Tech neck is neck pain and stiffness from long hours looking down at screens.

Related conditions

WhiplashHeadaches and migrainesPinched nerve in the neckCar accident injuriesLower back painTMJ and jaw pain

Related services

Patient resources

Sources

  1. GBD 2021 Neck Pain Collaborators. Global, regional, and national burden of neck pain, 1990–2020, and projections to 2050: a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. The Lancet Rheumatology. 2024;6(3):e142–e155.
  2. Mayo Clinic. Neck pain: Symptoms and causes.
  3. Bussières AE, Stewart G, Al-Zoubi F, et al. The treatment of neck pain–associated disorders and whiplash-associated disorders: a clinical practice guideline. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 2016.
  4. Carroll LJ, Hogg-Johnson S, van der Velde G, et al. Course and prognostic factors for neck pain in the general population. Spine. 2008;33(4 Suppl):S75–S82.
  5. Hansraj KK. Assessment of stresses in the cervical spine caused by posture and position of the head. Surgical Technology International. 2014;25:277–279.
  6. Damasceno GM, Ferreira AS, Nogueira LAC, et al. Text neck and neck pain in 18–21-year-old young adults. European Spine Journal. 2018;27(6):1249–1254.
  7. Côté P, Wong JJ, Sutton D, et al. Management of neck pain and associated disorders: a clinical practice guideline from the OPTIMa Collaboration. European Spine Journal. 2016;25(7):2000–2022.
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