Pinched nerves at the top of your neck can cause headaches or deep neck pain, often flowing from behind and above the ears to behind the eyes. Facial pain and blocked sinuses are also frequent symptoms.

Sprained or inflamed joints in the lower part of the neck can irritate the nerves that flow down through the shoulder into the arms and hands; this can cause the neck to lock with or without radiating shoulder, arm or hand pain or numbness.

Chiropractors are ideally suited to releasing the joints that can trap these nerves, using a variety of safe, low force techniques. When dealing with the sensitive parts of the upper neck a hand held adjusting instrument may also be used (Activator), in addition to the more common adjusting techniques.