What to Expect During Your First Chiropractic Visit
At High Amplitude Health in San Mateo, we help people just like you find lasting relief from neck pain — whether it’s from poor posture, stress, or an old injury that never fully healed. Our approach doesn’t just relieve muscle tightness; it also restores motion in your neck joints so you can turn, tilt, and sleep comfortably again.
Each year, nearly 30% of adults in San Mateo experience neck pain — most often caused by muscle tension and joint stiffness. If ignored, this tension can lead to text-neck syndrome, poor posture, or even headaches that start at the base of your skull.
Common Causes of Neck and Shoulder Pain in San Mateo
Neck muscle tension, irritated facet joints, and inflamed ligaments in the cervical spine often lead to stiWhether you’re commuting from Foster City or working long hours at a desk in Burlingame, neck and shoulder pain can creep in slowly — or hit all at once. The most common causes we see include:
- Poor sleeping posture (especially stomach sleeping with a flat pillow)
- Forward head posture from phone or laptop use (aka “tech neck”)
- Sports injuries or workout strain
- Whiplash from a car accident
- Herniated or bulging cervical discs
- Cervical osteoarthritis (wear-and-tear arthritis in the neck)
Left untreated, these issues can limit your neck’s range of motion, aggravate nearby nerves, and lead to chronic discomfort.
The good news: We can help you treat the root cause — not just the symptoms. Book your appointment >
When Should You See a Chiropractor for Neck Pain?
If your pain has lasted more than a few days, or you’re noticing symptoms spreading into your shoulders or arms, it’s time for a chiropractic evaluation. Early treatment prevents chronic stiffness and helps restore normal movement.
Common Neck Pain Symptoms We Treat
Wondering if chiropractic care is right for you? Patients often come in with:
- Tight or spasming neck muscles
- Sharp or pinching pain when turning the head
- Soreness or tenderness to the touch
- Reduced neck flexibility
- Radiating pain into the shoulders, arms, or fingers
- Headaches starting at the base of the skull
These symptoms are often linked to cervical spine dysfunction — and we treat them every day.
👉 Have questions? Check out our Neck Pain FAQ or give us a call to speak directly with our front desk.
How Chiropractic Adjustments Relieve Neck Pain
Chiropractic care works by realigning the cervical spine and releasing tight muscles around the neck and upper back. When your joints move better, your muscles relax — and your nerves stop sending those “something’s wrong” pain signals.
Benefits of Chiropractic Neck Pain Treatment:
A more comfortable, pain-free life
Decreased neck and shoulder tension
Improved spinal mobility
Better posture and flexibility
Reduced inflammation in joints and soft tissue
Fewer tension headaches
Faster recovery from sports or work-related injuries
A more comfortable, pain-free life
Our Neck Pain Treatment Options
Your first visit includes a full spinal exam, range-of-motion testing, and — if needed — X-rays to check for disc issues or arthritis. From there, we create a custom care plan to target the specific structures causing your pain.
We combine chiropractic adjustments with advanced soft tissue therapies to get you feeling better, faster.
🔹 Active Release Therapy (ART)
This hands-on technique targets specific muscles, tendons, and fascia that are causing pain or limiting motion. ART breaks up scar tissue, improves circulation, and restores healthy movement patterns — especially effective for chronic neck tension, tech neck, and postural strain.
🔹 Therapeutic Sports Massage
Reduces muscle tension and speeds up recovery from physical activity, sports injuries, or long workdays.
🔹 Myofascial Release
Targets the deeper muscle layers and fascia to restore motion and reduce stiffness in your neck, shoulders, and upper back.
🔹 Assisted Stretching
Gently guided stretching improves flexibility, posture, circulation, and spinal mobility — especially helpful for office workers.
🔹 Percussion Therapy
Using a massage gun, we deliver rhythmic bursts of pressure to break up tight muscle knots and improve tissue healing.
🔹 Cervical (Neck) Traction
This gentle technique opens up space between the vertebrae, relieving pressure on compressed nerves and reducing disc-related pain.
🔹 Chiropractic Adjustments
Precise, hands-on techniques that restore joint motion, reduce inflammation, and help your nervous system function better. Especially effective for herniated or bulging discs.
Serving San Mateo County with Trusted, Hands-On Care
High Amplitude Health proudly serves patients from San Mateo, Foster City, Burlingame, Hillsborough, Belmont, Redwood City, and surrounding Peninsula communities. Whether you’re struggling with a stiff neck after a long flight or persistent pain that just won’t go away, we’re here to help.
Ready to Feel Better?
Neck pain doesn’t have to be your “new normal.” Let’s get you back to pain-free movement and better sleep.
👉 Schedule your chiropractic appointment today at High Amplitude Health in San Mateo.