Waking up with a stiff, aching neck? Neck pain, tension headaches, and whiplash are among the most common conditions Dr. Kelch treats. Many patients feel a real difference within their first few visits.
Your cervical spine — the seven vertebrae of the neck — carries the full weight of your head (roughly 10–12 pounds) while allowing an enormous range of motion. This combination makes the neck one of the most vulnerable areas of the spine to injury, misalignment, and degeneration.
What most people call "neck pain" is actually a complex problem involving vertebral alignment, disc health, muscle tension, and nerve function. Treating just the muscles with massage or heat provides temporary relief. Correcting the underlying spinal dysfunction provides lasting relief.
Dr. Kelch takes a root-cause approach. Rather than chasing symptoms, he identifies the specific vertebral segment, disc, or nerve involvement causing your pain and corrects it directly. That is why many patients who have tried other approaches find longer-lasting relief at Absolute Wellness.
As your head drifts forward, the load on the muscles and joints of your neck rises sharply. After years of looking at phones, computers, and tablets, many Peoria patients arrive with severe forward head posture that strains every structure in the neck. Chiropractic care restores joint motion while postural retraining addresses the root habit. Read more about tech neck.
The sudden acceleration-deceleration of a car accident can damage the ligaments, muscles, and discs of the cervical spine — often without producing symptoms for days or weeks. Dr. Kelch has advanced training in brain traumatology and whiplash treatment through the San Diego Spine Institute. See whiplash treatment.
When a disc in the neck ruptures or bulges, it can compress nerve roots exiting the cervical spine — causing neck pain combined with shooting pain, numbness, or weakness in the arm, shoulder, or hand. Gentle adjustments and cervical decompression therapy often help ease the pressure and the arm symptoms.
Age-related wear in the cervical spine narrows the disc spaces, develops bone spurs, and stiffens the joints — producing chronic neck pain, reduced range of motion, and sometimes arm symptoms. Chiropractic care keeps the cervical joints mobile and reduces the inflammation and nerve irritation that arthritis causes.
Chronic stress, poor sleep position, prolonged computer work, and repetitive neck movements can create persistent muscle tension and trigger points throughout the neck and upper back. While massage addresses the muscle symptoms, chiropractic care corrects the underlying joint dysfunction that keeps the muscles in a state of chronic tension.
When cervical vertebrae compress the nerve roots passing through them — whether from misalignment, disc herniation, or arthritis — it produces a characteristic combination of neck pain, shoulder pain, and arm symptoms. Restoring normal joint motion with gentle adjustments is a common conservative treatment. See pinched nerve treatment.
For an everyday stiff or sore neck without warning signs, these steps often help:
If your neck isn’t clearly better in a week or two, keeps coming back, or the pain travels into your shoulder or arm, it’s time to have it evaluated.
Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. For everything else, Dr. Kelch’s exam checks for warning signs first and refers you to a medical doctor when your neck pain needs one.
Neck pain treatment at Absolute Wellness addresses the structural cause — the specific joint, disc, or nerve involvement — rather than just the surrounding muscle tension.
Dr. Kelch performs a thorough assessment of your cervical alignment, range of motion, reflexes, and nerve function. For accident-related neck injuries, he also screens for signs of concussion and brain trauma using his specialized training from the San Diego Spine Institute.
Precise, low-force adjustments that restore proper alignment to the cervical vertebrae, relieve joint restriction, and decompress irritated nerves. Multiple adjustment techniques are available — Dr. Kelch selects the approach most appropriate for your specific condition and comfort level.
For disc-related neck pain, herniated cervical discs, or cervical stenosis, gentle traction creates space between the vertebrae of the neck, which can reduce disc pressure and ease irritated nerves.
Trigger point release, myofascial work, and therapeutic massage to relax the chronically tight muscles of the neck and upper back. These muscles are often in a reactive state due to underlying joint problems — relieving their tension helps adjustments hold longer.
Specific exercises and ergonomic guidance to address the forward head posture and upper-crossed syndrome that underlies most chronic neck pain. Correcting posture is essential for preventing neck pain from returning after successful treatment.
For accident-related neck injuries, Dr. Kelch follows a specialized protocol that addresses soft tissue damage, cervical ligament injuries, and neurological involvement in addition to spinal alignment. He also provides the detailed documentation needed for insurance claims and legal proceedings.
Most chiropractors treat whiplash with standard cervical adjustments. Dr. Kelch's advanced certification in brain traumatology and whiplash treatment from the San Diego Spine Institute means he also assesses and manages the neurological effects of neck trauma — concussion, vestibular disruption, and proprioceptive deficits — that standard chiropractic training doesn’t focus on.
For neck pain involving disc herniation, cervical spondylosis, or nerve root compression, Dr. Kelch combines chiropractic adjustments with cervical decompression therapy, addressing both the joint restriction and the disc problem at the same time.
The difference between getting out of pain and staying out of pain is whether the underlying cause was actually corrected. Dr. Kelch combines structural correction with postural retraining and home exercise guidance to ensure the results of treatment hold long after your last visit.
"I had a stiff neck and headaches every single day for two years. Within four visits with Dr. Kelch, both were completely gone. I wish I'd come sooner instead of taking ibuprofen every day."
— Karen S., Washington IL ★★★★★
Normally $250 — new patients only
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Doctor of Chiropractic · Peoria, IL
Dr. Kelch's Whiplash Specialist Certification and Brain Traumatology Certification from the San Diego Spine Institute give him specialized expertise in cervical spine conditions. This page reflects the diagnostic and treatment protocols he uses for neck pain at Absolute Wellness in Peoria.
Learn More About Dr. Kelch →Same-day appointments available · $49 new patient special · Most insurance accepted
Cervical adjustments that restore proper neck alignment, relieve joint restriction, and decompress irritated nerves.
Learn More →Whiplash care backed by brain traumatology and whiplash certifications, plus the documentation your insurance claim needs.
Learn More →Neck problems are a common headache trigger. Drug-free care for tension, neck-related, and desk-posture headaches.
Learn More →Cervical decompression therapy for disc-related neck pain, herniated cervical discs, and cervical stenosis.
Learn More →