Neck Pain
Neck Pain Treatment
Our neck is vulnerable to strain and injury being a relatively small structure and having to support a large mobile weight- our head-often in poor, prolonged positions.
The neck (cervical spine) involves and protects many important nerves and blood vessels so it is vital to get neck pain treatment as soon as a problem starts to get fast relief from the pain and to prevent the symptoms becoming more widespread.
Pain in the neck can be particularly miserable as it may cause headaches, visual problems or nausea which makes it difficult to work, concentrate-or sleep.
Why wait for a solution?
If neck pain is preventing you enjoy life, do your chosen sport or function at work then call us now to get pain free and back to normal as soon as possible
Or if you only have the odd pain or headache then why wait until it gets worse?. Early physiotherapy intervention and treatment gets faster results and a better outcome for you.
Remember, prevention is better than cure!
Structures in the Neck
The neck is made of 7 separate bones (vertebrae) with a vertebral disc sandwiched between each one and each links to the next by 2 small mobile joints called facets. All these structures can become injured or strained causing pain and stiffness.
To complicate things further the roots of the nerves from your spinal cord emerge from small spaces between the joints. These then travel to other areas, some through your shoulder and down your arm to the tips of your fingers. Others travel up to your face, head, jaw and others further down your back.
If these nerves are irritated or pinched they can cause symptoms in addition to neck pain such as headaches, face pain, arm pain, arm weakness or numbness and commonly shoulder pain.
Due to the complex nature of the neck and its symptoms we initially conduct a comprehensive assessment to diagnose the exact nature of the problem before designing your neck pain treatment plan.
How can Physiotherapy help your Neck Problems?
Neck Pain Treatment with Physiotherapy
- Joints in the neck and shoulder are mobilized and ‘freed up’
- Tight sore muscles in the neck, shoulder and back are relaxed with massage techniques and possibly acupuncture.
- Stretching techniques such as manual traction help take pressure off the nerves and allow them to work properly.
- Taping to reduce the tension and pressure on some muscles and nerves and encourage correcting ones to work better.
- Give you a treatment and management programme to continue at home to continue the improvement. This may be home exercises, ergonomic advice regarding your work station or sitting position and rehabilitation aids to help self massage
Causes of Neck Pain
Whiplash
Whiplash is commonly experienced with certain types of car accidents (especially when you are hit relatively slowly from behind) and with traumas that cause fast, uncontrolled movements of the head.
The resulting pain in the neck often resolves on its own with painkillers and rest but sometimes the pain and stiffness will persist and will need further intervention
Physiotherapy treatment works on the pain and stiffness associated with whiplash injuries getting you back to your normal activities as soon as possible
Physio-Answers are the preferred providers in the area for all the major car insurance companies for treatment of claimants with whiplash.
Arthritis
Patients are often given the diagnosis of arthritis as the cause of their pain and stiffness in the neck.
Whilst this is a common area to be affected by osteo- arthritis the problem is often just general wear and tear which can start fairly early in life in the middle of the neck. A poor posture with rounded shoulders often puts more stress on this part of our neck as we move and the result is extra wear and inflammation in these joints.
So as well as relieving the pain and stiffness with hands on treatment your physiotherapist may work on your posture and head position to reduce the extra stress on your neck. This involves stretching tight muscles and strengthening the weak ones so you are able to naturally hold yourself in a better position which then lessens the stress on your neck.
Muscle Tension
Neck pain is often caused by tightness and tension in neck and shoulder muscles. Lots of time on a computer or driving for instance causes our posture to change and the delicate muscles in our neck and shoulders can become over worked, tired and tight. This leads to pain in the neck, across the shoulders and upper back.
Headaches are also common as the tight neck muscles press on the nerves and blood vessels that supply the head and face.
By working on the tight muscles and stiff joints in the neck, shoulders and back your physiotherapist can reduce the tension and trigger points (knots in the muscles) and so reduce the pain and headaches if they occur. This may involve joint mobilisation, massage and acupuncture. They will also help you with relaxation and postural exercises to reduce the stress on the joints and muscles and so prevent the problem re occurring. They can also advise you regarding your workstation or sporting techniques to prevent the build-up of tension and tightness in the muscles in the future.