How To Treat Neck Pain

The vertebrae that extend from the skull to the upper torso together form the neck. Cervical discs absorb shock between the bones. The bones, ligaments, and muscles of your neck support your head and allow for motion. 

Any abnormalities, inflammation, or injury can cause neck pain or stiffness. Many people experience neck pain or stiffness occasionally. In many cases, it’s due to poor posture or overuse. 

In some cases, neck pain can indicate serious injury or illness and require a doctor’s care, however, most of the time, neck pain isn’t a serious condition and can be relieved within a few days when left alone or given a small amount of treatment.  If you have neck pain that continues for more than a week, is severe, or is accompanied by other symptoms, seek medical attention immediately.

What are the symptoms of neck pain?

Common Neck Pain Signs and Symptoms

Neck pain usually involves one or more of the following symptoms and signs:

• A stiff neck; soreness and difficulty moving the neck, especially when trying to turn the head from side to side.
• Sharp pains may be localized to one spot and could feel like a stabbing or stinging pain. This type of pain typically occurs in the lower neck.
• General soreness is typically felt in a broader area or region of the neck. General soreness is not a sharp pain, rather it is described as a tender or achy feeling.
• Radicular pain, a pain that can radiate along a nerve from the neck into the shoulder and arm. The intensity can vary and this nerve pain might feel like it is burning or searing.
• Cervical radiculopathy or a pinched nerve Neurological deficits—such as problems with reflexes, sensation, or strength—may be experienced in the arm due to nerve root compression. Cervical radiculopathy may also be accompanied by radicular pain.
• Trouble with gripping or lifting objects can be a symptom of neck pain. This problem can happen if numbness or weakness goes into the arm or fingers.
• Headaches. Sometimes an irritation in the neck can affect muscles and nerves connected to the head. Some examples include tension headache, cervicogenic headache, and occipital neuralgia.

At City Physio, we are highly skilled in diagnosing and treating such conditions and will help you understand where your pain comes from, alleviate your pain, and give you the confidence to do everything without fear of pain.

Causes

The neck is responsible for supporting the weight of the head and is flexible to allow rotation, flexion, extension and lateral flexion to occur. The neck is also vulnerable to conditions that cause pain and restrict motion. Neck pain can be caused by injuries, mechanical problems, overuse and other problems, these include:

Muscle strains are the most common cause of neck pain. Too many hours sat hunched over a chair; staring down to check your phone, among other things cause overuse of the neck muscles.   Poor posture, working at a desk for too long without changing position, sleeping in a bad position and jerking the neck during exercise can all cause neck strains and pain.

Weakness. Training the upper traps more than the lower and mid traps may lead to overstimulation of the upper traps resulting in neck pain.

Worn joints can occur over time. Osteoarthritis causes the cartilage between vertebrae to deteriorate. This can then cause osteophytes to form which can affect range of motion and cause pain.

Nerve compression can be caused by herniated disks or osteophytes in the vertebrae of your neck that press on the nerves branching out from the intervertebral foramen.

Injuries.  Motor collisions and sporting injuries can often result in whiplash injury, this occurs due to the neck being particularly vulnerable to falls, car accidents and sport where the muscles and ligaments of the neck are forced into a range outside of which is comfortable.  With whiplash, the head is jerked backward and then forward, straining the soft tissues of the neck. Whiplash can also cause the vertebrae in your neck, particularly the cervical portion, to be fractured, as well as severing the spinal cord.

Diseases.  Diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, meningitis or cancer, can cause neck pain.

We commonly treat:

Here at City Physiotherapy, we can assist you with many forms of neck pain

• Cervical radiculopathy
• Whiplash
• Postural neck pain
• Wryneck/Torticollis

Our physios use a variety of hands-on treatment techniques including soft tissue therapy, knee joint mobilisation, dry needling, taping, muscle stretching, and exercise rehabilitation. Getting the right treatment early plays a significant role in alleviating your immediate pain or symptoms to prevent future knee pain.

When Neck Pain Needs Medical Attention

Serious underlying medical conditions, such as spinal cord compression, cancer, meningitis, or any number of infections can cause neck pain. Neck pain requires immediate medical attention if it is accompanied by any of the following:

• Radiating pain into both arms or legs (myelopathic pain)
• Numbness, tingling, or weakness in arms or legs
• Problems with balance or coordination
• Loss of bowel or bladder control
• Unintended weight loss
• Fever or chills
• Severe headache with a stiff neck

While neck pain usually goes away on its own, sometimes an underlying cause must be treated in order to alleviate the symptoms. When neck pain continues to interfere with routine activities or persists for days without improvement, it is advisable to schedule a doctor appointment.

Call 8212 4886 to enquire about your next appointment, or book online today with City Physio in Adelaide for an assessment on your hip from one of our qualified physios and start your journey to recovery with our qualified and highly experienced physiotherapists. 

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