Neck Pain Relief Using Physiotherapy
Clients come into Physio for Life with neck pain every week. Even though the neck is a small area of the body and clients complain of pain in similar areas of the neck, no two persons are the same. Each one may have a different cause of neck pain and variable contributing factors.
Causes of Neck Pain
One of the most common reasons for neck pain is after a whiplash injury from sport or a car accident. The trauma leads to scarring of neck muscles and ligaments that take time to heal with the help of hands-on techniques such as deep tissue massage, mobilizations and stretching.
Another common cause of neck pain is most people these days work on computers. The ergonomic set up is not always ideal, especially when people are working from home. They are often using laptops that are not raised up or attached to external keyboards and perhaps sitting on a chair that is not very ideal. Using a laptop without an external keyboard causes a person to look down for prolonged periods of time leading to overuse and fatigue of the neck muscles, compression of the vertebral discs and irritation of nerves. Many professions require the use of multiple monitors, whereby the person will need to refer usually to one monitor more than the other with repeated turning of the head.
An often overlooked cause of neck pain is that the problem is originating in another part of the body and the neck is just compensating for that distant issue. The neck is closely related to the shoulder which can get pulled out of alignment in different ways, as well as the shoulder blade, which is connected to the thoracic spine. Malalignment in these areas and distant areas such as the hip or foot can affect overall body alignment with the neck being a victim in the process.
A common finding of physiotherapists in patients with neck pain is a restriction of movement either of turning the neck, looking up, down or side bending. There is often tenderness in the tissues on either side of the neck as well as just below the skull. The tenderness is caused by excessive tissue tension or knots that form after a period of stress and strain.
How Physiotherapy Can Help Neck Pain
Physiotherapy treatment consists of releasing any scar tissue present in the neck and relieving joint stiffness. The goal is to restore normal alignment of the neck. By releasing restrictions in the neck, this can help to realign it. But if the problem stems from somewhere else in the body, than that originating part of the body needs to be corrected with posture and movement training in order for the neck to improve.
The solution of neck pain relief is very strategic and requires a comprehensive and thorough assessment to figure out the root cause and contributing factors. Once this has been achieved, then neck pain relief can be quick and lasting. If the neck is treated without looking elsewhere, then the pain might keep recurring and the problem will not resolve. Looking at the person as a whole is an effective means of holistic, client-centred care, and is the hallmark of the Physio for Life approach to pain management.
Neck pain relief is a possibility when the factors causing this are addressed strategically and systematically. An important part of this process is teaching the client how to do their self-corrections and making postural adjustments a lifestyle change.
At Physio For Life, we take your neck pain seriously. We want you to be able to get a good night’s sleep, wake up pain-free, and to go about your life without that nagging pain in the neck. Schedule your appointment with our Vancouver team of physiotherapists today to find relief!