Neck Pain
As experts in treating neck pain with over 20 years of experience, we have a strong track record of resolving and relieving painÂ
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Neck Pain
Neck pain responds well to treatment from a chiropractor, conditions include whiplash, torticollis, cervical disc herniation, muscular tightness, joint stiffness and trapped nerves. The source of these problems can vary a lot, but it is often secondary to trauma or poor posture. Office workers are particularly prone to neck problems, due to the long hours spent at the desk or working at the computer. Often, this results in an imbalance between the muscles on the back of neck and those on the front, which in turn results in the “carried head forward” posture and, eventually, in pain. This pain can manifest itself in headaches as well as neck and arm pain and pins and needles. Chiropractic treatment can help relieve the symptoms of pain and stiffness that are caused by osteoarthritis (wear and tear).Â
Typical symptoms
Neck pain and stiffness vary from mild to excruciating. As well as in the neck, the pain may be felt across the shoulders and into the upper back, sometimes as a sharp pain around the shoulder blades. Neck pain is often but not always accompanied by headaches and tension around the jaw. If there is a nerve trapped in the neck, it can cause arm pain, pins and needles and numbness.
Causes
Physical and Emotional Stress
Daily work in front of a computer and using a phone means we tend to carry our heads forward of our shoulders. This puts increased stress on our neck muscles, which can cause neck pain and headaches.
Emotional stress and tension, perhaps because of demanding workloads, a busy family life, moving house, difficult relationships or illness in friends or family, can create tension in neck and shoulder muscles, which in turn can cause neck pain.
Prolapsed disc, trapped nerves
A bulging disc can trap a nerve root in the neck, resulting in neck and arm pain. Neck movements usually make the arm pain worse. We have found K-Laser exceptionally good at treating this type of pain.
Osteoarthritis in the neck
Osteoarthritis is associated with pain and stiffness. It is the most common type of arthritis, often referred to as ‘wear and tear’ or ‘degenerative arthritis’. These terms can be misleading and cause unnecessary worry as osteoarthritis is often present with no associated pain at all. The pain of OA can come and go and we can teach you ways to reduce or eliminate that pain.
Myofascial pain
Trigger points cause myofascial pain. A trigger point is a knot of contracted muscle that lies within a taut band of muscle. Trigger points in the neck and shoulder muscles, e.g. sternocleidomastoid, levator scapulae and trapezius can cause pain that is felt in the neck and shoulders. These trigger points can also cause headaches in some people.
Treatment
We have many treatment approaches, for example, manipulation to joints and muscles, K-Laser, trigger point therapy, myofascial release, dry needling and massage for neck pain meaning we can choose the right ones for each person depending on their needs and wishes. Our overall aim is to speed up healing, reduce spasm and tension in muscles, restore movement to restricted joints, reduce any inflammation or swelling, free trapped nerves and strengthen muscles to help avoid further recurrence.
Alongside hands on treatment, we will give you exercises to aid and prevent recurrence. For some people, especially those with chronic or recurrent pain, it may be important to address causes of stress and make alterations to sleeping position/pillow, workstations, car seat position, etc.
It is not normally necessary to have an MRI scan or x-ray for neck pain. This is something that we will discuss with you and if it is advisable, we can refer you privately or write to your GP to ask them to refer you within the NHS.
