Neck Pain
Neck pain is a common and often debilitating injury which can result from the irritation of one or several of its anatomical structures. The neck’s anatomy consists of vertebrae, discs, nerves, blood vessels, ligaments and muscles which can all cause neck pain if injured. Because of the complex nature of neck pain, accurate physiotherapy assessment and diagnosis are important for achieving good outcomes.
What causes neck pain?
Neck pain can be caused by a variety of factors, including:
Prolonged positions of poor posture: Various postures if maintained for a long time can put strain on the neck muscles and cause pain. There is no such thing as ‘bad posture’ but some head and neck positions if held for a long time can cause irritation. These may be related to computer or phone use, work positions or even the type of pillow you sleep on. These can often be addressed with ergonomic solutions to break the cycle, but also usually require rehabilitation exercises and hands-on treatment.
Injury or trauma: This can be caused by accidents, falls, or sports injuries. Whiplash results from this type of injury mechanism, where there is a rapid acceleration and deceleration of the head and neck. Broken bones or ruptured ligaments can also occur, so after a high-impact injury we will sometimes send you for scans to ensure there is no significant bony or ligamentous damage to your neck.
Osteoarthritis: Osteoarthritis is a condition that occurs when the cartilage that cushions the ends of your vertebrae gradually deteriorates causing inflammation. This can cause both neck pain and stiffness.
Herniated or bulging discs: Discs are the shock absorbers that sit between each of the vertebrae (bones) in our spines. They help to disperse force and allow movement of the neck and back. Discs don’t slip! But they can bulge to different degrees and they can herniate, whereby the tough outer ring weakens and some of the disc’s softer inner is pushed out. This can cause pain due to inflammation in the area and in severe cases result in nerve compression. If a nerve is compressed this can in turn cause weakness, pain or altered sensation in the arm on the side of the bulge and will usually only affect one side.
As debilitating as a disc injury can be, the good news is that most of the time these can be managed with medication and physiotherapy rehabilitation, they rarely require surgery. Depending on the severity of your pain, usually, it is recommended you see a doctor to get the pain under control with medication which will allow you to be effective with your rehabilitation. Most of the time we see improvements within 2-3 weeks and full recovery within 6-12 weeks.
Pinched nerves: These can be caused by spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal), degenerative disc disease (where the discs lose their load absorption capacity), or a herniated disc (where the inner content of a disc starts to leak out through a weak point). Physiotherapy can help recognise your optimal biomechanical loading patterns and provide relevant rehabilitation to reduce the strain on these structures.
How can physiotherapy help manage neck pain?
Physiotherapy can help manage neck pain in several ways, including:
Accurate diagnosis and education on the condition.
Pain and symptom management: We can use a variety of manual therapy techniques (mobilisations, massage, needling) and biomechanical modification (changing the way you move your body) to reduce pain. This in turn reduces the need for or reliance on medication. It should be noted however that sometimes prescription medications are required and if a medical review is indicated we will refer on when necessary
Graded exercise rehabilitation: Movement is medicine so figuring out how to move safely and what exercises you should be doing in what order is the key. We will work on a range of exercises for mobility, posture, strength and endurance in the neck and surrounding muscles to improve function and reduce pain.
Functional rehabilitation: Ultimately the goal of any rehabilitation program is to get back to doing the things you love as well as the basics that you need for day-to-day life. We will work with you to create a personalised program that will help you to regain your functional abilities.
Prevention of further injury: A successful physiotherapy rehabilitation program ensures that you are not at risk of repeated or additional injury. Checking that you have dealt with the underlying cause of your neck pain and then incorporating functional training to reduce reinjury risk is the final stage of rehabilitation.
What can I expect during my physiotherapy treatment?
During your initial assessment, you will receive a comprehensive assessment to determine the drivers of your pain and dysfunction. We will then work through your goals to make a rehabilitation plan. Rehabilitation is always individualised and varies from person to person. Sessions will generally last between 30 and 60 minutes and may include hands-on modalities such as massage or dry needling, as well as education, exercise therapy and functional goal-related rehabilitation. We will closely monitor you throughout the rehabilitation journey, making any changes and adjustments to your rehabilitation plan as necessary.
At Best Physiotherapy, our team provides empathetic, expert care. We understand that neck pain can often be scary and frustrating and we pride ourselves on having the skills and knowledge to help you achieve your rehabilitation goals.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you manage your neck pain and improve your quality of life at Best Physiotherapy, 72 Maribyrnong Street, Footscray.
