Neck Pain Relief – Ways To Reduce Neck Pain
Neck pain is unfortunately something we treat a huge amount of at Physiologix. The focus of the Physiologix Physios is good education, self management strategies and exercises. With this most people can learn to manage their neck well reducing their symptoms and occurrence of symptoms considerably. Good neck pain relief can then be achieved.
What are some of the common symptoms of neck pain
Common symptoms of neck pain include:
- Pain that's often worsened by holding the head in one place for long periods, such as when driving or working at a computer
- Muscle tightness and spasms, felt in and around the neck muscles
- Decreased ability to move the head, such as problems turning
- Headache
In less common situations vision can be distorted and people might feel like they are on a boat – this differs from vertigo where you feel like the whole room is actually spinning.
Pain is usually localised to the neck but can refer down the arms, into the upper back or up into the head created a headache.
What treatment is best to reduce neck pain
For best treatment, a full initial assessment is needed to correctly diagnose why you are having neck pain and therefor what will be best for your unique situation.
Treatment from the physio utilises hands on techniques that will help to reduce your muscle tightness, improve your neck joint movement and thus help to reduce pain.
As more expereinced physios here at Physiologix, there are many different treatment methods you can use. A more experienced therapist has a whole array of training and therefore approaches that they can try. Every injury and every situation is different and every person is different: what might not work for one person may be the best things for another. Be it using needling, the watson method, soft tissue work, mobilisation, you name it, we usually have a therapist who is trained in it!
A huge component of the physios role in helping you is to also look at ways you as the patient can then continue to improve your neck pain at home and throughout your day at work. Modifying postures and positions you are in all day might be needed. Regular movement rather than static postures are important. Exercises for mobility and strength are often required, but these might only be started once the pain has settled enough. Heat, ice, medication, pillows, sleeping positions are all other things that come into ways we can help you better support your neck and thus provide neck pain relief.
How do I know if my headache is caused my neck
In your initial assessment, your will be asked a series of questions that help the physio decide if the neck may indeed be associated with your head pain. A sequence of specific tests will then be run through for a definite diagnosis of cervicogenic headache, meaning headache caused by the neck. It is also important to consider the jaw, as tension in this can be linked with headaches/neck pain. We also recommends an up to date eye test as visual strain can also be frequently linked to altered neck posture or simply to eye strain and then headache.
Top tips for neck pain relief.
If as a therapist we couldrecommend one thing it is to see yourself through a full neck rehab program. Many people stop coming to physio once the neck feels better. The key is to make sure you go through a good strength and stability program to ensure the neck has fully recovered after injury and is best supported for the activities and hobbies you like to pursue. This is the key to helping to prevent recurrence of neck pain in the future.
To find out more about neck pain, or to see one of our team, click here