Neck pain is discomfort or soreness in the neck area, with a high prevalence (proportion in a population who have a particular condition at a given time) of 15-25% in the general population. Neck pain symptoms can range from mild to severe and may include stiffness, headache, muscle spasms, and tingling or numbness in the arms.
According to the World Health Organisation, up to 70% of people will experience neck pain at some point in their lives.
Causes of neck pain
Mechanical – This type of neck pain is often associated with prolonged poor posture, improper lifting, repetitive motions or injury to the neck muscles and joints. Mechanical neck pain tends to respond quickly and favourably to physical treatment.
Worthy of a special mention is a common type of mechanical neck pain, known as the wry neck. Symptoms may encompass:
- Pain and stiffness appear suddenly without trauma
- Stiffness and limited range of motion in the neck
- Tilted head tilted to one side and chin to other with related muscle spasm
One important, distinguishing feature is that there are no pins and needles, or loss of sensation down the arms. Also, there should be no fever, headaches, blurred vision, imbalance, etc., as these indicate other medical conditions.
Degenerative – Conditions such as osteoarthritis, commonly known as wear-and-tear or degenerative joint disease, can cause neck pain as the spinal architecture wears down over time;
Nerve-related – Cervical radiculopathy (colloquially known as a pinched nerves), herniated discs, spinal stenosis, or other conditions that compress or irritate the nerves in the neck can cause neck pain with nerve symptoms, such as weakness, numbness and tingling down the arms, hands and fingers;
Others – Infections such as meningitis, medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis can cause or contribute to neck pain. We are always careful in our assessment and make medical referrals as appropriate.
Treatment options
As neck pain is caused and affected by many factors. No one treatment techniques addresses all of them. An individualised and evidence-based approach is needed taking into account current symptoms, irritability, existing wear-and-tear, job or activity requirements, etc. Some of the treatment options include:
Heat and cold
This is what people can first do for themselves. Generally, applying mild heat to the neck can help to relieve pain and reduce muscle spasm. However, if the pain is acute with muscle spasm, cold is better in reducing the muscle spasm initially.
Pain medications
Over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), can help relieve acute pain. For specific use of of medications please speak to your doctor or pharmacist. For more general information, you can check out the advice from Musculoskeletal Australia.
Manual therapy
Experience matters. Skilled Manual therapy involves measured, gentle yet specific manipulation of the joints and soft tissues to improve mobility and relieve pain, or rhythmic soft tissue manipulation to relieve muscle tension and improve circulation.
A proficient manual therapist knows how best to communicate, and gain the cooperation of the patient to achieve the best results. This is what we do, and also what we emphasise when we teach these skills.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture involves the insertion of fine needles into specific points on the body. In the case of neck pain, acupuncture can help to relieve muscle tension and inflammation, increase circulation, and help your body release endorphin, the body’s natural painkillers.
Research has shown that acupuncture can be effective in relieving neck pain and thus improving neck function. We use acupuncture, not on its own, but to complement manual therapy and enable exercises.
Functional Exercises
We customise for each patient and prescribe specific exercises to strengthen neck muscles and improve postural control and awareness.
It is advisable to keep moving gently and regularly with pain limits. We can show you which directions and combinations to stretch and move which muscles in order to facilitate movement into greater ease and comfort.
We use special tools (e.g. pressure biofeedback or diagnostic ultrasound to enhance awareness and perception of movement. We also send you exercise videos to help you remember how to perform the exercises correctly.
Ergonomic Advice
We are all creatures of habits. Good habits promotes health and wellbeing, and bad habits perpetuate symptoms.
Yet good ergonomic hygiene is NOT just a high-low desk and split keyboard. It is the sensible design of work flow, minimising cognitive and environmental stress, improving individual autonomy, regular movements and rest breaks, and only then, appropriate desks, chairs and mice will fit us to the work and fit the work to us.