Do you have neck pain resulting in difficulty finding a comfortable position for sleep or pain that keeps you up at night? Difficulty turning your head to look for traffic while driving? Difficulty looking up or performing work overhead? Are you experiencing numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arm or hand? Have you been in a car accident or injured at work?
Whether you have had neck pain for years, sustained an injury, underwent surgery, or just woke up with pain… We’re here to help!
A few of the more common conditions our clinicians have expertise in include:
Neck Pain
Most instances of neck pain are minor and commonly poor posture sustained over a period of time. That is, if you keep your head in an awkward position for too long the joints in your neck can “lock” and the neck muscles can become painfully fatigued. Poor postures while working, watching TV, using a computer, reading a book, or talking on the phone with the receiver held against your shoulder and under your chin can be responsible for neck pain.
Neck pain that persists for many days or keeps coming back may be a sign that something is wrong. Degenerative disc disease, an injury (such as whiplash in an auto accident), a strain, or age-related changes may be responsible for more significant pain.
Spinal Stenosis/Spondylosis
Spinal stenosis is a condition involving narrowing of the spaces in your spine which can cause compression on the spinal cord/nerve roots. Symptoms often include neck back pain and a diffuse radiation of pain into the shoulder and upper arm. Tingling and numbness and upper extremity weakness may be present as well.
Symptoms are often worse with looking up or extending the neck.
Spondylosis is degenerative arthritis of the spine and is not always symptomatic. However, when symptoms are present and do not resolve quickly on their own, Physical therapy can be an excellent option for treatment to resolve acute symptoms and helping to minimize future flare-ups.
Neck Strain
When the muscles and ligaments of the spine are stretched or loaded excessively, damage to those structures can occur causing a multitude of symptoms. Most often, acute neck pain is the primary symptom, however, it is also common to experience muscle spasms and limited neck mobility due to pain. Strains can be caused by extreme exertion, heavy lifting, repetitive motions, and falls.
Our Physical Therapists can assist with pain management in the early phases of neck strain using various modalities (heat/cold/electrical stimulation) combined with manual treatment and exercises designed to reduce pain and restore mobility. As symptoms improve, a comprehensive strengthening program implemented to restore proper support for the structures of the spine and decreasing risk of future injury.
Whiplash
Whiplash or Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD) is a type of neck injury that involves the sudden forward and backward movement of the head and neck most commonly occurring during a motor vehicle accident. It can also occur during a variety of other activities such as recreational and competitive sports. Note that a whiplash could also occur with a rapid side-to-side movement as well. Typical Symptoms include:
- Neck pain
- Muscle spasms
- Stiffness
- Associated head aches
X-rays and other diagnostics may be performed by your physician to rule out fractures.
Physical therapy can be very helpful with the recovery of range of motion, strength, endurance, and the management of pain.
Physical therapy offers a variety of treatment options designed to improve neck motion, stability, strength, and reduce pain. Following an initial examination, we work with our patients to develop a treatment program with goals specifically designed to return you to your lifestyle. If you are experiencing any of these problems, give us a call today to find out how we can help you get back to living pain-free again!