Overview

The neck pain is stated to be a very common condition, which will start from the neck portion and is related to the upper shoulder. The pain then radiates down in bilateral or unilateral arms. Neck pain might take place at any age, from younger people to elder adults. Overall, there are seven types of neck pains available. Among the lot, the four most commonly seen and treated variations are facet joint pain, spasm, strain or sprain, postural, and mechanical neck pain.

There are various symptoms related to neck pain. The sufferers will feel that severe stiffness and pain, along with restricted neck or shoulder movements. Some of them might feel a tingling or numb sensation in the neck, which will later spread down in the arms to fingers and then weaknesses in the arms. Some of you might feel blackouts or dizziness, cervicogenic headaches, and more.

Poor posture, text neck syndrome, or even long sitting will be some of the reasons behind neck pain. Even if you are suffering from degenerative changes, fibromyalgia, or Rheumatoid Arthritis, then the chances are high that neck pain comes with it as a package!

Symptoms

Apart from the main neck pain, there are other neck pain symptoms that you need to address with this condition. Some of those are:

• Unnecessary stiffness in the neck region
• Headaches in the occipital region or the back of the scalp
• Weakness or pain that will shoot down the arm because of nerve compression or muscle fatigue
• Not being able to move the neck or turn easily
• Numbness sensation or Paraesthesias, which is caused by nerve compression at spine level or as branching nerves pass through the tight inflamed muscles.

Causes

Neck pain mainly peaks in middle age and most common in women and patients with a history of neck pain. Smokers, psychological patients suffering from anxiety and depression, and patients leading a sedentary lifestyle can always suffer from neck pain. Understanding the neck pain causes will help you to determine the pain stage and call a physiotherapist immediately.

• Injury and Accidents:

Whiplash is one common form of a neck injury sustained when the head is forced to move backward or even forward beyond the normal motion range. This unnatural movement affects the neck muscles and ligaments.

• Nerve compression:

When a cervical nerve gets compressed, it might cause pain that will move up into the head, eyes, jaw, and then down the arms. Another common cause behind nerve compression and spinal stenosis is a herniated disc. However, bone spurs might also compress nerves.

• Osteoarthritis:

It is caused by wear, tear, and aging and can create osteophytes. It will crowd the spinal cord area and compress the neck’s nerve roots.

• Other disease processes:

Even though neck pain results from a strain mostly, prolonged neurologic deficit or pain can be an indication of something serious. So, you should not ignore these issues.

• Extra weight:

Extra pounds will put unnecessary stress on the spine and will weaken the abdominal muscles. It will disrupt the balance of the spine and cause the neck to bend forward for compensation.

When to See Physiotherapist

If the neck pain is getting too unbearable, it is time to visit a physiotherapist. Contact the doctor in case the neck pain:

• Gets severe
• Persisting for many days without relief
• Accompanied by numbness, headache, tingling sensation, or weakness
• Spreading down the legs and arms from the neck

Risks

There are multiple risk factors, which will increase your chances of growing neck pain. These are primary neck pain reasons that you must be acquainted with.

• Age
• Any previous musculoskeletal pain
• Higher quantitative demands from job
• Lower social support right at work
• Insecurity at job
• Lower physical capacity
• Poorer computer design of the workstation
• Sedentary workload

How to Prevent

Most neck pain is related to poor posture along with age-related tear and wear. To prevent neck pain, try keeping your head centered over the spinal cord. Some of the simple routine changes can help.

• Use good posture while sitting and standing

• Taking frequent breaks in between long computer work or sedentary work
• Adjusting the chair, desk, and computer system to keep the monitor at eye level
• Avoid tucking the phone between shoulder and ear while talking
• Quit smoking
• Avoid carrying heavier bags with straps right over your shoulder
• Sleeping in a good position where the neck and head must align with the body

Treatments

While looking for neck pain treatment, there are multiple options available from the physiotherapist. The trained professional will offer you with:

• Corrective Exercise
• Interferential Therapy or IFT
• Ultrasound treatment
• Soft tissue mobilization therapy

These are some of the major electrotherapeutic methods designed to reduce inflammation in painful areas around the neck. It will result in faster metabolism and healing. Once the intensity of the pain starts to reduce, it will be followed with the root cause management.

Understanding the root cause will help people to find a solution to pain and reduce recurrences in future treatment maneuvers like Corrective Exercise, Myofascial release, and more. These treatments are perfect for enhancing the blood circulation within your neck region, resulting in healthy oxygenation.

Finally, a proper understanding of the ergonomic importance and posture will be guided in every possible session of treatment, along with some of the core rehabilitation and exercises. Some of those will include basic, intermediate, and advanced stages of exercises as per the patient’s needs.

Related Conditions

Apart from neck pain, the physiotherapists can further cover some neurological disorders that stem out from this situation. So, visit an expert right now!