Neck pain is a common complaint. Approximately 75% of us will have some form of back or neck pain in our lifetime. Neck muscles can be strained from poor posture – whether it’s leaning into the computer at work or carrying a heavy bag.
The bones of the spinal column protect nerves that come out of the brain and travel down your back to form the spinal cord.
The spinal bones are separated by discs. These discs cushion the spinal column and put space between your vertebrae. The discs allow movement between the vertebrae which lets you bend and reach.
Neck pain can result from a variety of causes, including:
Neck sprains: Ligaments help to stabilize joints. When ligaments are torn or stretched in the neck, it causes neck sprain resulting in pain & stiffness.
Neck strains, sometimes called “pulled muscle”, can occur due to overuse, driving posture and sitting posture – often triggering muscle strains. This can also occur when reading in bed, or when muscles are contracted suddenly and forcefully or stretched too far as in the case of a car accident.
Worn joints: Just like all the other joints in your body, your neck joints tend to undergo wear and tear with age which can cause osteoarthritis in your neck.
Nerve compression: Herniated disks or bone spurs in the vertebrae of your neck can take up too much space and press on the nerves branching out from the spinal cord.
Injuries: Rear-end auto collisions/car accidents often result in whiplash injuries, which occur when the head is jerked backward and then forward, stretching the soft tissues of the neck beyond their limits.
Diseases: Neck pain can sometimes be caused by diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, meningitis or cancer.
Symptoms
• Pain in your neck
• Headaches
• Reduced movement of the neck
• Possible numbness & weakness
• Muscle spasms in your neck
• Deep pain near or over the shoulder blade
area
It may get worse:
• After prolonged standing or sitting
• At night
• During gardening/driving activities
• When jumping/jogging
• When sneezing/coughing/laughing
Physical Therapy
Neck exercises and stretching. Your doctor may recommend that you work with a physical therapist to learn neck exercises and stretches. A physical therapist can guide you through these exercises and stretches so that you can do them on your own at home. Exercises may improve pain by restoring muscle function, optimizing posture to prevent overload of muscle, and increasing the strength and endurance of your neck muscles.
Short-term immobilization. A soft collar that supports your neck may help relieve pain by taking pressure off the structures in your neck. If used for more than two weeks, however, a collar may do more harm than good.
Call Dr. Richardson for more information or to make an appointment for a complete assessment.
Tel #: (264) 772-3546
Via email: GinaRichardsonDPT@gmail.com
