Neck Pain
Many causes. Most of them treatable.
How common is neck pain?
Neck pain is experienced by millions people worldwide. In Australia, neck pain is experienced by up to 20% of adults and 49% of office workers. It is slightly more common in females, and tends to be worse in people suffering from anxiety or high stress.
What are the symptoms of neck pain?
Neck pain comes in all shapes and sizes. The most common reported symptoms are tightness, dull aching and restricted movement through the neck. People can also notice pain on deep breaths or during exercise, and some people will get numbness or tingling down the arms or notice that their neck pain can trigger headaches. These problems can interfere with work, sleep and the enjoyment of daily activities or hobbies.
What causes neck pain?
Neck pain has a number of common causes. Sustained awkward postures during the day is a known risk factor, and there are traumatic causes such as car accidents (which may cause whiplash) or sports-injuries. There are many sensitive anatomical tissues in the neck which can be irritated in an injury and cause significant pain and discomfort. This can include muscles which have become tight or spasmed, intervertebral discs, nerves which can be irrtated by surrounding tissues or pain syndromes which increase the sensitivity of tissue in the neck even in the absence of tissue damage. A thorough examination which assesses neck motion, muscle strength, nerve function and (if needed) imaging is the best first step in determining what is causing your neck pain.
How is neck pain treated?
The treatment options for neck pain are extensive, and the most effective approach depends largely on what is causing your pain.
Chiropractic care for neck pain can include a range of treatment tools - gentle muscle release techniques are commonly used to encourage better pain-free movement, and careful spinal adjustments can help to restore range of motion and relax the muscles around the joints.
We commonly prescribe exercises and stretches to help rehabilitate the muscles in the neck, and where needed we can use dry needling techniques or instrument-based soft tissue therapies (such as Graston techniques).
Taping the injured area can help provide some support for the tissues in the short-term to give them a chance to recover and become less sensitive, and we will generally discuss your work, sport and hobbies to help guide you around any modifications which will make your recovery smoother.
I have neck pain. What can I do right now?
If you are experiencing any numbness and tingling, nausea, headache, blurred vision or dizziness then make an appointment with a qualified health professional.
While debate remains about ice vs heat, a good rule of thumb is that in the first day or two after an injury ice can be helpful to reduce pain and inflammation (10 minutes on and 10 minutes off, repeat as often as you like). After this, we recommend people use whatever they find more comfortable. If your neck is feeling stiff first thing in the morning, then a heat pack is probably a better option for you.
Take note of the kinds of movements causing you trouble and avoid poking the bear, so to speak. Certain stretches, use of foam rollers and particular exercises can also reduce the pain and improve your pain-free range of movement.
Above all - keep moving! It’s abundantly clear that movement is one of the keys to keeping spines healthy, even when they’re injured. If you’re not sure where to start then just try gently turning your head left and right a few times, and then bring each ear to your shoulder a few times and repeat this throughout the day. If even this is presenting a challenge then it’s definitely time for some professional help.
Do I need X-rays or an MRI?
In most cases, no. Research has consistently pointed out that imaging for neck pain does not increase the safety or effectiveness of treatment unless certain factors are present. If we suspect a fracture or disc injury then imaging could be useful, but for most people this is not the case.
This is good news - it means you can avoid paying for unnecessary services and start treatment earlier!
Need some professional help? We do this everyday.
References:
Hush, J. M., Michaleff, Z., Maher, C. G., & Refshauge, K. (2009). Individual, physical and psychological risk factors for neck pain in Australian office workers: a 1-year longitudinal study. European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, 18(10), 1532–1540. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-009-1011-z
Kazeminasab, S., Nejadghaderi, S.A., Amiri, P. et al. Neck pain: global epidemiology, trends and risk factors. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 23, 26 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-021-04957-4
https://www1.racgp.org.au/ajgp/2018/may/neck-pain