A painful neck can interfere with your daily activities, mood and productivity, as well as your ability to get a good night’s sleep.
Neck pain can be caused by a number of problems. Irritation of joints, muscles or along nerve pathways in the neck can cause pain in the shoulder, head, arm, and/or hand. It is common to have a headache and tension associated with neck pain. Neck pain can range from minor and ignorable to severe and the worst pain or discomfort someone has experienced.
You can check out our blog here which will describe in more details what can cause a sore neck.
Treatment of Neck Pain?
Treatments for neck pain will vary depending on the severity and cause, though we will generalise the approach to treatment for the purpose of this blog. “Treatment” will include manual therapy and rehabilitation, as you will see below.
Manual Therapy
Our manual therapy main objectives are:
- Reduce pain
- Restore movement
- Release tension and muscle spasms
- Promote blood flow and optimize the healing response
This is achieved by using a combination of the following techniques:
- Spinal mobilisations
- Massage therapy and trigger point therapy
- Dry needling
- Stretching or activating muscles
- Advice in relation to how to minimise pressure and irritation of the sciatic nerve, such as positioning or reducing the load of a certain activity
Strengthen and Stretch
Strengthening and stretching can help relieve the pain and stiffness, and prevent it in the future. It’s important to strengthen and stretch gently and slowly. Strengthening can be done using a resistance band, gravity or your hands. It is always advisable to see a health professional, such as a chiropractor, to run you through what exercises would benefit you the most.
Some examples include:
- Roll your shoulders backward and then forward in a circle.
- Press your shoulder blades together and hold the position for a few seconds, then repeat.
- Slowly turn your head from side to side while on your hands and knees.
Periodically stopping to stretch is a great way to help prevent getting a sore neck
Create An Ergonomic Workplace
Many people work at a computer desk for eight hours each day or spend a similar amount of time seated or stationary. This can contribute to a sore neck, as certain muscles and joints get overloaded/overused. Here are some ways to help prevent this:
- Adjust your chair into a comfortable position with your feet flat on the floor and your knees a bit lower than your hips
- Use ergonomic posture while sitting, with your back straight and your arms level to the desk
- Adjust your computer so that it’s at eye level
- Stand up to stretch and move 15, 30 or 60 minutes
Exercise Regularly
Exercise has been shown to reduce chronic pain. It can help strengthen your muscles and can help you to improve your posture to relieve and prevent neck pain. It’s also a great way to relieve stress that may be contributing to your neck pain.
If you would like to know more about how we can help at BOLT Chiropractic or would like to book an appointment, please give us a call on 08 6154 6561 or Book Online today!
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