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Are You Living With Neck Pain?

Sep20^th 2023

Physical therapy can help you find relief from neck pain.

Do you struggle to turn your neck while driving? Are you finding it difficult to get through the day without stiffness and pain in your neck? Physical therapy at American Headache Institute in Rochester Hills, MI can help you find the relief you’re searching for!

Neck pain can be both debilitating and scary to live with. When you experience an injury that leaves your neck in severe pain, the thought of not being able to turn your head freely is overwhelmingly stressful. What’s more, pain from no apparent reason can be even more challenging to know what to do.

There are a lot of different ways that you can relieve neck pain. Our team of therapists is focused on finding the best treatment for your personal needs. Call our clinic today to learn how we can help you keep living the kind of life you want with less pain and movement restrictions.

What is causing your neck pain?

Neck pain that is the result of a sudden trauma is also known as whiplash. In most traumatic events, it is difficult to isolate a particular tissue causing the pain, and most likely, all the tissues in the neck are affected.

Identifying the cause of neck pain can be tricky because several factors contribute to it. The most commonly reported risk factor is working in an awkward or sustained posture (i.e., sitting at a computer or working at a desk that’s too low). These sustained postures or awkward positions strain the muscles that are supporting the neck.

Sleeping in an awkward position can also lead to neck pain. If the head is held at a bad angle or twists wrong during the night, a stiff neck might be present in the morning. These awkward postures can affect the joints themselves, so the movements are limited and/or painful. Joint pain can come from the cartilage, ligaments, and the disc.

Turning the head repetitively, such as side to side while dancing or swimming, may overuse the neck’s muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Sometimes, neck pain develops after a particular injury, such as a car accident or even a result of a slip and fall. When this happens, your pain could be a result of a muscle strain or a ligament sprain.

What are the most common symptoms?

It is important to note that pain is not the only symptom associated with neck dysfunction. It is also very common to have stiffness, a “crick” in the neck, tightness in the muscles of the upper back and shoulders, and even headaches from neck dysfunction.

The stiffness or range of motion impairments often come from the joint itself or the muscles surrounding it. When you experience pain turning or side-bending to the same side as the pain, you are likely dealing with a joint issue. When you turn or side bend away from the side and you have pain, this typically means that you have a muscle problem. Your therapist can determine what is the likely cause of your problem and prescribe stretches to resolve it.

How physical therapy can help you find relief

Physical therapists can target your pain’s source by examining your symptoms. Then, they can offer exercises that stretch and/or relax your neck muscles. Manual techniques, like Myofascial release, are used to alleviate your pain and allow you to tolerate stretching. A custom-tailored program of neck exercises will ensure your neck stays loose, limber, and healthy.

Your physical therapist can also teach you how to arrange your working environment ergonomically and recommend various postural changes. Such changes may include:

When standing and sitting, be sure your shoulders are in a straight line over your hips and your ears are directly over your shoulders.
Adjust your desk, chair and computer so that the monitor is at eye level. Knees should be slightly lower than hips. Use your chair’s armrests.
Avoid tucking the phone between your ear and shoulder when you talk. Use a headset or speakerphone instead.

Physical therapy is an effective solution for neck pain!

Physical therapy treatments for neck pain include manual therapy, joint mobilization manipulation, exercise instruction, education, and techniques like the McKenzie Method and Therapeutic Yoga. These have all been proven to help alleviate pain and restore function.

Physical therapists assess your particular condition to identify the contributing factors and address all of them. Your therapist is skilled at hands-on intervention and exercise selection for the most comprehensive and appropriate intervention to help you resolve your pain and/or restore your function.

Call American Headache Institute today!

If you’re dealing with neck pain, we can help! Call our office today, and schedule an assessment. No matter what the cause of your neck pain, we have solutions for you! We’ll work side by side with your goals, creating the proactive, effective programs you need to achieve mobility once more. We offer the results you are looking for!