Corpo Bene'

Neck Pain Facts

Neck pain is a common ailment that affects 50-70% of people some time in their lives. There are a number of potential causes of neck pain ranging from poor posture to whiplash. Neck pain is commonly caused by repetitive strain from prolonged sitting postures. 85% of the time the pain is mechanical coming from either the muscles, joints or ligaments. Fortunately, it is rare for the pain to be caused by a serious medical problem and such causes can be ruled out by a thorough history and evaluation from a neuromuscular therapist.

When should I see a Neuromuscular (NMT)?

Often neck pain episodes will get better on their own as nature takes its course. It’s important to stay as active as possible as the old adage of bed rest and trying to completely avoid pain is not the best advice. Most people do just fine by staying active, coping the best they can, and modifying daily activities as to not re-agitate the tender tissues.

You should see a doctor:

when you experience sharp shooting pain into your arms with or without numbness and tingling into your fingers.

when the pain is too much for you to cope with or there are specific activities important to you that you are having difficult undertaking.

When you have associated headaches, dizziness or nausea

When you experience weakness in your grip or you find yourself dropping items.

Neck pain is a very common problem and the chances that it is caused by serious disease are very rare. NMT’s can help suggest possible ways to control your pain and advise you of ways to deal with the pain and get on with your life. It is normal to worry about the cause of your pain and the impact it may have on your life. Talking with an NMT about these worries and concerns can be helpful. You will usually find there is no serious cause of the pain and that there are ways to relieve the symptoms and get you back to your normal activities. Make sure you work with the NMT to find ways to better manage and control the neck pain.

Rehabilitation

If there are specific activities which you are having difficulty with, an NMT can help. Once serious causes are ruled out and the pain is under control, the NMT evaluates where the dysfunction lies. You will identify specific goals or limitations you wish to overcome that are agreed upon by both the NMT and you. The NMT will perform a functional evaluation to determine what you are able to do and what areas may be causing some trouble. Bridging the gap between what you are able to do and what you want to do is the essence of rehabilitation. This may consist of specific exercises prescription that helps improve areas where you are having some difficulty. Make sure and voice your thoughts and concerns with your healthcare provider. Pain and “flare-ups” may happen from time to time. This is normal and should not be the focus in care. Rather, try to focus on the exercises that are bridging the gap to your goals and what activities you want to do.