A Pain In The Neck

The neck bears on average about 12 pounds which is the weight of your head. When your neck is bent forward it can hold up to 60 pounds depending on the degree that the neck is bent. A recent study in the United States indicated that 15.1% of adults have reported an occurrence of neck pain within the previous three months. A second study determined that 3%-11% of workers experiencing neck pain were affected by it enough to take time off of work. When we have neck pain, we can be extremely limited— it is a genuine “pain in the neck!” when dealing with neck pain.

The most common cause of neck pain is a strain. Usually a strain of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the area of your neck. Traditionally in physical therapy, neck pain has been addressed by training the the deep neck flexors, performing manual therapy, and using other non-surgical interventions. However, like most musculoskeletal issues we experience, the solution may not only be to focus on the area of discomfort, but also on nearby structures as well. Studies have shown that the majority of people reporting neck pain also experience shoulder pain or demonstrate poor shoulder movement. There are several reasons to explain the correlation between neck and shoulder issues. First, the bones and muscles of the cervical spine and shoulders are connected to each other. Therefore, a continuous load on the shoulders can eventually increase the load on the entire cervical region, possibly leading to neck pain. Second, the nerves that act on your arm and shoulder all originate in your neck. If there is damage along this pathway then altered shoulder movements can lead to neck pain. Your mid back or thoracic spine is another area that can lead to the neck. Your thoracic spine consist of 12 vertebrae that follow along right after the cervical spine. Decreased mobility of the thoracic spine may lead compensation using more of your neck to do more work in order to carry out movements.

Unfortunately, a common response to neck pain is to use pain medications, but that’s only treating the symptoms, not the cause. To truly alleviate neck pain, you’ve got to pinpoint and genuinely address the underlying problem. Physical therapy is highly effective in treating most neck conditions and injuries. Physical therapy has proven successful in relieving long-term symptoms in patients experiencing both acute and chronic neck pain. This evidence is further illustrated in a 2017 qualitative systematic review conducted by the National Institutes of Health, titled “The efficacy of manual therapy and exercise for treating non-specific neck pain: A systematic review.” Results from the 23 studies chosen for review demonstrated patient success across the board when pairing manual therapy with targeted exercises for neck pain. Results conclude that physical therapy is a proven successful treatment for patients suffering from neck pain, and manual therapy and exercise methods are the most effective in helping patients regain their optimum levels of function.

Although it may be a pain in the neck to deal with neck pain, we are here to help you.

Written by Daniel Le, DPT