Don’t Let Neck Pain Get You Down
What the heck is wrong with my neck? Whether you woke up with a stiff neck or sustained some kind of injury, the statistics show that more than 30% of adults will experience neck pain each year and that 50% of those individuals will continue to have some type of lingering, or chronic, symptoms that may interfere with their daily life – but don’t let the statistics get you down. There are things you can do to stop your neck pain in its tracks and get back to the life you enjoy.
What causes neck pain?
There are many different causes of neck pain. Occasionally, poor sitting posture puts your neck in an awkward position and causes pain (think about your neck position while texting on your smartphone). Other times, trauma, like a motor vehicle accident or a sports injury, may cause a painful condition called whiplash. Wear and tear from arthritis or disc problems may also be a cause of your neck pain.
What areas can the neck affect?
The pain that comes from your neck may be felt in different locations, which can make your condition seem confusing. Pain may be felt directly in your neck, or just on one side of the neck. Pain from your neck can also often be felt in your shoulder blades or in the shoulders themselves.
If a nerve in your neck is irritated or pinched, you may feel pain traveling down your arm and into your hand. Weakness, numbness, or tingling may sometimes be felt in your arm and hand as well. Be sure to keep track of all your symptoms so that your healthcare provider can better understand your condition.
People with neck pain can have difficulty performing activities such as working, driving, playing sports, or simply turning their heads. The good news is that most neck pain episodes do not require surgery and respond best to physical therapy and gentle home exercise programs.
What should you do if you start feeling pain?
If you start having neck pain, don’t panic. Oftentimes neck pain gets better in just a few days, and in many cases, the pain subsides greatly in four to six weeks. When pain strikes, gentle neck exercises may be beneficial, and heat or ice can also help control symptoms. Don’t be tempted to lay in bed or on the couch! While it may seem better to rest the neck, lack of activity can actually make your symptoms worse. In severe cases of pain, resting for 24 hours may be beneficial. After 24 hours, gentle movement is best. If symptoms persist, visit your physical therapist for an assessment. Physical therapists design individualized treatment programs to help people with neck pain reduce or eliminate pain, regain normal movement, and get back to their regular activities.
Does Physical Therapy really work?
In fact, it does! In an article published by the Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy, researchers examined 64 patients with neck pain to determine what combination of exercise and hands-on care worked best to reduce neck pain quickly. The researchers concluded that the patients who received both exercise and manual therapy (mobilizations, stretching, and thoracic spine manipulations) for the neck and upper back had the highest reduction of pain in the first week of physical therapy. An astounding 75% of those patients reported “significant pain reduction”, and 70% reported noticeable improvement in their ability to perform daily activities.
Although this treatment was very successful for this group of patients with neck pain, it may not be effective or appropriate for all patients with neck pain. Your physical therapist can perform an evaluation to help determine if you are a good candidate for this treatment. The benefits in this study were only determined for the first week after treatment, so more research is needed to discover which treatments are better for long-term relief.
Either way, this is great news for anyone with recent onset of neck pain and should be a motivator to seek the assistance of your physical therapist as soon as your pain starts. Don’t wait for it to become a chronic problem!
Making the most of your recovery and rehab
The early stages of recovery from neck pain are the most important. Being mindful of how you perform your daily activities can help you recover more quickly and with fewer setbacks. Here are 4 tips to help you move forward with your healing:
- Never sleep on your stomach! It doesn’t support the natural curvature of the spine. Instead, this prone sleeping position stresses the spine. Stomach sleeping will only exacerbate existing neck pain and issues if you already have them. Try lying on your side or back with a pillow that supports the curve of your neck and keeps it aligned with the rest of your spine while you slumber.
- Maximize sitting posture/alignment. Sitting is the worst prolonged position you can put your neck in, especially if your posture is poor. Choose to sit in a firm chair for no longer than 30 minutes at a time. Stay away from couches or sofas until your symptoms subside as they provide little support to your neck and promote poor posture. Take breaks by getting up and walking around or lying down for 5 minutes if your symptoms are severe. Whether you’re sitting or standing, focus on keeping your head positioned back so your ears line up over your shoulders (if you were looking at a side view of yourself). Setting up an ergonomically correct office space will be very beneficial to help reduce neck irritation/strain, as well as align the spine in an optimal sitting position to avoid possible recurrent issues in the future.
- Minimize the use of electronic devices. Hold your cell phone at eye level as much as possible while texting or viewing the internet. The same holds true for all screens—laptops, tablets, and televisions…all should be positioned so the screen is at eye level, and you don’t have to bend your head forward or look down (or to the side) to view it.
- Be compliant with your treatment. Adhere to the recommended frequency and duration by your therapist and doctor to maximize your outcome! Perform your home exercise program as prescribed by your therapist and try to adopt better postural positions to minimize this condition from returning.
If you, or someone you love, are experiencing new or chronic neck pain, HealthQuest Physical Therapy is here to help. Chances are, there is a location right around the corner from wherever you live or work. Our highly trained physical therapists are available Monday-Saturday for free assessments. Don’t wait until your neck pain has stolen the joy from your life, call or schedule your free assessment online today!