Neck Pain
Clarifying Neck Pain
Neck pain is a common and often debilitating condition, affecting around 80% of people at some point in their lives, with 20–50% experiencing it annually. Early treatment is crucial to prevent symptoms from worsening. Our physiotherapists specialise in diagnosing and treating neck pain using a range of effective techniques. Addressing neck pain early can help reduce discomfort, improve mobility, and restore your quality of life.
Causes of Neck Pain
The neck is made up of seven vertebrae, discs, joints, ligaments, and muscles that provide mobility and stability. However, this mobility makes the neck more susceptible to injury. Common causes of neck pain include trauma, postural issues, disc degeneration, and arthritis. Poor posture, especially from prolonged sitting or improper ergonomics, is a leading factor in neck pain, while wear and tear from aging or arthritis can also contribute to discomfort.
Postural Stress
When the spine is malaligned, the back muscles, ligaments, discs, nerves and spinal joints are all under increased and unnatural stress.
Muscle Strains
Minor muscle strains in the back can improve quickly of their own accord. For strains of a greater severity physiotherapy can with pain relief and hasten healing.
Ligament Sprains
Overstretching ligaments can cause pain through rupturing and bleeding into adjacent tissues. Common causes include road traffic accidents and sports injuries.
Disc Injury
Discs are attached between vertebrae, and as such they cannot ‘slip out of place’ as is commonly referred. They deteriorate with age, however most commonly they occur through injury. Physiotherapy can help to alleviate pain and improve function associated with; a disc bulge, also known as prolapse; a herniation; or occasionally a rupture. Disc injuries are often referred to as a slipped disc, however this is not an accurate description as the discs are firmly anchored between vertebrae.
Arthritis
The formation of bony protrusions and inflammation at vertebral and facet joints can lead to decreased movement and pain in the back. Arthritis is a naturally occurring phenomenon and cannot be reversed, however contributory factors can be addressed and advice on managing the pain can be helpful.
Conditions
Other Conditions We Treat
