Neck pain is such a common condition and yet very few people do something about it. However, if left untreated it can cause headaches. There can also be pain down the arm. If it gets severe enough, the pain can start causing weakness in the arm muscles. Hence, it is very important to know the exact neck pain causes to get prompt Physiotherapy.
Here are some of the most common neck pain causes:
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Sitting posture:
Are you sitting in front of the computer for hours together? Well, it’s hard to sit erect for 8 hours a day! So slouching is but normal. However, you need to be conscious of the way you are sitting. Slouching pushes the neck forward in relation to the rest of the spine. As a result there’s tremendous pressure at the junction of the neck and upper back. This will eventually cause neck pain
2. Tightness of neck muscles
Do you work out regularly in the gym? Well weight training causes bulking of the muscles leading to tightness. If you are not the kind to do neck stretches, the muscles will just keep tightening up. This eventually will cause pain.
3. Motor Vehicle accident or fall
This would be an unfortunate scenario. The impact of the accident or fall is enough to strain the joints and discs of the neck. Thus causing swelling in those areas and leading to pain. It is important to get prompt treatment otherwise the neck pain can become chronic.
4. Repetitive strain at work
Prolonged neck bending or lifting overhead puts a lot of pressure on the structures in the neck. This can strain the discs, joints and muscles of the neck causing internal inflammation. Thereby leading to pain.
5. Sports related neck pain
High intensity sports involving contact like rugby will definitely strain the neck muscles and joints. But also sports that include running, jumping and any repetitive movement are particularly jarring to the neck joints. This will lead to neck pain if proper warm up routine is not followed. It is also important to add strengthening exercises to the mix of high intensity exercises to strengthen up those core muscles!
Physiotherapy to assess neck pain causes and treatment:
Physiotherapy is the main stay of treatment for neck and shoulder pain. Physios are skilled at assessing which part of the neck the pain is coming from. They assess the movement of the joints and muscles around the painful area. According to Australian Physiotherapy association,
“Physiotherapists first undertake a clinical examination to determine the reason for the pain and how it is affecting the movement of the joints, and how it has affected the muscles of the neck—some muscles may be in spasm, others may not be working properly because of the pain”
Physios will use various manual therapy techniques to reduce pain and improve mobility. Some of which are as follows:
- Joint movement
- Dry needling
- Deep tissue massage
- Core strengthening exercises
- Posture correction exercises
