Neck pain is an extremely common problem and seems to be on the rise. There are now even specific terms of types of neck pain including “text neck”. Neck Pain TreatmentThe increased reliance or use of technology and a reduction in movement based activity undoubtedly plays a part. Neck pain can occur for many reasons and appear gradually or after a specific injury. The types of symptoms and severity of neck pain can also vary a great deal.
Neck related pain my involve nerves and affect the shoulders, arms and hands. Such nerve pain may relate to a disc problem or soft tissue affecting nerves. The shoulders and upper back often play a part in neck pain too. Equally, neck related pain may result in feelings of nausea, headaches or migraines. Neck pain treatment is best left to a professional, as there are a wide variety causes and relevant tissues and structures.
Myofascial trigger points (MTrP’s) are often present in the many cases of neck pain and often associated headaches or migraines. Trigger points (TrP’s) can result in localised pain in the area of the TrP or a pain referral to another part of the body. Myofascial release (MFR) is group of soft tissue therapy (STT) techniques which can effectively treat neck pain. Some of these methods directly treat MTrP’s such as trigger point dry needling or neuromuscular therapy. Other techniques such as soft tissue release (STR) treat a broader range of tissues and structures. Effective use of such techniques combined with prescriptive exercise and lifestyle changes can make a huge difference for neck pain suffers.
Manipulative therapy can also provide relief for neck pain in some cases, though it tends to be shorter term unless used in conjunction with other conservative treatment. Joint mobilisation can also prove useful, especially after treating other related soft tissues and joint structures.
Self treatment of neck pain is only likely to provide temporary relief at best, due the large number of tissues and structures involved. Also, there are areas relevant to neck and shoulder pain that one should really not try and self-treat. It is very easy to irritate tissues and symptoms by applying self-treatment techniques in the wrong way.
Simply changes to habits can make a huge difference though. A simple ergonomic work setup and taking regular breaks can make a huge difference to neck pain and even headache frequency. Even using a pillow with the correct height and level of support for the weight of head can make a huge difference.
