Neck Pain and Associated Disorders

Neck pain is a widespread experience that affects 30-40% of the population every year.

What is it?

Neck pain can range from mild to debilitating and can interfere with work and productivity, sleep, activities of daily living and the ability to enjoy day-to-day life. It is important to recognize that neck pain isn’t always restricted to the neck, it can radiate and/or refer to the face, ears and entire upper body, causing shoulder, arm and hand pain, jaw pain, chest pain, back pain, and even headaches.

Common Symptoms

• Dull aching pain in neck/upper back and shoulder regions
• Limited mobility/range of motion
• Tight and tender musculature
• Pain radiating/referring down arms and into hands – numbness, tingling, burning

What causes it

More often than not, there is no single cause for the development of neck pain, unless it is the result of a traumatic injury (like whiplash during a car accident). Instead, most neck pain is due to a multitude of factors that play a role in development, severity and recovery including but not limited to: stress, physical and mental health, work, nutrition, and genetics.

Evidence suggests that once an episode of neck pain occurs, it is likely it will reoccur and because of the complexity of the pathophysiology, there is no “single best” treatment for neck pain that is effective for everyone. While neck pain can’t always be cured, we do have some good news – because most neck pain is not the result of serious injury or disease, a wide range of conservative treatment plans are available that can be effective.

Self-Care Strategies

Self-Care Strategies

There are many great tools you can use at home to help manage an episode of neck pain and to help prevent future occurrence.

Focus on the Basics – Sleep and Diet: This is universal.

Caught up in our busy lives it is easy to fall into a harmful cycle where basic needs are neglected.

Make a point to focus on your basic needs: eating well, drinking plenty of water, keeping a healthy sleep schedule and other forms of self-care are essential for our health as well as injury prevention.

Focus your Attention – It’s natural to focus on the symptoms when experiencing pain, but this can lead to pain amplification and more discomfort. Next time your neck is sore, consciously refocus your attention to another body part, or consciously activate a muscle in another part of your body, your brain can be distracted based upon where you place your attention.

Stay Active – There is a significant difference between hurt and harm.

If you are experiencing neck pain, moving your neck can be uncomfortable, but it does not necessarily mean that this movement is dangerous or causing harm. Remember: motion is lotion, and movement is medicine. Stopping all activity during an episode of pain may end up prolonging the symptoms.

To get started with some simple exercises to help you recover from your neck pain, check out the Neck Pain Home Exercise Program. Please keep in mind that these exercises were designed as a place to start to address your symptoms. These exercises should not be performed or continued if they cause or increase your pain in any way. Using these exercises for self-management of your symptoms does not replace the value of being assessed by a Health Professional. If you find you need help, let our Strive Chiropractor help you!