What are the symptoms of neck pain?

Neck pain comes in all shapes and sizes. The most common reported symptoms are tightness, dull aching and restricted movement through the neck and across the shoulders. People have also reported pain on deep breaths or during exercise, and some people will get numbness or tingling down the arms or notice that their neck pain can trigger headaches. All these problems can interfere with work, sleep and the enjoyment of daily activities or hobbies.

How is neck pain treated?

The treatment options for neck pain are extensive, and the most effective approach depends largely on what is causing your pain.

Chiropractic care for neck pain can include a range of treatment tools - gentle muscle release techniques are commonly used to encourage better pain-free movement, and careful spinal adjustments can help to restore range of motion and relax the muscles around the joints.

We commonly prescribe exercises and stretches to help rehabilitate the neck, and where needed we can use dry needling techniques or instrument-based soft tissue therapies (such as Graston techniques).

We will generally discuss your work, sport and hobbies to help guide you around any modifications which will make your recovery smoother and get you back doing what you love faster.

Do I need X-rays or an MRI?

In most cases, no. Research has consistently pointed out that imaging for neck pain does not increase the safety or effectiveness of treatment unless certain factors are present. If we suspect a fracture or disc injury then imaging could be useful, but for most people this is not the case.

This is good news - it means you can avoid paying for unnecessary services and start treatment earlier!

What causes neck pain?

Neck pain has a number of common causes. Sustained awkward postures during the day is a known causes, and there are traumatic causes such as car accidents (which may cause whiplash) or sports-injuries like getting tackled. There are many sensitive parts in the neck which can be irritated in an injury and cause significant pain and discomfort. These can include muscles which have become tight or spasmed, intervertebral discs, nerves which can be irritated by surrounding tissues or pain syndromes which increase the sensitivity of the neck even in the absence of tissue damage. A thorough history and examination which assesses neck motion, muscle strength, nerve function and (if needed) imaging is the best first step in determining what is causing your neck pain.

I have neck pain. What can I do right now?

If you are experiencing any numbness and tingling, nausea, headache, blurred vision or dizziness then making an appointment with a qualified health professional is the best place to start.

Whilst some debate remains about ice vs heat, a good rule of thumb is that in the first day or two after an injury using an ice pack or wheatbag can be helpful to reduce pain and inflammation (10 minutes on and 10 minutes off, repeat as often as you like). This is usually a personal preference - see what you works for you!
The use of painkillers such as paracetemol/panadol is ok in these early stretches, but we try to avoid anti inflammatories been used for too long due to stomach and liver issues.

Take note of the kinds of movements causing you trouble and avoid poking the bear, so to speak. Certain stretches, use of foam rollers and particular exercises can also reduce the pain and improve your pain-free range of movement.

Above all - keep moving! It’s clear that movement is one of the keys to keeping spines healthy, even when they’re injured - if you’re not sure where to start then just try gently turning your head side to side a few times, and then bring each ear to your shoulder a few times and repeat this throughout the day. If even this is too much, then it’s definitely time for some professional help.