Neck Pain

Has your neck pain become so intense that you’re having difficulty sleeping as well as during the day? The American Physical Therapy Association says as many as 30 percent of the adult population suffers from this pain for at least part of every year. If the pain involves the nerves that extend throughout the body from your neck, it can be truly debilitating, resulting in pain in your shoulders, back, arms, and even in your hands. This pain can also lead to frequent headaches. If pain is causing you to lose work or if you can no longer enjoy many of your favorite activities as a result, it’s time to think about working with a physical therapist to improve your condition. The good news is that for 70-80% of our patients that work with us, neck pain and stiffness can be reduced quickly and easily, with a majority of the improvement occurring in the first 2 weeks of treatment.  Contact Shoreline Physical Therapy today to learn more about how physical therapy can help with neck pain relief.

What is Neck Pain?

This pain is normally felt in the back of your neck, between the base of your skull and your upper shoulder area. The pain causes a reduced range of motion in the neck, preventing you from looking from side to side or up and down. Neck pain can range from a sharp, stabbing sensation to a dull throb, but it is never pleasant. You will likely have difficulty with everyday activities such as driving, working in an office, or exercising when you suffer from neck pain. You may have difficulty standing or sitting up straight because the pain is so intense. The good news is that physical therapy is often the number one recommended treatment for neck pain, and therefore most cases will not require surgery.

Causes of Neck Pain

Neck pain can be caused by a sudden injury or by certain lifestyle choices. Here are some of the most common causes:

Additionally, neck pain can involve damaged or injured nerves, known as radiculopathy, which is a more serious condition, but is still appropriate for physical therapy treatment. Your physical therapist will work closely with your doctor to ensure the right course of treatment for all types of neck pain.

Physical Therapy for Neck Pain

Your physical therapist will recommend a customized regimen to help you recover from your pain and get back to normal life. The goal will be to speed your recovery and to modify activities that could cause this pain to flare up again. Your personalized physical therapy plan will include exercises that you can do at home and during your therapy sessions. You will also receive a lot of helpful advice, which will include some or all of the following:

The specific physical therapy exercises that will be recommended for you will largely depend on the cause of your injury. If a traumatic neck injury, such as one from a car accident, is the source of your pain, it could be a long and slow road to recovery. The great news is that even with serious neck injuries such as this, physical therapy is still the optimal treatment program.

You should not suffer from your pain or try to deal with it on your own. Physical therapy has a proven track record of improving the symptoms and helping patients get back to a normal life, even after a serious neck injury. Contact Shoreline Physical Therapy today at our Wilmington, NC location to schedule an appointment with a physical therapist.