Neck Pain
What are the Causes of Neck pain?
Neck pain is medically referred to as Cervical spine dysfunction. Neck Pain is a common alignment especially among sedentary workers. Here countless hours are spent sitting in front of a computer screen or looking down at smart phones. As a result of this lifestyle our neck takes increased loads for prolonged periods and neck pain is common.
Muscle Strain or Soft Tissue Sprain
In this case the muscles, ligaments of joint capsules have been overloaded and as a result have been injured. This is best treated with gentle stretches and movements that are specific to your injury presentation. It may also be important to learn what postures/positions caused the strain/sprain so that you prevent this condition from recurring in the future.
“Wry Neck” is an Acutely Stiff or Stuck Joint
This often occurs when you wake up with a painful neck and are unable to turn your head in a certain direction. It is most likely caused by a small piece of tissue that naturally surrounds the joint getting stuck in the joint space. It is best treated with manual and manipulative therapy from a Chiropractor as well as in conjunction with Massage therapy.
Degenerative Disc Disease of the Cervical Spine
This term is used to describe arthritis or a disc lesion in the neck. This is the wear and tear that develops over time and is a natural part of aging. Think of it like wrinkles on the inside of our bodies. Sometimes this type of pain can be more stubborn but will resolve with treatment and consistent rehabilitation exercises with a particular focus on good posture.
Neck and Shoulder Pain Caused by a Cervical Radiculopathy
This occurs when there is compression on a nerve exiting at your neck which may refer pain down into the arm and hand. The pain down the arm can be described as shooting, burning, tingling and or numb. You can also experience pain and/or stiffness at the neck. Once the pressure on the nerve root is released the symptoms will be reduced. In most cases Physiotherapy and or Chiropractor in conjunction with Massage therapy will resolve the pain. If your therapist recognizes the pain is severe or not decreasing in a normal timeline they will refer to a Sports Medicine Doctor. Here they may provide you with safe and effective medication management and diagnostic imaging. In more rare cases, surgical management may be needed. Be patient with your treatment and do not rush to surgical intervention if it is not necessary. Remember the timeline for this recovery spans from a few weeks to months.
How Care at Nirvana Wellness Can Help your Neck Pain?
The types of treatment can include Chiropractic, Physiotherapy, Acupuncture or Registered Massage Therapy. Our Chiropractic Doctor will first assess the joints, muscles and nerves in your neck, examine posture and send you for X-rays if necessary. Based on your root cause, they will match you with the right therapy for you. The treatments entail controlling pain with therapeutic modalities, acupuncture or IMS. Improving range of motion with hands on manual therapy or manipulation and soft tissue release. Maintaining motion by working on regular range of motion exercises for the neck. Increasing strength with a stabilization and strengthening program. Education in regards to lifestyle modifications, posture re-education and ergonomic set up are also important. Our ultimate goal is to strengthen and stabilize the neck to prevent reoccurrence. If your neck pain has not resolved in 1-2 weeks from it’s initial onset it is best to be assessed by a health care professional.
Our clinic is in the historic Old Shoe Factory building, a heritage site, within walking distance from Downtown Brampton, right across the stress from the Brampton Go Station or from the 45 Railroad condos building.
