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woman on couch in neck pain
man holding neck in back

NECK PAIN PHYSICAL THERAPY

NECK PAIN BACKGROUND


Almost everyone experiences neck pain at some point in their lives. Neck back pain is usually harmless. Only about 10% of neck pain cases progress to be chronic issues. 
 
It tends to start suddenly usually because of poor sleeping position or sudden movements. Holding the neck in one position for a long time can also cause neck issues to start.
 
The best thing you can do then is carry on going about your daily life and stay as physically active as possible. Resting too much or spending a lot of time in bed can make the neck pain last longer.
 
Imaging techniques, medication, injections and surgery hardly help in the treatment of neck pain. And they are associated with various risks. So experts agree that they should only be used very rarely.
 
 
If your neck pain has been ongoing for a couple of weeks and over the counter medications are not helping, then it’s  time to see a physical therapist. Read below on how we can help. 
 

HOW WE CAN HELP FOR LOW BACK PAIN

As physical therapists we can speed up your recovery for neck pain. We are movement experts and excel at creating a custom program to address individual needs. 

We will not only resolve your current episode of neck pain but also give you a program to follow to make sure your neck and spine stays healthy going forward.

Prior to starting your treatment, we do a thorough examination to figure out why your pain started in the first place. All limitations will be addressed during your physical therapy treatment. 

physical therapist working on woman with neck pain

NECK/CERVICAL PAIN PHYSICAL THERAPY

OUR COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO NECK PAIN

3 STAGE APPROACH TO FIX YOUR NECK PAIN

physical therapist working on man with neck pain

STAGE 1

– We first work on calming down the irritated structures causing the neck pain.

– We want to reduce the inflammation, muscle spasms, muscle guarding and pain that results from what ever may be causing your neck issues.

– We use stretches, range of motion, ice/heat, ultrasound, electrical stimu;ation and hands on treatment during the first stage. 

STAGE 2

– Once we’ve controlled the inflammation, then we want to work on restoring  motion, strength, flexibility and mobility to your neck, upper back, shoulder blades and shoulders.

– We specifically use stretches, exercises and hands on treatment to achieve these goals.

– We will also gradually work from the laying down position to sitting and standing position for your stretches and exercises.
 
– Our goal is to slowly start building toughness in injured areas.
older woman doing neck exercise with band
woman in plank position

STAGE 3

– By this stage everything should be coming together. Pain should be 75% better, flexibility should be back to normal, all the joints of the neck, shoulders and upper back should move normally.

– Now we get you on your feet and start working on everyday movements like  lifting/pushing/pulling. This is an important step because these are the everyday movements that can cause neck pain if done with poor mechanics.

– By the end of this stage you know exactly how to perform everyday and work tasks with the proper neck/upper body mechanics to avoid future episodes of neck pain. You will also know the stretches and exercises to perform if you ever have another episode so you can quickly deal with it.

STOCKTON PHYSICAL THERAPISTS FOR NECK PAIN

OUR TREATMENTS FOR NECK PAIN

MANUAL THERAPY

physical therapist working on scapual

Hands on treatment by the therapist to improve:
– Muscle Tone
– Muscle Spasms
– Disc Pressure
– Relieve Pressure on Pinched Nerve
– Flexibility of the Spine/Shoulders
– Swelling from Inflammation

THERAPEUTIC EXERCISE

woman in childs pose

Specific exercises for your back pain to improve:
– Neck and Shoulder Flexibility
– Neck and Shoulder Mobility
– Flexibility of the Upper Back
– Neck and Shoulder Strength
– Deep Neck Postural Control
– Arm Strength
– Body Awareness

THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY

woman doing a lunge twist

Specific activities to mimic everyday movements to improve things like:
– Tolerance to Sitting/Standing/Driving
– Mechanics Training for Lifting/Pushing/Pulling
– Work Duties Training
– Transfer Training

MODALITIES

modality to the upper back

We use the latest modalities to speed along the healing. Our modalities for neck pain include:
– Shockwave Therapy
– Electrical Stimulation
– Heat/Ice
– Ultrasound
– NMES