Neck pain can be either acute or chronic, and the recommended treatment will depend on the kind you have. In the following article we offer more information and a simple guide to exercises that you can do at home to relieve neck pain.
It’s not surprising that we sometimes call an annoying person or problem “a pain in the neck”, because neck pain is so common that almost everyone experiences it at some time or other. It is probably one of the most common complaints of the patients who come to see us. When we examine the causes, usually we find it is related to poor posture or osteoarthritis, and occasionally, the pain is the result of an injury or accident.
Cervical pain tends to get worse if you hold your head in the same position for long periods of time, either when driving or working long hours in front of a computer. In addition, you might experience headaches, and find it difficult to move your neck without discomfort.
Types of neck pain
The pain may be due to a general cause, like muscle strains, or due to a medical condition such as spinal stenosis or a herniated disc. Let's examine further the types of neck pain and what their symptoms are:
- Acute neck pain: Most patients who experience acute neck pain are suffering from strained neck muscles or soft tissues like ligaments or tendons. This kind of strain can be the result of a cervical sprain suffered in a car accident, or stiffness in the nape of the neck due to using poor posture.
Although the pain is acute, neck injuries related to the ligaments, tendons and muscles of the cervical spine are considered to be mild and usually heal within a couple of days or weeks. The condition improves so quickly because these soft tissues are well-irrigated with a blood supply providing the necessary healing nutrients and proteins.
- Chronic neck pain: This can be accompanied by radiating pain that runs down the arm, and when this happens, it usually has its origin in a herniated disc. Patients with this problem often report numbness and tingling in the arms or hands.
On the other hand, when a patient experiences a slow-onset neck pain that occurs over a period of several years, and that tends to peak when performing certain activities or holding the neck in a certain position, it may be caused by cervical stenosis. The origin of these symptoms usually lies in the compression of the nerve roots on one side of the cervical spine.
If the pain lasts for more than a few months and changes intensity with certain postures or activities, it may indicate that the patient is suffering from symptomatic cervical disc degeneration.
Treatment for neck pain
As we mentioned earlier, the treatment to help relieve neck pain will depend on the type of pain you are experiencing. With appropriate treatment, acute neck pain usually disappears in two or three weeks. The following are some of the non-surgical treatments that the specialist may recommend:
- Pain relief medication
- Physical therapy
- Short term immobilization with a soft neck brace
- Cervical rhizolysis
However, when the origin of the pain lies in something other than muscle strain and, for example, the patient is diagnosed with a herniated disc, stenosis or other type of pathology, it may be necessary to resort to surgery. At Instituto Clavel, our first choice is always to begin by treating these conditions with conservative measures, because non-surgical treatment is usually enough to relieve the symptoms.
But if surgery is the only option for relieving the patient’s pain, we offer surgeries that are minimally-invasive to allow for a faster recovery.
Solutions for pathologies of the cervical spine
Exercises to relieve back and neck pain
Here are some simple exercises that can you can try at home to help relieve neck pain. Before trying any of these movements, it is important to get medical advice from your doctor, because every patient and every case is unique.
If the pain in your neck bothers you when trying to perform your normal daily activities, you might start with these exercises:
- Neck roll: slowly and gently tilt the neck to the right and then to the left with circular movements. Repeat two or three times.
- Shoulder rotation: with both arms held down by your sides, roll your shoulders backwards and forwards in a circular motion. Repeat this two or three times.
- Torso twists: For this stretch you will need to sit sideways on a chair. Keeping your legs still, twist your torso to the right as far as you can, as if trying to face the back of your chair. Then switch sides and do the same thing. Repeat three times on each side.
As we have explained on other occasions, we always recommend that you go to a specialist in physical therapy and rehabilitation for guidance in practicing this type of exercise. The specialist will give you guidelines to follow, because if you practice the exercises incorrectly on your own, you can worsen the injury. Our physical therapists will be happy to help you and answer all your questions.
Guided exercises for the upper back
Categories: Spine treatments, Spine pathologies, Cervical pain