Neck Pain

Neck pain, along with low back pain and headaches is one of the most common conditions osteopaths treat.

The neck is made up of seven cervical vertebrae surrounded by supporting ligaments and muscles. These vertebrae are designed to be very mobile so that you can twist and turn your head around to various degrees. In fact, the cervical vertebrae are the most mobile part of your spine. This mobility has a drawback, it means the neck is less stable than the other parts of the spine which can make is prone to injury.

Common causes of neck pain include whiplash injuries, poor posture and degenerative diseases such as arthritis.

Whiplash and whiplash associated disorders (WAD) commonly occurs during a motor vehicle accident especially when hit from behind. Other causes of WAD include falls of horses and bikes, amusement park rides and sports injuries. Whiplash can result in a variety of injuries including muscle and ligament strains and tears, disc bulges and even bone fractures. Symptoms can be as mild as a stiff neck and headache for one to two day all the way up to severe pain and disability in the neck and head and referred pain and numbness down the arms.

Poor Posture can be caused by working long hours in from of a computer. This often leads to rounded shoulders and forward head carriage which over weeks and years can lead to excessive strain being placed upon the muscles, ligament, joints and disc of the neck. Pain for poor posture is often worse as the day progresses and can be relieved by getting up and moving, giving the neck a stretch and getting the blood circulating.

Arthritis especially osteoarthritis is a common cause of stiffness and pain as we get older (50’s and beyond). The most common area it occurs in the joints between C5 and C6. The pain is often worse in the morning and improves as we start moving.