Neck Pain

The medical term for the neck is the cervical spine, a complex structure whose design is cleverly related to its functional needs. Your ability to move your neck in different directions is related to the design.

Neck Movements:

The different movements of the neck occur in specific regions: Looking down to the floor and up to the ceiling occurs at all levels of the neck. Bending the head to the side (putting your ear to your shoulder) occurs mostly at the 4th to 7th joints of the neck.

There are seven bones (vertebra) in the neck, most are separated by discs. The exceptions are the head and the first bone and the first and the second bone of the neck. The back of the vertebrae has irregular shaped bones designed for the attachment of muscles and ligaments that guides complex movement and stabilizes of the neck. Seven pairs of joints control neck movement. Eight pairs of nerves in the neck allow us to feel all sensation (hot, cold and touch) and pain and produce movement from the top of the head, face and neck extending to the arms ending at the fingertips. Vertebral artery - runs on both sides of the neck up to the head where they join supplying 11% of blood to the brain.

The neck sacrifices stability for mobility making the neck particularly vulnerable to injury. Neck pain affects 70% of the population at some time in their lives and can be a disabling and recurrent problem. Limited movement commonly accompanies neck pain

These two factors guide physical therapists to the location of a patient’s injury.the neck to become painful it requires some form of dysfunction, pathology or disturbance of the joints, discs, ligaments or muscles. Pain sensitive nerves, within these structures, send alarm signals to the brain where pain is recognized.

The two most common causes of neck pain are:

Pro-Motion Physical Therapy’s treatment for neck disorders is unique and aims to care for patients by addressing their pain and the pathology caused by neck movement alterations in the joints, muscles and nerves of the neck.

The goal of treatment is to relieve pain, reverse the altered neck movement and restore joint and muscle function preventing recurrent episodes.

This approach is supported by precise and relevant exercises and lifestyle changes that assist with effective and preventative self-management.

At Pro-Motion Physical Therapy the method used to achieve these goals is called the Biopsychosocial Model, a method that allows our physical therapists to identify the specific cause or causes of a patient’s neck pain rather than chasing symptoms.

With accurate identification of the specific structure or structures a tailor made approach will be chosen for each individual patient.

At Pro-Motion Physical Therapy each patient can expect, within the limitation of current knowledge, the safest and most effective treatments, producing the best possible outcomes.

We constantly evaluate the effectiveness of our treatments. If a treatment approach is not proving to be effective we will first reconsider the diagnosis. If the diagnosis proves to be correct we will introduce other treatments or combination of treatments to allow the patient the quickest and most complete resolution of their pain or injury.

All aspect of our treatment is complimented with a home exercise program. At time of the patient’s discharge he/she should have a realistic program to continue in the long term for maintenance as well as self-management strategies in the event of any renewed onset pain. Compliance with the established home exercise program is essential.