Sooner or later just about everyone experiences some type of neck pain. One of the most common complaints comes from something simple like sleeping in an odd position or straining at the gym. Typically in a day or two the pain subsides with basic home care; icing, over the counter medications and a better pillow. For some instances, physical therapy can be a major help.

Proper Assessment -

If you choose to see a physical therapist for your neck pain your experience should begin with a comprehensive physical exam. The therapist should assess your movement patterns, your flexibility and evaluate if the pain is localized or if you have numbness or tingling in your arms and hands. Your reflexes should also be evaluated through a number of non-invasive tests.

The Treatment Experience -

Once a thorough assessment has been completed, a treatment plan will be devised. These plans usually include stretching, strengthening and pain relief. The therapist may opt to use heat, cold or a combination of both. Electrical stimulation and ultrasound may be incorporated as well. The goal is to not only reduce your pain but also to prevent recurrences.

A number of appropriate exercises and stretches will be taught to you by your therapist. These are to be performed daily, even when you don’t attend a therapy session during the day. Each week or two new exercises will be added as appropriate to continue your progress. Periodically your progress will be assessed and the treatment plan adjusted as needed. Expect to spend a number of weeks in therapy.

Traction -

Both physical therapists and chiropractors treat some sources of neck pain with traction. For bulging cervical disks traction can be an effective way to reduce pressure upon the disk. The intention is to increase the space between the vertebrae and reduce the pressure that injured disks may place upon nerves. Traction can be done continuously, where the pull remains constant over a period of time, or intermittently, where the pull occurs in cycles.

Cervical traction can be performed at home with the proper equipment but it is best to see a practitioner initially and learn how to perform the procedure properly. Once you have learned the process you can add it to your daily routine between sessions.

Cervical Collars; Questionable results -

In days gone by you could expect to see people walking around wearing cervical collars on a regular basis. Today, very few people use them. It was discovered that the wholesale use of the collars didn’t do much to help heal injured necks, but defiantly cause neck muscles to weaken over time.

Cervical collars are still used periodically, but more to remind individuals to maintain proper posture while healing an injury than as a routine part of neck care. Rigid collars, occasionally used for whiplash or skeletal neck injuries are uncomfortable and must be used with care.

Neck pain, whether acute or chronic, can have a profound effect upon day to day life. Fortunately, between the sporadic nature of the complaint, in general, and the many treatment options, most people find acceptable solutions to their neck pain issues.

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