Patients with neck pain often describe it as a dull aching sensation. Sometimes the pain is made worse with movement of the neck. Other symptoms can include
- Stiffness
- Shooting or burning pains
- Vertigo
- Tenderness
- Tingling
- Difficulty in swallowing
- Swelling of the glands in the neck
In some cases the pain extends down into the shoulders and across the upper back.
Neck pain is associated with poor posture and spending long periods at the computer keyboard. When asleep it is all too easy to get into an uncomfortable position that strains the neck.
What to Expect
After asking you about your complete medical history we will normally carry out a thorough examination including
- Testing the movement of the neck
- Testing for trapped nerves
- Examination of the muscles
- Examination of the movement of the joints of the spine, neck and hands
X-rays, scans or blood tests may be necessary to make a precise diagnosis.
Individual patients' symptoms and causes are slightly different. Often we will concentrate on loosening your strained muscles by using local massage and stimulating the blood supply to the area to help remove waste products such as lactic acid. Strain to your tendons and ligaments will be treated in a similar way. We may try to re-stabilise your neck region by increasing the strength in your neck muscles.
We may suggest exercises and give advice on posture and the use of a supportive pillow to help the neck pain recurring.