Neck pain affects nearly one-third of Americans each year. Remote workstyle and pandemic restrictions seem to be escalating these numbers. From bad sleeping habits and chronic pain to acute injury, we’ve seen an increase in patients who are seeking to improve their neck pain through non-surgical methods and without pain medication.
So, how can you understand your neck pain and determine next steps? Our neck pro will start by breaking down the types of neck pain you might feel.
Types of Neck Pain and Causes
Neck pain can present in the various types of sensations you experience. These might include:
- Sharpness
- Pinching
- Numbness/tingling
- Dullness/aching
The type of pain you feel can serve as a starting point for what type of treatment/provider you should see. Here are the three primary origins of neck pain.
Muscle Related Neck Pain:
The most common source of neck pain that we treat begins in the muscle. Oftentimes, you can push or pinch on an isolated muscular spot and it will reproduce the pain.
For this type of pain, we seek a balanced diagnosis that:
- Targets the right muscle
- Offers the appropriate balance of ergonomic work setup
- Supplies the right type of strength exercises for the neck and shoulder
- Includes mobility techniques that will yield significant results
We may also supplement your treatment with additional techniques like functional dry needling, Graston, and cervical manipulation to help decrease pain and improve the mobility of your neck.
Joint Related Neck Pain:
Pain that comes from the joint is very treatable with the correct diagnosis and treatment plan. Oftentimes this pain manifests as a pinching sensation on one side of your neck. These localized symptoms can appear when you bend to your side or look up towards the ceiling.
The key with this type of neck discomfort is to pinpoint the correct mobility techniques and exercises that will help get you moving and reduce your pain. Once we identify which techniques work, we can increase your program to gradually progress over time. Our Physical Therapy team is well versed in manual hands-on techniques to help ease your pain. Let our compassionate staff guide you through this process.
Nerve Related Neck Pain:
This type of pain tends to present with a numbness and tingling sensation that can radiate down your arm. To successfully treat nerve pain, we must determine the source of your pain. Is it where you feel your symptoms, or does it originate in the neck region itself?
Pinpointing where you feel your numbness will help your physical therapist trace your symptoms back to their origin and treat the true source of your pain. We then treat that source through mobility work and use pinpoint movements to desensitize the nerve.
How to Get Rid of Neck Pain
If you find yourself navigating recent or chronic neck pain, we recommend you first get a clear diagnosis. Once you establish the cause and source of your pain, providers on your team can focus on returning you back to normal. We’re your premiere Minnesota head and neck clinic.
Whether you were injured or have neck pain from sleeping, Odom’s specialists can help resolve your pain without surgery and medication for better long-term health. We treat neck pain daily. Let us help diagnose your condition and then design a more natural treatment for neck and shoulder pain that gets you healthy and keeps you healthy.