Neck pain comes in many different forms. It may be acute or chronic, dull or sharp, but either way, it is frustrating and should be addressed. So why do so many of us ignore it, hoping it will go away on its own? Our bodies use pain as an indicator that there is an underlying disease, injury, problem, or condition. In fact, pain’s basic biological function is to alert you to an injury and keep you from further harm. What Causes Neck Pain? The simple answer to this question is, it depends. In many cases, neck pain can be traced back to a single event or injury. Chronic neck pain can also happen when you sit slumped over your desk, have poor standing posture, drive a car or truck for a living, or repeatedly move your head in a certain motion for work. The Science Behind the Pain There are eight spinal nerves that branch off the spinal cord into the neck forming something called the Cervical Plexus . These nerves then have branches that end in different parts of your head, neck, and shoulders. That is why it is no surprise that someone experiencing neckpainalsotendstoexperienceagreaternumberofheadachesthat also tend to be severe. For some people, addressing neck pain may resolve many of their headache symptoms. However, this connection UNDERSTANDING NECK PAIN
is not limited to pain in the neck. In fact, you do not necessarily have to be in a lot of pain in your neck to have more frequent and severe headaches. Your neck’s strength, range of motion and flexibility can also impact your cervical plexus’ function. If you cannot move your neck from side to side, you tend to hold greater tension in your shoulders which, in turn, can lead to headaches. Likewise, if your neck muscles cannot hold your head in its proper position, you will tend to experience more pain in your head from the strain.
WHAT ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF A DIGITAL LIFESTYLE?
In our era of constantly being on smartphones, tablets, and computers, we often put our necks and backs in positions of prolonged stress. Over time, the weight added to our necks based on the degree at which weholdourheadscontributes to increased strain to our vertebrae, disc, and muscles supporting the spine. Text Neck orTech Neck is the term used to describe the neck pain and damage sustained from looking down
at your cell phone, tablet, or other wireless devices too frequently and for too long. Of course, this posture of bending your neck to look down does not occur only when texting. For years, we’ve all looked down to read. The problem with texting is that it adds one more activity that causes us to look down—and people tend to do it for much longer periods. It is especially concerning because young, growing children could possibly cause permanent damage to their cervical spines that could lead to lifelong neck pain. We often see patients who have suffered from back and neck pain for years who could have been treated very easily when the pain started
withsimpleposturalcorrectionsandstretches. If you have been suffering from back or neck pain, come see one of our physical therapists for an assessment of what is contributing to your pain. Are you experiencing neck pain and headaches, and want to see what physical therapy can do for you? Call us today at (727) 369-6355 or visit our website for more information at www.lifeinmotion-therapy.com.
www.lifeinmotion-therapy.com
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