PHYSIOTHERAPY FOR NECK PAIN

WHEN TO INCLUDE PHYSIOTHERAPY FOR NECK PAIN

‏Neck pain can be brought on by a number of things such as incorrect posture, brain trauma, physical trauma, or simply an uncomfortable sleeping position. Nowadays, neck pain has been on the rise due to the overuse of smart phones and screen-time, which ends up inadvertently keeping the head extended forward or downward, causing misalignment.

In many situations, easy at-home stretches and mobility exercises can alleviate neck pain. However, following are situations when consulting with a physiotherapist and including a physiotherapy treatment plan is recommended.

• Unspecified persistent neck pain: Do you have neck pain that persists throughout the day? If you experience persistent neck discomfort that doesn't have a known reason, seek a consultation with a physiotherapist to assess the cause of the pain and develop a treatment plan for you. 
• Unspecified chronic pain: Do you experience intermittent neck pain? Pain that comes for a short period and is gone for others? Or do you find yourself relying on over the counter pain medication often to dissipate the pain? If so, then you are experiencing a pattern of chronic neck pain. Consulting with a physiotherapist can help identify the cause and provide treatment to shift the pain pattern and recover the neck’s agility, mobility and strength. 
   
• Recovering from an injury: Are you recovering from an injury? If so, it's critical to follow a solid physiotherapy routine. Physiotherapy can be an effective treatment for soft tissue injuries, especially whiplash. Collaborating with a physiotherapist can also be an important way to become empowered with more knowledge and understand of your own body, what movements and exercises will strengthen and protect your body, and what movements and exercises to avoid or adjust as your recover. 
• Recovering from surgery: Will you be undergoing surgery soon? If so, explore with your doctor the plans for post-surgery recovery. Physiotherapy should usually be recommended as part of the post-op recovery plan. And, there can be phases of types of physiotherapy treatment, with classic physiotherapy coming in at the early stages post op, and holistic physiotherapy providing support at a later stage. 

While in most situations the experience of neck pain can be alleviated, there can be conditions where the pain cannot be entirely relieved. In such cases, physical rehabilitation can be essential in enhancing neck posture and function for everyday activities to develop a better quality of life.  

WHEN TO AVOID PHYSIOTHERAPY FOR NECK PAIN?

Knowing when to avoid physiotherapy for neck pain is as important and empowering as knowing when to include physiotherapy for neck pain. Here are a few scenarios in which it might not work
 

• Diagnosed Instability in the neck and spine: When a doctor has diagnosed  instability in the neck and spine and has determined physiotherapy as contraindicative, it is recommended to avoid physiotherapy until the body is calmer and the doctor has determined that system is overall more stable and safe. We do not want to put any additional strain on the spinal cord and muscles of the neck when there is already a bigger process of recovery underway. 
• The presence of an underlying medical concern: When there is concern of an underlying medical issue, such as a tumor or infection, physiotherapy may best be avoided. Therefore, receiving a proper diagnosis is necessary before beginning physiotherapy.

BMY’s HOLISTIC APPROACH TO PHYSIOTHERAPY FOR NECK PAIN

Consulting with a holistic physiotherapist offers a different approach to assessment and treatment for neck pain. For instance, while neck pain can often be caused by direct stress in the neck area itself, did you know that neck pain can also be caused by distress in other areas of the body? If we just consider the impact of scar tissue, we discover that there are different dimensions to explore. Here are a few examples of the connection between scar tissue and neck pain that can often be missed by classical therapists:

• Fascial Connections: The fascia is connective tissue that surrounds and supports muscles and organs throughout the body. Because the fascia is connected throughout the body, scar tissue in one area creating tension or restriction of the fascia in that area can lead to compensatory changes and pain in other areas such as the neck. In other words, visceral restrictions, from a decrease in the organs mobility, may cause changes within the way the body is able to move and function, which can lead to pain in different areas. 
• Altered Biomechanics and Posture: Scar tissue can also cause changes in movement patterns or posture as the body tries to unconsciously compensate for the stiffness or pain. For instance, scar tissue in the abdomen from a surgery can alter the body posture even to a subtle, unnoticeable, degree. This in turn, overtime, can create strain in the neck muscles. 
• Nerve Irritation or Entrapment: Scar tissue can compress or irritate nerves. This can send pain to other parts of the body. When the focus of treatment is on the location of the pain rather than an assessment of the source of the pain, the treatment can be superficial. For instance, scar tissue in the upper back or shoulder area could potentially irritate nerves that case referred pain in the neck area. If a therapist focuses treatment on the neck area without recognizes that the sources is coming from the shoulder, the treatment success will be short lived and, more likely, the pain will return again. 
• Chronic Inflammation: Scar tissue can also contribute to ongoing inflammation. This can spread to nearby tissues or create systemic inflammatory responses which could potentially effect the neck and create an experience of neck pain.

When we remember the interconnection of different parts of the body, we appreciate the importance of holistic approaches to treatment. A holistic physiotherapist goes beyond the superficial muscles and joints and takes a deeper look into the impact of the viscera on the entire system’s balance, harmony and health. Since physical symptoms are frequently connected to other facets, the goal is to treat and rehabilitate the patient as a whole.  

Our holistic physiotherapist is trained in multiple modalities to best offer a well-rounded and customized treatment plan for neck pain. These include visceral manipulation, craniosacral therapy and clinical pilates. Our holistic physiotherapist also recognizes the connection between physical health and mental health and the importance of addressing both for complete care for clients. As such, at BMY Holistic Wellness Center, our holistic physiotherapist collaborates with the client and with the team to provide the care that can support the client from different aspects of their health and recovery. This can include integrating other treatments such as homeopathy, biofeedback therapy or somatic experiencing, to support a greater return of health and wellness overall.