Osteopathy and Spinal Pain
Neck Pain
Neck pain is extremely common, and there are many potential causes for it. Common causes of neck pain include:
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A potential pulled muscle, common when you have pain the day after exercising
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A sprained joint in your neck
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Tension throughout your neck and shoulders due to stress and poor posture
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A disc injury (most likely if paired with shooting pains down the arm)
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Musclar spasm, often secondary to one of the above
Pain is never pleasant, but neck pain is especially troublesome because it impacts almost every aspect of your life – from trying to sleep comfortably, being able to head check whilst driving or simply going about your day.
Most causes of neck pain resolve well with time, however, occasionally neck pain can become chronic and last months, this is because the nervous system can become increasingly sensitive to pain signaling overtime. To prevent this it is important to:
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Be proactive about managing your neck symptoms, don't simply live with the pain
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Ensure your ergonomic set up at home and at work aren't placing high levels of stress on your postural muscles
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Reduce stress on aggravated tissues in the short term
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Build tolerance on weak muscles so they can tolerate more in the future
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Focus on your overall health and stress levels - not just the pain in your neck
It can be overwhelming trying to figure out what to do, but seeking care is the first step in regaining control over your pain.
The Role of Osteopathy in Your Recovery
As an osteopath I don't just focus on treating pain, but working with the person. My approach includes:
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Taking a detailed history to understand how the pain is impacting your life so we can tailor management to your goals
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Performing an assessment so a diagnosis can be made, and other potential serious conditions ruled out
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Education and empowerment – not knowing what's going on when in pain can cause a lot of anxiety, you will know exactly what to do so you can take control of your pain
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Treatment – I use multiple modalities such as massage, manipulation, dry needling and cupping to help restore movement and desensitise irritated tissues
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Management – giving you tools and confidence to manage your back health long term
What To Do
You may have have tried to solve your neck pain by:
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Resting, only to have the pain flare up again after a few weeks
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Wearing a neck brace
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Buying a hundred different pillows
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Stretching – which helps temporarily but doesn't give lasting results
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Taking Panadol and Nurofen daily
Whilst none of the above are necessarily wrong, it really depends on what the cause of your neck pain is. If your pain is due to stress and tension, panadol isn't going to do much. If it's due to poor ergonomics at work, stretching isn't going to solve the problem.
The first step to taking control of your pain is to get an accurate diagnosis – then we can work together to make a management plan that is tailored to you.