How often do we use computers and phones throughout the day? Now think about your posture. Are you sticking your neck out or down when using any of of these devices. Posture plays a large role in maintaining neck health and can negatively impact your ability to complete and enjoy your daily activities.
Issues with your neck are commonly associated with pain, headaches, and general stiffness. Stiffness will cause difficulty looking over your shoulder, and up and down. This can affect your driving and also cause headaches. If you have recurring headaches or migraines then you are well aware of the possible debilitating pressure and pain that can prevent you from the likelihood of either getting out of bed or it landing you in bed away from the lights and sounds that can compound the pain. It can take your entire day away from you so you are not able to get your kids off to school run errands, do the laundry or go to work.
The problem with headaches is that typically, the small muscles in our neck and those covering our skull have gotten into a more permanent state of tightness and pressure. This is why our headaches will often go away for a day or two but then come back. Just like all muscles in your body, the muscles in your neck and skull are like rubber bands. If they are not treated promptly and properly, they will gradually shorten over time. So it is very common for us to see that the muscles in your neck, shoulder blades, shoulders and your skull are full of very small, but damaging, knots and areas of tightness. It is this tightness and these knots that prevent the muscles from completely releasing that tension and pressure on the skull. While they may relax for a short period of time, they have not returned to their full “normal” state and thus are very easily re-triggered so the headache returns the next day, next week or next month continuing to force you to cancel plans with friends last minute or preventing you from enjoying the weekend barbeque with family and friends.
Muscle tightness in the neck may also cause radiating pain or numbness down into the arm or hand. Weakness is also common with neck dysfunction. In severe cases, neck weakness can, in turn, cause significant weakness into the hand making it hard to grip things or write so, as you can see, it is important to address your neck issues sooner rather than later.
****Physical therapy is a very effective treatment method to relieve headaches FOR GOOD and improve joint mobility and posture. Physical therapy is a good option for conservative treatment which can help improve your mobility, decrease pain, and restore function. It will improve your overall quality of sleep, you will have fewer and less intense headaches, and your overall pain and stiffness will resolve allowing you to resume your daily life.****
Common complaints from patients who have neck problems:
- Turning to check your blind spot when driving
- Difficulty sleeping
- Headaches that can negatively affect concentration and productivity
- Inability to look down or up for a period of time which can influence computer use, reading, or daily chores.
Neck problems are most commonly associated with irritation of the nerves and muscles that surround the neck. Irritation of nerves is usually caused by abnormal pressure which leads to inflammation, muscle irritation, and radiating symptoms into the hand. You can also develop stiffness in the joints which will limit your range of motion, cause increased tightness of muscles in shoulders and neck, and pain. Weakness in your neck and upper back will also develop with neck conditions making it difficult to maintain good posture and putting even more stress on the neck and surrounding muscles and joints.
Loudoun Sports Therapy Center will fully evaluate your neck and associated symptoms and help restore your full function so you can get back to your life. Don’t ignore your pain. Whether you’ve been dealing with it for days, weeks or even years. We can help.
CALL Loudoun Sports Therapy Center TODAY at 703-450-4300 to schedule an evaluation.
CLICK HERE for more on how physical therapy can help you.
