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Neck pain is a common issue, affecting millions of people every year. In fact, it’s estimated that up to 75% percent of people will, at some point, experience acute or chronic neck pain in their lifetime.
This is particularly true in large urban centres like Toronto, where for many people, countless hours are spent staring down at their computer or smart phone, resulting in increased postural stress and strain onto their neck and back, often leading to both neck pain and back pain over time.
This is a common reason why people consult with a neck pain chiropractor to treat their neck pain before it worsens, or to take proactive steps to prevent it from occurring in the first place.
Neck pain is commonly felt anywhere from the base of your skull to the top of your shoulders, often spreading into the upper back and shoulder area. This can often result in both joint pain and in protective muscle spasms in your neck that may feel like painful or burning muscle knots, and can make turning your neck or even moving your head extremely difficult and painful.
Neck irritation can contribute to headaches (termed cervicogenic headache), and in more severe cases of pinched nerves or cervical disc bulges, can result in pain radiating into the arms and hands, causing numbness, tingling, weakness, and carpal tunnel syndrome like symptoms.
In the majority of cases, neck pain episodes will subside after a few days, but extended episodes lasting for weeks or even months may indicate a more significant underlying medical issue that requires further diagnostic investigation. Proper assessment and treatment is required for optimal neck injury recovery.
Specific muscles and tendons/ligaments may be injured, most often from chronic poor posture, repetitive stress overuse injuries, or sports injuries. This can also result in a myofascial pain syndrome, with associated trigger points in the muscles. A proper assessment can help determine the best stretches and exercises to help the injured connective tissue recover, and any chronic postural problems can be corrected to prevent future issues.
Commonly referred to as “wear-tear” arthritis, this occurs from chronic postural stress over many years, leading to the joints/cartilage (cervical facet joint) wearing down over time. This is also referred to as cervical spondylosis. Restoring proper movement patterns through manual therapy, stretching tight muscles, and improving posture can greatly aid with osteoarthritis at any age.
Whiplash is a rapid forceful acceleration deceleration injury of the head and neck most commonly associated with motor vehicle accidents, falls or trauma. This may injure the muscles, joints and ligaments of the neck, and in severe cases may also result in concussions. Recovery of severe whiplash injuries may require months of passive and active treatment.
This results from wear and tear of one of the intervertebral discs in the neck/cervical spine over many years. As the cervical disc continues to degenerate, this may lead to localized inflammation and increased pressure on the cervical nerves, contributing to more pain. With proper treatment, focusing on improved posture and rehabilitative exercises, many cases of cervical degenerative disc disease can be successfully managed.
A herniated disc in the neck commonly occurs from chronic postural loading, resulting in a gradual leakage or migration of the inner disc material (nucleus pulposus) backwards through the outer layers (annular fibres), commonly called a slipped disc. This can compress a cervical nerve root or spinal cord, resulting in severe pain.
Spinal stenosis in the neck most often results from advanced spinal degeneration over many years, with a herniated disc or bone spur/osteophyte gradually encroaching into the spinal canal, narrowing it over time. Proper diagnosis requires advanced imaging, often including an X-ray and MRI. This narrowing of the canal may compress the spinal cord or nerve roots as it worsens, resulting in pain and other neurological symptoms.
Foraminal stenosis occurs when the foramen (holes) on the side of the spine narrow, most commonly from advanced osteoarthritis (bone spurs) in the spine, or a herniated cervical disc. This stenosis or narrowing of the nerve opening can compress the nerve, resulting in severe neck pain, often with referred pain travelling down into the arm and hand. This often feels as a burning or shooting pain, and may be accompanied by numbness or tingling. With appropriate conservative care, often combined with short-term pain medications, symptoms can often be significantly reduced. Recovery may be slow, often requiring weeks to several months. Advanced imaging (MRI, X-rays) can aid in a proper diagnosis, and in some severe cases, surgical intervention may be necessary.
Without a proper diagnosis and a full understanding of why you have neck pain, your treatment and long-term recovery will be less successful.
Any proper diagnosis must always start with a thorough patient history and consultation, to understand what occupational stresses, lifestyle factors, or trauma may be contributing to your neck pain.
A thorough assessment must then be performed, looking at your posture, your neck and upper back movement and mobility, range of motion testing, palpation to determine full joint movement in your neck, and orthopedic and muscle testing.
Depending on the history of your pain and examination findings, advanced diagnostic imaging, such as an X-ray or MRI, may be recommended to visualize the underlying spinal structures.
Chiropractic care has been shown to be highly effective for patients looking for neck pain relief.
Chiropractors are a qualified health care practitioner and spinal specialist (with a minimum of seven years post-secondary education) who provide effective care for a variety of spinal conditions, including neck pain and back pain treatment.
Proper treatment and patient results begin with finding the root cause of your neck pain, through a proper consultation, history and physical examination.
Multiple approaches are used to effectively treat your neck pain: specific chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue therapy, and neck stretching and mobilization protocols. Postural strengthening and stabilization exercises may also be required.
Our neck pain clinic in Toronto uses several techniques for chiropractic adjustments or cervical manipulations, depending on the needs and preferences of the patient. These range from activator use, to specific drop-table adjustments, to the more traditional manual chiropractic adjustment.
These approaches serve to increase proper motion and alignment in the cervical spine, often providing immediate neck pain relief, decreased stiffness and decreased muscle spasm.
With a combination of chiropractic care, exercises, stretches, postural re-education and other treatment options, many patients experience immediate improvement of their symptoms, even for those with complicated cases of osteoarthritis, herniated discs, and radiculopathy.
Our goal is to help you get relief from your pain and discomfort as quickly as possible, so you can get back to your life again.
Neck pain recovery time will vary based on the underlying cause, the chronicity of the condition, the severity, your age, and how soon you are able to begin effective treatment. Recovery may take as little as a week, or in the case of more severe neck issues, several months. It is important to be consistent with your treatment, and to do the prescribed stretches and exercises on a regular basis.
Strengthening weak neck and upper back postural muscles is an important part of any neck pain recovery program, and particularly important to prevent a reoccurrence of the symptoms in the future. These exercises should be combined with range of motion stretches, and should be individualized to the needs to the patient.
Caution should be used whenever beginning any exercise program, particularly for any tight and painful neck muscles. Begin gradually, and do not force any of the movements.
The muscle groups that are most commonly involved in neck pain sufferers are the deep neck flexor muscles in the front of the neck, and the trapezius, rhomboid and upper back postural extensor muscles.
Two of the best exercises for neck pain are the Chin Tuck exercise and the YTW exercise. A detailed explanation and demonstration video of each can be found on the link below.
Stretching tight neck muscles and postural muscles is a critical part of any effective neck pain therapy. By far the most common postural distortion related to neck pain is the slouched, forward head displacement posture, or anterior head carriage.
Caution should be used when stretching tight muscles. Start gradually, and never force the stretches.
Some of the best neck pain stretches and postural correction stretches are included below. For a detailed explanation and video demonstration of each, follow the link below.
If your neck pain is accompanied by pain travelling down your arm into your hand, or tingling or numbness into your arm or hand, or weakness, please consult with a qualified health care professional. This may indicate a cervical disc bulge or cervical herniated disc, and may require advanced diagnostic imaging before beginning any therapy.
If you’ve suffered a head or neck trauma, are unable to lift your head off your pillow on your own, or are experiencing dizziness or blurred vision, please consult with your medical doctor or hospital.
If you’re looking for a neck pain chiropractor in Toronto, we have been helping people overcome their neck pain for over 20 years, and in that time, have helped thousands of people find neck pain relief.
While the advice and recommendations we’ve given throughout this article are all well researched, everyones clinical presentation of neck pain is different.
It is beyond the scope of this article to give specific treatment recommendations, as this will vary based on your clinical presentation, and on your examination findings.
If you continue to have neck pain and stiffness, are frustrated or not sure of your next step, a thorough assessment is highly encouraged.
If we can be of assistance, or if you have specific questions, please feel free to contact our office today.
Dr. Byron Mackay
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