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Signs of Neck Pain
The neck is made up of the first seven spinal vertebrae, including ligaments and muscles. Its main role is to support the heavy weight of the head and allow movements such as nodding and shaking.
Neck pain can present as acute, sub-acute, and chronic in nature and can be related to an injury or even stress. Neck pain will affect most people at some point in their life and is usually short-lived and not all presentations will develop into a chronic problem. Neck pain that does not dissipate by itself normally requires a full assessment from a health care practitioner.
Neck pain affects approximately 10% of the population at any one time. Statistically, women are more likely to suffer from neck pain than men, with the onset for women being aged 45 and for men aged 60.
Several chronic neck pain studies have identified risk factors as 'yellow flags'.
Yellow flags for Women:
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High physical workload -
Intermediate and high work-related emotional exhaustion
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Common mental health disorders such as depression
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Rare to occasional sleep problems
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Overweight and obesity
Yellow flags for Men:
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Presence of chronic low back pain
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Previous acute neck pain
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Blue-collar worker
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High work-related stress and exhaustion
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Frequent sleep problems
Conditions & Treatments for Neck Pain
Our lifestyles play a huge role in the development of neck pain. It is important to seek professional help so that a correct diagnosis is given and treatment plan created.
Conditions causing neck pain include:
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Traumatic neck injury such as whiplash affected disorder (WAD)
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Acute cervical torticollis also known as wry neck
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Cervical facet syndrome (inflamed cervical facet joints)
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Discogenic or disc bulge with or without arm/shoulder pain and weakness
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Muscle strain or sprain
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Osteoarthritis
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Postural related neck pain such as 'text neck'
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Other pathology related neck pain such as vascular emergencies or infection
Our Physiotherapists and Chiropractors are trained in the orthopaedic assessment of the neck and shoulder. They will assess your range of motion along with orthopaedic testing to determine a diagnosis for your neck pain. You may also be referred for further imaging of your shoulder by our allied health team, such as an MRI or X-ray to rule out any underlying pathology or injury.
If you would like to discuss your neck complaint but are unsure how to proceed, book a complimentary discovery session with one of our allied health practitioners today!