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If you have been dealing with ongoing and persistent neck pain, you may know that the fix is not so simple to figure out. You may have tried massage, stretches, acupuncture, chiropractic, physical therapy, magic creams, muscle relaxers, or even surgeries. Well, you’re not alone, more than 30% of people report they have experienced neck pain either currently or in the past. Of that 30+%, 50% will not find any real answer or solution to their problem. Our goal is to keep you out of that 50%!
It is very common for our patients to come to us, explaining that they have already tried several failed treatment approaches. After speaking with them more, we realize that they have never been given an accurate diagnosis. Therefore they have been attempting the incorrect treatments. The other unfortunate issue is that most generalist therapists treating neck pain do not know the correct approach themselves. Stringing along with patients for weeks months or years with treatments that give temporary relief at best. These patients never know how much better they could be right now, or how much more enjoyable every day could be for them.
So let’s look at a few reasons why the root cause is so often missed by both patients and providers…
The neck has many parts that interact with each other. There are 7 vertebrae (each with several joints on it, structures attaching to it, 8 discs, ligaments, tendons, oh and NERVES!) This makes a neck evaluation and treatment by a generalist physical therapist extremely difficult to get right thus giving a one size fits all approach…. Hot packs, massage, and band exercises sound familiar? It is imperative to see a specialist Doctor of Physical Therapy. They can provide the knowledge and accuracy that is required.
The shoulder gets blamed. It’s possible to only feel pain in your shoulder, arm, or hand, but the real source of the problem is your neck. If the pain is consistent and doesn’t go away with shoulder treatment, it can very easily be that you were misdiagnosed and the neck is the real culprit.
The neck sits on top of the rest of your body. If any part below is shifting your body into an abnormal position, then your neck has to compensate. This puts the neck in a poor position causing dysfunction or injury. In other words, sometimes your neck pain can be a “symptom” of a root cause issue elsewhere in the body. If you are suffering for more than 3 months, there may be something that was missed elsewhere. Once identified, the neck pain magically vanishes.
Those are the 3 causes that come to mind immediately when it comes to chronic neck pain that does not respond to past treatments. If the root cause is missed, you will not get relief.
If this sounds like you but you’re not ready to give up. Feel free to reach out to us by phone 201-485-6114 for a free phone consultation. You can tell us what's been going on and we will give you the best advice we can for neck pain relief.
Not ready to speak with us on the phone? The next best option is to check out FREE Neck & Shoulder Pain Relief Guide! It's filled with tips to start getting relief NOW!
👉🏽👉🏽If you are experiencing ongoing neck pain and want answers NOW, we always recommend a Free Discovery Session. You get a chance to show us what you've been experiencing and ask any questions you may have. We will give you our best advice as to what steps you should take to get back to living your life at its full potential. It is a no-obligation, no forms to sign, no credit card required, totally free consultation. This can be done Virtually or In The Clinic
If you have further questions regarding this blog post or other tips that can help you to relieve your headache, Contact Us at Skyline Physical Therapy!