NECK PAIN; HOW, WHY AND WHAT WE CAN DO?

Neck pain is one of the four most commonly reported musculoskeletal disorders. It can be acute (short term) or chronic (long term), and this can determine the possible cause..

Who does it most affect?
According to a recent collection of studies (McLean et al. 2010), these factors are most commonly linked to the development of neck pain:

• Female gender
• Older age
• High job demands
• Low social/work support
• Being an ex-smoker
• History of low back and neck disorders

Where does it most affect your life?
Neck pain is generally noticed most often in the workplace or once home from work. It can start to affect all aspects of life as it has a noticeable effect on sleep and therefore your mood!

What can we do to help?

Our Chiropractors have experienced knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of neck pain, along with our massage and rehabilitation therapists who also specialise in treatment and prevention.
Collectives of recent research studies (Coulter et al. 2019) found that a combination of both manual therapy and exercise were the most effective in treatment of neck pain compared to one type of treatment alone, or no treatment at all.

What can you do?

• Be aware of posture throughout the day, making a conscious effort to sit up straight
• If you are in a sedentary job, try to stand up and move around every 30mins – 1hr
• Try basic neck stretches throughout the day and take a minute to focus on breathing whilst doing so

McLean, S., May, S., Klaber-Moffett, J., Sharp, D. and Gardiner, E. (2010). Risk factors for the onset of non-specific neck pain: a systematic review. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 64(7), pp.565-572.
Coulter, I., Crawford, C., Hurwitz, E., Vernon, H., Khorsan, R., Suttorp, M. and Herman, B. (2019). Manipulation and mobilization for Treating Chronic Nonspecific Neck Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Pain Physician, 22(2), pp.55-70.