Do you suffer from neck pain?
If so, you’re not alone. In any given year, 30%-50% of the adult population live with it. Fortunately, you do not need to simply accept it.
Keep reading to learn how physical therapy for neck pain can help you get your life back on track.
Pain Relief
Different types of neck pain exist. Some common types include:
- Muscle aches
- Muscle spasms
- Bone pain
- Joint discomfort
- Tingly or sharp nerve pain
- Headaches
All of these different types of pain create negative impacts. Living in discomfort makes sleep more difficult and social activities less enjoyable.
Pain might even impact your career by preventing you from working efficiently or at all. Taking pain medication sometimes relieves the pain but causes fatigue or other significant problems.
Going to physical therapy helps with managing neck pain. By actively moving, you push fluids through, helping to eliminate painful inflammation.
More Mobility
Muscle and joint stiffness create pain in the neck situations! When you hurt your neck, it starts a nasty cycle.
You don’t move it much because it hurts, so stiffness sets in. The increased stiffness leads to more pain, and you move your neck even less.
The less your neck moves, the harder tasks that require movement become. Now that you do less, you move less because it takes away the pressing need to stay mobile.
Break this cycle with physical therapy. A trained therapist knows what movements will help your neck get better and which to avoid so you do not worsen the injury.
Consistent movement stops your neck from stiffening up. This increases your range of mobility and makes common tasks much easier.
Quicker Healing
Rest speeds up healing, making sleep and moments of immobility important while nursing an injury. But, over resting an injury actually slows down the healing process.
Getting into physical therapy as soon as possible will help you properly balance between rest and movement to optimize your healing. Your physical therapist will give you proper techniques and tell you the appropriate amount of activity to engage in with your specific injury.
Remember, movement increases blood flow to the injury. Blood carries oxygen, antibodies, and important nutrients that heal your tissues.
Increased Strength
Injuries often weaken muscles in the area. Even if you hurt the bone or the joint, your muscles do not work at normal capacity as you nurse the injury.
Starting physical therapy early on prevents you from losing too much muscle mass. This makes it easier to return to normal activities once your pain subsides and the injury heals.
Keeping your muscles strong also prevents further injury. If the muscles weaken too much, your neck becomes less stable and more fragile.
Begin Physical Therapy for Neck Pain
Do not wait to begin physical therapy for neck pain. Letting the injury go on without proper therapeutic treatment sets you up for a longer and more difficult recovery.
We want to help you take your life back! Contact us to schedule your first appointment.
Tags: Neck Pain
