We are in a society that sits the majority of the day. Between techy's in the Microsoft, Google and Amazon Industries and even many students in school, a lot of us sit. In addition to sitting, we also look down a lot. Think about how many times you look down a day to check a text or your Apple watch. A recent research article revealed that looking down can increased pressure on your neck up to 60 pounds! Many of those that prolong sit and look down can start to have neck pain.
Other Neck Symptoms may start to include:
Upper back pain and stiffness
Shoulder pain
Numbness and/or tingling in shoulders and arms
Headaches
Difficulty keeping in good posture and alignment?
Neck pain symptoms can be described by the type of onset and duration
Acute neck pain is sudden onset pain that lasts for a few days or weeks. It can ease up as your body heals from injury or tissue damage.
Subacute neck pain can last between six weeks and three months and is usually associated with muscle strain or joint pain.
Chronic pain is severe, can last > 3 months and might fail to respond to initial treatments. It requires a complete medical exam to determine its cause.
Neck pain and Physical Therapy If you are having neck pain, physical therapy is often recommended. After ruling out serious conditions from your doctor, your PT will put together a treatment program that may consist of: - Manual therapy: to help with tissue healing and/or restoration of joint mobility. - Exercises: to help strengthen your neck and core and improve neutral postural alignment. - Pain relief: consisting of appropriate modalities such as ice, heat, ultrasound, or electric stimulation. - Patient education: on tips to help reduce stress on your neck in your work and home environment. The best new of all is that insurance covers PT sessions! A physical therapist can work with you and modify your treatment program until you are healed. Come see a PT today!