Did you know that most individuals will continue on with their day to day despite discomfort in their neck?
Did you know that about 2 – 11 percent of individuals will have neck pain that stops them from completing day to day tasks?
Did you know that most neck pain is not the result of a serious disease?
Did you know that most often imaging (x-rays, CT, MRI) is not necessarily needed? After a history and physical where red flags are either ruled in or out, a referral may be necessary for imaging to be done and to see another healthcare provider.
When it comes to neck pain, there tends to not be just one single factor that attributes to it, sometimes accumulation of events over time. These factors could be demographic, socioeconomic, psychological, social, the list goes on! That being said, neck pain can affect someone in many ways, whether it be their daily routine, sleep, work life, and even an individual’s mental health.
Some of the different day to day causes of neck pain can include repetitive injuries from work, such as lifting, pushing or pulling, car accidents, whiplash injuries, headaches from office work, and even from stress. Most often, according to the neck pain task force, it tends to be episodic over time, with recovery in between of course. Just like any other area in the body, symptoms can fluctuate being mild to severe pain over time and sometimes can be recurrent.
The neck pain task force classifies neck pain into the following grades:
- Grade 1 – this includes someone with neck pain, but there isn’t a huge interference with daily life
- Grade 2 – this includes someone with neck pain, but there is an effect on daily life
- Grade 3 – this includes neck pain that is interfering with daily life, but may involve weakness or numbness in the arm, and can be known as a “pinched nerve”
- Grade 4 – this includes neck pain that may be due to a serious injury and pathology – this can include things such as a fracture, infection, tumour, or other disease, at this point a referral is necessary
It is very important to monitor a patient’s symptoms throughout treatment.
Risks?
Did you know, headache and neck pain are common symptoms for those who may be in the early stages of potentially suffering from a stroke?
Individuals who have neck pain and headaches present to our office, just like someone with the same symptoms could present to their family doctors office. According to the neck pain task force, there is no specific way to screen for this.
As you have read, neck pain is common and may have many different causes. Here at Mclauchlin Wellness Clinic we offer a variety of treatments that may benefit you. We will take a history, complete a physical and a diagnose and go over a treatment plan that is unique to you.
There is no specific treatment that is best for everyone. Everyone has a different body and one thing that might work for one, may not work for someone else. It is very important that treatment options are also chosen based on a patient’s preference. It’s a team effort and the patient should also be involved in decision making.
Some treatments that may be effective include:
- Manual therapy (manipulation, mobilization)
- Supervised exercises
- Acupuncture
- Laser therapy
- Education
- Combination of the above
Questions? Please feel free to call us at our office today.
References:
Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders [Supplement to February 15, 2008]. Spine. 2008; 33(4 Suppl).