Neck pain can often be debilitating, limiting your ability to go about your day and do the things that matter to you. Studies show that up to 70% of the population will experience neck pain at some time in their lives and is the 4th leading cause of disability behind back pain, depression, and other musculoskeletal disorders. While conventional treatment for neck pain includes rest and medication, dry needling and physical therapy may be a treatment that can significantly improve neck pain.
How Can Dry Needling Help with Neck Pain?
Dry needling is a versatile approach that offers various benefits for alleviating neck pain. It focuses on trigger points, those tense areas in muscles and connective tissues. This targeted technique helps to release tension in the muscles of the neck and shoulders, addressing a common cause of neck pain. Moreover, dry needling has the added advantage of stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting overall relaxation. When incorporated into a holistic regimen that includes stretching and strengthening exercises, dry needling emerges as a practical, non-invasive, and drug-free solution for managing neck pain and even tackling migraines (for more information see our blog “Dry Needling for Migraines”.)
Causes of neck pain and how Physical Therapy and Dry Needling can help
People can have pain in the neck for a variety of reasons, ranging from an acute injury to more chronic conditions that develop over a long period. Below are some of the most common conditions that can result in neck pain and how they come about.
Neck Muscle Strain
Muscle strains are injuries that affect muscles and tendons. They can range widely in severity from a mild overstretching of the muscle to partial and complete tears of the tissue. Muscle strains in the neck can occur from acute injuries such as car crashes or falls, but they can also occur from changes to posture and the way you carry your head. According to the Parkside Clinic, while your head weighs 11 lbs, when your head position is moved forward just 15 degrees it more than doubles to a weight of 27 lbs! This excess strain on the muscles that support your system over time can result in the development of overuse injuries, causing dull aching neck pain that worsens when the tissue is stretched but is better with rest or maintaining a neutral head position. Physical therapy can be a great way to learn how to strengthen your neck muscles so they are able to tolerate the increased demand during movements.
Osteoarthritis
As with other joints in the body, your cervical spine can develop osteoarthritis, or the wearing down of structures inside the joint. Wearing in joints is a natural part of aging, but in severe cases, arthritis in the neck can lead to the development of bone spurs which can impact the function of ligaments and discs in the spine which can create pain. Neck pain related to osteoarthritis is often deep, dull pain that is worse in the morning but improves with movement throughout the day. Many times people are very scared by this diagnosis, and I totally get it, but seeing a physical therapist who can perform dry needling or other hands on techniques can help to significantly reduce the pain from OA. In addition to decreasing pain, physical therapy will also give you the education and tools you need to learn how to continue to stay active and strengthen the muscles around your neck and shoulders to provide more support to your spine.
Nerve Compression
Your nerves act as a communication highway between your brain and the rest of the body. When these nerves get compressed, our body can perceive this as numbness, tingling, or pain. Nerve compression in the neck often is caused by tightness in the tissue overlying the nerves, most commonly the scalene muscles. Narrowing of the passages the nerves travel through of the spine called stenosis can also result in nerve compression. Stenosis can be caused by arthritis or the development of bone spurs which can put pressure on the nerves coming off of the spinal cord. Neck pain caused by nerve compression often gets worse with certain positions like looking down at the floor but symptoms improve when doing another opposing motion like looking up. Physical therapy will provide you with strategies to decrease the nerve compression, alleviate tight muscles and teach you how to move & workout without aggravating your symptoms.
Other Diseases
While it is not as common, certain conditions may have neck pain as a symptom. Examples of these include rheumatoid arthritis, meningitis, Chiari malformation, and cancer. If any of these conditions are suspected consult with your physical therapist who can refer you to the appropriate professional as treatment may be contraindicated in those situations.
Other Exercises to Help with Neck Pain
While each person is unique, here are some exercises that may help decrease neck pain.
First, is a chin tuck. This exercise focuses on stretching the deep ligaments of the neck and opening up the spine for more extension. Start in a seated position, head looking forward. Using your fingers press your chin straight back until you feel a good stretch at the base of the head and or the back of the neck. Hold this exercise for 5 seconds and then repeat 5-10 times.
The second exercise is focused on gently building up strength in your neck support muscles to decrease strain on the tissue in your neck. Starting with your head facing forward tilt your head to one side while simultaneously pressing your hand back into your head. Hold the pressure for 5 seconds and repeat 5-10 times.
The third exercise focused on utilizing a towel to increase the mobility of specific parts of your cervical vertebrae using a towel. Place the towel around your neck over the spot you wish to work. While gently pulling forward on the towel look up towards the ceiling and extend your neck. Hold for 10-15 seconds and repeat 5-10 times
While these exercises are a good starting point and can help with some pain you may be experiencing, it is important to have a customized plan of care to achieve long term relief. Contact us today to see if we’ll be a good fit to help relieve your neck pain!
More questions about dry needling? Please see our blog called “What is Dry Needling? Everything You Need to know” for more in-depth information about this treatment.
Sources:
The Annual Incidence and Course of Neck Pain, Cote et al 2004
