Neck Pain
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Say Goodbye to Neck Pain and Hello to Comfort-Filled Days!
Experience neck discomfort? You're not alone—join the one-third of folks facing these challenges annually, says the APTA. Don't let your pain escalate; address it before whispers of discomfort become shouts that may even call for surgical intervention. Don't just bear it—take care!
Neck pain can ruin your day and make simple things feel like huge challenges. If sitting up straight is as tough as climbing a mountain, or if bending over to tie your shoes feels impossible, our professional physical therapy can help you find relief. Every year, many people find freedom from neck pain with Stride Physical Therapy. Let us guide you to a calm, painless life.
Understanding neck pain:
Experience relentless neck pain? It often stretches from your skull's base, cascades over your shoulder blades, and anchors itself in your neck's nape. Its intensity may dance between a persistent dull throb and abrupt, piercing stabs. But that's not all—neck discomfort may also bring a retinue of extra symptoms.
Stiffness and muscle tightness in the upper body
Numbness or tingling into the upper extremities
Headaches
Discomfort and pain when remaining in the same position for too long
Arm weakness
Loss of sleep due to pain and discomfort
Inability to fully stand up or sit up straight
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Common conditions causing neck pain:
Discover the Reasons Behind Your Neck Pain! Strained muscles or bone issues could be to blame, potentially linked to past injuries. Or, it might be aging leading to conditions such as degeneration. Get to know the usual suspects:
Injuries:
Suffering from neck pain following a car crash or sports impact? You might be dealing with Whiplash – a prevalent strain injury that thrusts your head in a sudden back-and-forth frenzy, wreaking havoc on the neck’s soft tissues. Don't let this pain be your new normal!
Illnesses:
Do you have neck pain? It might not just be tension. It could be due to conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, meningitis, or possibly cancer.
Nerve compression:
It could be a herniated disc or a constriction of the spaces through which your nerves bid farewell to your spine. Now imagine: these crucial nerves getting squeezed! The result? A cascading wave of pain that can storm its way right from your neck to your fingertips, an ailment termed "radiculopathy."
Muscle strains:
Neck muscles, beware! Overuse can lead to strain, and even everyday deeds like craning towards your computer screen for hours can put your neck at risk. Protect your posture, care for your neck.
Joint degeneration:
Like the body's other joints, your neck can wear down with time, leading to discomfort. Age-related conditions, including osteoarthritis, may wear away the cushioning cartilage in the cervical vertebrae, often culminating in neck pain.
Start Your Path to a Pain-Free Neck Now!
Physical therapy excels in relieving neck pain. Our therapists at Stride Physical Therapy assess your neck's movement and pain-related restrictions. They diagnose your condition to tailor your treatment plan. Collaboratively, you'll set clear treatment goals, aiming to conquer neck pain and hasten recovery.
Wave neck pain farewell as our targeted treatments dissolve tightness and amplify your neck's movement range. At Stride, our therapists customize exercises for your specific needs, bolstering and refreshing your neck. We aim to realign your posture, healing and strengthening your neck to prevent future injuries. Plus, we might apply calming ice and heat, therapeutic ultrasound, or subtle electrical stimulation when suitable.
End neck pain now! Contact Stride Physical Therapy and schedule a visit with our licensed New Jersey therapists. Start your path to lasting relief with our support!
Health Blog
A Physical Therapist’s Perspective on Chronic Back Pain
At Stride Physical Therapy, we see a lot of chronic low back pain and it’s something we know how to handle. Understanding what causes this pain and how you can prevent it is important to us, so we always make sure our patients and their families are well-informed. Remember, having chronic back pain doesn’t mean you have to accept it as a normal part of getting older. You can still experience less pain and enjoy improved mobility, regardless of how long your back has been bothering you. Book an appointment with Stride Physical Therapy to get a personalized consultation. Keep reading to uncover five key insights our physical therapy team has learned about chronic back pain.
1. Most People Will Experience Back Pain at Least Once
Research shows that the majority of people (up to 80%) will have at least one episode of back pain in their lifetime. While not everyone will suffer from long-lasting pain, many cases resolve within a few weeks without special medical care. However, underlying issues like inflexibility or poor body mechanics can persist, increasing the likelihood of recurring pain and injury. Consulting with a physical therapist early can help uncover and address these hidden factors, reducing the risk of conditions like muscle strains, joint misalignments, degenerative disc disease, disc herniation, and nerve impingement.
2. Most Risk Factors for Chronic Back Pain Are Preventable
Many back pain risk factors are preventable. This means reducing your risk of chronic pain and alleviating symptoms is largely within your control. Common preventable risk factors include:
Sedentary lifestyle
Excessive weight
Smoking
Poor posture
Physically demanding jobs that require frequent sitting, bending, twisting, heavy lifting, or exposure to vibration
Stress, anxiety, and depression
At Stride Physical Therapy, we take a holistic approach to treatment, addressing both physical and psychological factors to help you achieve long-term relief.
3. Exercise Often Improves Chronic Back Pain
Moving around with chronic back pain can be challenging, but participating in daily movement is crucial for pain management. Exercise keeps muscles and tissues strong, boosts circulation, reduces chronic inflammation, enhances mood, relieves stress, and helps maintain a healthy body weight. Activities like walking, cycling, and specific exercises to improve tissue healing, strength, flexibility, and endurance are proven effective. A physical therapist can help you develop a safe, effective, and enjoyable exercise program tailored to your needs and goals.
4. Surgery and Long-Term Medications Aren’t Always Necessary
Contrary to popular belief, conditions like herniated discs don’t always require surgery. Invasive procedures like spinal fusions are usually not the first option for chronic back pain. Research indicates that only about half of first-time back surgeries alleviate symptoms, and repeat surgeries have even lower success rates. Surgery also carries risks such as prolonged recovery time and post-operative complications.
Physical therapy is recognized as a first-line treatment for chronic back pain, often reducing the dependency on opioid medications. This makes physical therapy a safer, more cost-effective option.
5. Chronic Back Pain Can Improve Even Without Knowing the Exact Cause
Many cases of back pain are "idiopathic," meaning the exact cause is unknown. Imaging studies like MRIs often don’t correlate with a person’s symptoms. A physical therapist is trained to evaluate, diagnose, and treat spinal conditions. Even if the exact cause is unclear, physical therapy can still provide relief by addressing symptoms and contributing factors like poor posture, decreased hip and shoulder range of motion, and weak core muscles.
Ready to Make Chronic Back Pain a Thing of the Past?
If you're ready to reclaim your active life and start living with less pain, contact Stride Physical Therapy today. Our team is dedicated to helping you achieve long-term relief and improved function.
