What can I do for chronic neck pain treatment?

Neck pain ranks up at the top of the list when it comes to common forms of pain. Researchers report that as high as 79.5% of people deal with some form of neck pain annually (NIH, 2010). Such statistics show that you have a significant risk of neck pain.

Though less likely, chronic neck pain is no less problematic. A 2006 study concluded that as much as 4.5% of the population could be suffering from this type of pain (NIH, 2010). Going to physical therapy is a treatment option that’s effective for chronic neck pain. There are three ways in particular that physical therapy can benefit you.

Three ways physical therapy treatment for chronic neck pain can benefit you

Just how effective is physical therapy when it comes to chronic neck pain treatment? One study shows that one week of physical therapy was able to significantly reduce neck pain in 75% of the study’s participants. This study also reports that 70% of the participants also noticed an improved ability to do normal daily activities. Gains like these are possible because physical therapists can help you:

1. Improve your posture — Your head is basically a 10-pound weight balanced on the column of your neck. When this weight is tilted forward just one inch, it effectively doubles the strain on your neck (SpineHealth, 2016). Physical therapists can offer ergonomic recommendations that are intended to help improve head and neck posture.

2. Stretch neck muscles — Poor posture, sports injuries or car accidents can injure neck muscles. Such factors can also increase the tension in these muscles. Physical therapists can help you stretch your neck and reduce built-up tension. One effective option that can help with this is instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM). A study that used IASTM to treat shoulder muscles was able to increase range of motion by more than 11 degrees (NIH, 2014).

3. Strengthen your neck — Strengthening neck muscles gives them a greater ability to maintain good posture. Improving the physical performance in neck muscles is something therapists can do relatively quickly with therapeutic exercises. In fact, one study reports that after an average of four weeks of treatment, many people can see strength gains. The same study also notes that patients in the study also reported decreased pain and improved range of motion.

Advent Physical Therapy is ready to help you find effective chronic neck pain treatment

Are you looking for effective chronic neck pain treatment? Our Advent Physical Therapy team is primed to help you find it. We offer free screenings that are intended to help us gather information about your pain and other symptoms. Our team can then build you a personalized plan to treat your chronic neck pain.

Contact our team today for more information about how we can help you or to schedule an initial appointment.