Some people think that osteopaths just treat backs or bones, but we are qualified to treat so much more. The neck is another area that we are trained to diagnose and work with.
At your first appointment, we will take a detailed case history to get an idea of what might be causing your symptoms. Then, we will move onto the examination, with aims to further pin down the original diagnosis.
Structures
Just like lower back pain, there are a number of potential structures involved with neck pain.
- joints
- muscle
- nerve
- ligament
- disc
There are clues as to which might be causing your pain, such as whether your symptoms are local, or if there are any pins and needles, numbness, or weakness. Often there are at least a couple of structures involved, so your treatment plan will reflect this.
Neck Arthritis
Osteoarthritis can affect any cartilaginous joint, but the neck can also be vulnerable to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) too. The two are often confused, but osteoarthritis (OA) is the “wear and tear” type of arthritis, whereas RA is an autoimmune condition that typically starts in the smaller joints of the hands, feet, or neck. RA symptoms typically begin in your 20s-40s, and although OA can start before middle age, it typically becomes symptomatic later on.
In either case, your osteopath will examine your neck and determine the cause of your pain. The processes of these two forms of arthritis are very different, so they warrant a different approach. We can explain this and supplement your treatment with things for you to do at home. RA should be investigated by a rheumatologist to determine whether medication is necessary, but we can help to manage the symptoms of both forms alongside any medical intervention you may need.
Chronic Neck Pain
Chronic pain is defined as pain that persists for over 12 weeks. At this point, the way the body and brain process and respond to pain is different to an acute injury, so the approach needs to be different. Chronic pain may originally have been caused by an injury, but within three months this will most likely have resolved. Therefore, treating the structures of the neck like we would for a new injury is not so effective. However, that does not mean we can’t help.
Read our full post on chronic pain here.
Wider Reaching Symptoms
Problems with the neck can cause symptoms elsewhere in the body. These include, but are not limited to:
Managing Neck Pain
For simple neck pain, a combination of joint and muscle work will likely be the main feature of your treatment plan. Exercises and advice to follow at home (such as using heat or ice) are prescribed with the intention of continuing your progress between appointments. Most cases of simple neck pain clear up within a couple of months, but we may want to initiate a longer term management plan if your pain is more severe, or if these episodes keep returning.
Click here to make an appointment for your neck pain in Wiltshire
