common causes of neck pain

The cervical region is comprised of 7 vertebrae (with specialized C1 and C2 segments to stabilize the head and protect vital nerves and arteries), intervertebral discs for shock absorption and load bearing, ligaments, muscles, fascia, spinal cord and cervical nerves, arteries and veins.

Some of the common injuries that we treat are:

• Muscle strain/Whiplash

• Disc Herniation and/or Degeneration

• Facet Joint Dysfunction

• Brachial Plexus Injury

• Cervical Radiculopathy

• Suboccipital Headaches

• Arthritis and Stenosis

Our job as physical therapists is to take a medical diagnosis and discover what is leading to that pain or dysfunction. This involves a postural assessment, mobility assessment, nerve assessment, motor control assessment, and strength/endurance assessment. Often times, the source of neck pain extends beyond the area of pain.

Some common findings include:

• Forward head posture (“text neck”) with hinging at a specific level can lead to excessive stress at those segments

• Decreased mobility due to joint or muscle stiffness or motor control deficits (moving only through certain segments, muscle compensation patterns, lack of segmental control) or hypermobility and instability at certain segments due to ligamentous injury or muscle weakness

• Postural weakness and/or insufficient endurance of musculature through cervical, thoracic, scapular, and shoulder regions

• Nerve impairments such as sensory impairments (numbness, lack of sensation), motor impairments (weakness in a myotomal pattern), increase or decrease in reflexes, hypersensitivity to touch or movement

• Poor ergonomic set up (example: laptop computer screen too low, keyboard too high)

• Other factors: scoliosis, vision impairments, TMJ dysfunction, vertigo/BPPV, migraines, previous or concurrent shoulder injury

Disclaimer: This blog is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to serve as direct medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please seek the advice of your physician or other qualified medical provider about your personal injury/condition.