Cervical Pain Treatment by Physiotherapy
Neck pain is a very common symptom and one for which many people consult a physiotherapist. Initially in the subjective examination the physio will want to know how the pain came on and how long ago. Some people can recall a particular event such as cricking their neck or injuring themselves in some way, but many neck pains come on gradually with no precipitating factor.
The physio will ask about the location and nature of the pain. Neck problems often involve other areas and the presence of shoulder and arm pains will tell the physiotherapist what kind of pain they are dealing with. Sharp, localized pain on movement could be joint sprain, generalized neck ache a postural or segmental problem and severe arm pain could be a nerve root compression from a disc prolapse.
Because neck pain could be an indicator of various pathologies the physio will ask all the special questions such as general health, past medical history, weight loss, bladder and bowel control, quality of appetite and sleep and medication usage. The objective examination begins by getting the patient to take their upper body clothes off and looking at the posture of the trunk, neck, shoulders and arms. A humped thoracic spine with rounded shoulders and a poking chin are a common postural abnormality which can lead to pain.
Cervical ranges of movement are tested to elicit important information about what is going on in the neck. The response to movement testing will help the physio understand the kind of neck pain problem and how to start treating it. Cervical rotation, flexion, extension, side flexion and retraction are all assessed to try to pinpoint the problem. Muscle strength, sensation and reflexes are tested to ascertain that the nerve conduction to the arms is working well.
Manual palpation of the neck is an advanced skill shared by manual therapists and gives information about the more defined location of the neck lesion. The physio will lie the person on their front and press down gently on each spinal level from the high neck down to the upper thoracic levels. By palpating the central bony processes and the small joints at the sides the physio hopes to bring on the patient’s symptoms by pressing on a specific structure, pointing to the guilty structure.
Mobilization techniques are a core manual skill for physiotherapists and abnormal joint mechanics, known as dysfunctions, can be identified by palpation of the main spinal and facet joints by the physio. Treatment can use repetitive small movements to relieve pain an encourage normal motion, to more forceful manipulations which take the joints beyond their typical ranges and restore movement. Any increases in movement gained by treatment is maintained by home exercises.
Typical physio treatments are exercise programmes, nerve mobilizing techniques, correction of poor posture, pacing technique, trunk segmental mobilization and strengthening of the deep flexor muscles of the cervical spine. Nerve root compression of a cervical nerve root can cause severe arm pain, loss of sleep and distress from a cervical slipped disc. Cervical traction can decrease the pressure on the affected segment and reduce pain enough t
Other Related Posts
« Bodybuilding Advice - Weight Training for Teenagers (part 2) | Home | Hypnosis and Stress. »
Leave a Comment