Neck Pain St. Clair, MO

Neck Pain St. Clair, MO. It is painful, greatly limiting, and it affects your ability to move in ways that you typically have no problem with. If you happen to be like 75 percent majority, you have experienced neck pain at one time or another. Though the metaphorical “pain in the neck” is typically not more than a mild nuisance that you can easily ignore, real neck pain is often complicated and serious. It is a pervasive problem that can lead to significant pain and loss of function if not treated promptly and thoroughly. Neck pain, the fourth leading cause of disability, accounts for a large part of the 88 billion dollars bill for yearly healthcare costs associated with neck and back pain in the US.

If you experience neck pain, do not brush it off. If your life is affected by your neck pain, it is important to get the right care as soon as possible. Axes Physical Therapy is the leading St. Clair, MO area provider of physical and occupational therapy and have what it takes to provide the personalized and proven St. Clair, MO neck pain treatment that will manage your pain and allow you to return to what you love. To discover what we can do to address your St. Clair, MO neck pain, contact us today.

St. Clair, MO Neck Pain: Causes and Risk Factors

It is a fact that the large majority of us suffer from neck pain at some point in our lives. The intricate and beautifully complex cervical spine is a vital system that serves to provide protection to our nervous system, support our heads and bodies, and afford us the flexibility and range of motion that make many activities and tasks possible. As such a complex region of the body, the neck is vulnerable to pain and impairment due to overuse, injury and trauma, illnesses, and other conditions.

Common St. Clair, MO Neck Pain Causes

• Sprains and strains
• Arthritis
• Direct trauma
• Injuries
• Joint degeneration
• Inflammation
• Infection
• Bulging disc

  

• Pinched nerve
• Surgery

More than 75% of us suffer from neck pain at some point. For many, that neck pain will be manageable and can often improve without requiring extensive treatment. On the other hand, many other St. Clair, MO neck pain patients need tailored care. Up to 85% of people who have neck pain will experience at least one more pain episode in a five-year period and in 37% of those with neck pain, the condition becomes chronic, with neck pain lasting more than one year.

As such a common issue, it is clear that neck pain can affect anyone in St. Clair, MO. However, some characteristics and conditions can predispose someone to neck pain. Risk factors include:

• Occupation – Office workers, healthcare workers, and manual laborers are the occupations most likely to develop neck pain. However, when considering the relationship between occupations and neck pain, there is an even stronger relationship between individuals who suffer from neck pain and workers who are stressed and unhappy at work, irrespective of the industry or occupation.
• Weight – Because of the added stress on the joints and skeletal system and proportionately less muscle strength, those who are overweight or obese are more likely to experience neck pain.
• Posture – There is a term for the poor posture so many of us spend so much time in: “text neck.” Poor posture is an obvious aggravator of neck and spine issues including neck pain. In fact, the strain on the cervical spine almost doubles for every 15 degrees of forward bend in the neck.
• Smoking – Smoking accelerate disc degeneration and cause pain in the neck, throughout the back, and in other joints.
• Stress – It is well-known that stress is hard on the body. Neck pain due to stress is not simply being tense. Stress is a physiological response that is responsible for  enlarging blood vessels in the muscles, restricts neck and shoulder movement, and heightens the perception of pain.

Physical Therapy for Neck Pain in St. Clair, MO

It is paramount that you seek out the proper treatment and care for your neck pain as soon as possible. Physical therapy is one of the most common forms of treatment for patients suffering from neck pain. It has been found to be highly effective in treating neck pain. Though it is possible in some cases that more extensive medical treament beyond physical therapy might be required, physical therapy is an excellent first line of defense.

Physical therapy is an easily accessible, low-risk, non-invasive form of treatment that addresses the cause of your St. Clair, MO neck pain. The knowledge and technical skill provided in physical therapy help patients heal safely and completely. St. Clair, MO physical therapy makes use of hands-on manual therapies, exercise, and education. A treatment plan using a combination of these strategies relieves stiffness and pain so that you may regain normal mobility and function. Additionally, St. Clair, MO physical therapy can assist with stretching and strengthening muscles affecting the neck, shoulder, shoulder blade, and core, while at the same time introducing preventative measures to avoid the risk of future pain or injury, such as postural training and work-station adaptation.

With a personalized St. Clair, MO physical therapy program based on your individual neck condition and goals, you can soon enjoy restored mobility, flexibility, strength, and range of motion. When you seek treatment with Axes Physical Therapy, the care we provide for your neck pain care near St. Clair, MO will address the cause of your neck pain and your priorities for managing the condition. Your dedicated St. Clair, MO physical therapist may make use of a combination of any of the following strategies:

• Stretching –  stretches and exercises to improve the strength and range of motion of the muscles connected to the cervical spine
• Core, shoulder, and back strengthening – conditioning to improve the strength of muscles that support and stabilize the cervical spine and upper body, including those in the torso, shoulders, and scapular regions
• Aerobic activity – to encourage healthy blood flow and build body strength, low-impact cardiovascular exercise
• Traction – separating the vertebrae decreases pressure and allows inflamed and irritated nerves and discs to heal
• Postural correction – training and demonstration to develop better posture, using lumbar support and other assistive devices when appropriate
• Joint mobilization and manipulation – your physical therapist performs this manual therapy by manipulating specific joints to mimic normal joint and tissue movement to gradually restore regular joint function and range of motion
• Trigger point dry needling – direct targeting of inflamed or tight muscle tissue areas provides relief by releasing and relaxing the irritated tissue, making it possible for the muscle to regain its range of motion
• Massage – releasing tension through the massage and hands-on manipulation of soft tissues
• Therapeutic modalities – a supplement to other therapy methods – things such as ultrasound therapy and electrical stimulation
• Heat and ice – local application of heat and/or ice can manage swelling and pain
• Ergonomic modifications and devices – to prevent complication and further neck pain, support devices can be used for sleeping, sitting, working at a desk, etc
• Posture correction – training to correct posture to reduce the amount of pressure and strain the neck is subjected to, helping to manage pain and avoid additional St. Clair, MO neck pain issues

   

Neck Pain Symptoms

In order to understand the nature of your neck pain and formulate the most appropriate treatment plan in St. Clair, MO, your Axes St. Clair, MO physical therapist will examine, observe, and evaluate your condition. Pain is an obvious characteristic of neck pain. However, the spine is a brilliantly complex and versatile structure within the human body and the cervical spine, or the neck portion of the spine, is no exception. The specific source of your neck pain may present various symptoms and present distinct pain sensations.

Symptoms that can distinguish the cause of your neck pain are:

• Tingling sensation or numbness in the arms or hands
• Upper extremity weakness
• Headaches
• Pain in the upper back, shoulders, arms, or hands
• Stiffness and immobility
• Increased pain when sneezing, coughing, reaching, etc
• Reduced range of motion
• Sleeping problems
• Pain that escalates at a certain part of the day, like in the morning or before going to sleep at night

Your neck pain may be described with words such as:

• Sharp
• Stabbing
• Dull
• Aching
• Throbbing
• Tingling
• Radiating

When you meet with your St. Clair, MO physical therapist, they will ask you questions designed to understand the cause of your neck pain. In addition, they may conduct an examination designed to assess your range of motion, strength, tenderness, posture, and function. Our goal as your St. Clair, MO neck pain physical therapist is to understand the entirety of your neck pain before beginning your care to be sure that we provide the safest and most effective treatment available.

Care for your Neck Pain near St. Clair, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

If you are like 75% of us out there, you have lived with neck pain and you are not alone. The Axes team is familiar with just how complicated and common neck pain is–a condition that affects many of us in St. Clair, MO and throughout the United States and we are here to help. Axes Physical Therapy offers convenient, low-risk, effective neck pain care near St. Clair, MOby the hands of licensed physical therapists who specialize in the spine. Our patient-centered approach, dedicated care, and highly qualified staff make significant, long-term neck pain relief in St. Clair, MO possible.

It is time that you were able to live pain-free and with the freedom to do the activities you enjoy. We have established a network of locally owned and operated physical therapy treatment facilities that provide the highest quality neck pain care in the St. Clair, MO area location that is convenient for you. Discover the effect that Axes’ physical therapy care can have on your neck pain by starting your treatment right away. Contact us today or request an appointment now.