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Neck & Head Pain
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The neck
(Cervical Spine) consists of the seven bones and
their discs, muscles, ligaments and other soft
tissues.
The cervical spine is the most flexible part of the
spine, normally moving freely in all directions. The
neck supports the head with its important sense
organs, eyes, ears and balance mechanism. The neck
tries to keep these sense organs suitably level. The
small muscles at the base of the skull are
especially involved in monitoring the balance of the
head.
The neck is usually the final spinal area for
adaptations to altered posture lower down. For
example, if there is a scoliosis (sideways curve) in
the low or mid back, there is usually a
counterbalancing curve in the neck. The cervical
spine also gives attachment to the muscles that
run from it down to the upper ribs and are active
upon breathing in.
The neck is prone to the same disorders as other
parts of the spine – muscle strains, joint
disorders, disc lesions, ligament strains and
degenerative conditions such as osteoarthritis.
Often patients report to us that they have a trapped
nerve in their neck. This is usually a descriptive
term used by health professionals for a painful
condition that can affect the neck and upper back.
This presents as sharp pain on neck movement that
feels like a nerve being trapped. In fact this is
normally due to a joint condition. Consequently when
you move the head you also move the joint and feel a
sharp stab of pain.
Osteopaths see patients with neck pain or aches,
neck stiffness, or pain.
Like all spinal pain, neck pain can vary from a mild
stiffness with muscle aching, to an intensely painful
condition with a temporary loss of some and
occasionally, all, head movement. Pain may arise from
sleeping awkwardly, excessive computer use, poor
posture, sports injuries, whiplash or wear and tear.
Your osteopath will ask you all about the pain and
how it started. Do you have any pain elsewhere? Any
headaches, any dizziness? Your osteopath can work
directly with your muscles and joints to improve
function. The rest of your back could also be
involved. As a result it is not unusual to spend
time treating your upper and lower back to help
alleviate neck pain. |
