East Toronto Orthopaedic & Sports Injury Clinic and Trilogy Physiotherapy have partnered in order to provide you with the experienced and skilled care you deserve.
Neck pain is a common issue, affecting many people over their lifetime. Pain can occur anywhere from the bottom of your head to the top of your shoulders and can spread to the upper back.
Neck pain can also be associated with headaches, facial pain, shoulder pain, and arm numbness or tingling. These associated symptoms can be a result of pinched nerves in the neck.
You may also feel a knot, stiffness, or pain in your neck muscles that can lead to difficulty in turning your head.
Neck pain can be caused by activities that strain the neck. This can lead to neck strain, a sprain, or a spasm in the neck muscles. In addition, underlying joint changes in the neck can make you vulnerable to pain.
Some common causes of acute neck pain include:
Carrying a heavy backpack or purse on one shoulder
Emotional stress can cause the neck muscles to tighten up and ache in response to stress, anxiety, or depression
Sports injury due to strain from a sudden or unusual neck movement or caused by a collision
Poor posture due sitting for long periods at a computer, watching TV, reading, or texting on your phone
Sleeping on your abdomen or in an awkward position
Trauma from a car accident or a fall
Holding the head in an unusual position due to painting a ceiling or cradling your home phone between your shoulder and neck
Most episodes of neck pain will go away within a few days or weeks, but pain that persists for months could indicate an underlying medical issue that must be addressed. Early treatment intervention is recommended for optimal recovery.
Common causes of chronic neck pain include:
Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease
The cervical spine experiences wear and tear over time. If a disc degenerates enough, it can lead to painful irritation of the cervical nerve or pain from increased joint and ligament stress.
Herniated Disc
A cervical disc is herniated when its jelly-like inner layer leaks out through a tear in the disc’s protective outer layer.
The soft tissue along and near the cervical spine can be torn or ruptured as a result. This neck injury commonly occurs in an car accident that involves a rear-end collision.
Cervical Osteoarthritis
When the cartilage in a cervical facet joint wears down enough, it can lead to osteoarthritis, also known as cervical spondylosis.
The joint becomes enlarged from inflammation and bone spur growth, and may cause nearby nerves to become pinched and lead to considerable pain.
Cervical Spinal Stenosis with Myelopathy
Spinal stenosis occurs when spinal degeneration leads to a narrowing of the spinal canal, such as from a herniated disc that pushes into the spinal canal or bone spurs that grow into the canal.
When the spinal canal narrows enough to compress the spinal cord, it can result in myelopathy. Myelopathy is when compression of the spinal cord starts causing symptoms such as weakness, loss of balance or problems with coordination in the arms, hands, legs, or feet.
Cervical Foraminal Stenosis and Cervical Radiculopathy
This condition occurs when the holes (foramen) in the vertebrae, through which nerve roots exit the spinal canal, become narrow.
This narrowing of the hole can irritate the nerve root that runs through it causing pain that radiates down the arm. Treatment with cervical traction can be particularly helpful for this condition.
Myofascial Pain
Achy muscles and surrounding connective tissue can cause irritable trigger points in muscle, typically in the upper back or neck.
This can result in a tension headache due to neck muscles tightening, or occipital neuralgia where a pinched occipital nerve in the neck causes pain to radiate up to the head.
Physiotherapy Treatment
Management of the above conditions has been proven to be helpful in relieving pain, speed up recovery and manage chronic issues.
Treatment involves education, self-care management, exercise therapy, and manual therapy are commonly used by a registered physiotherapist to treat neck pain. Other treatments such as acupuncture, soft tissue release and massage therapy can also help. A registered physiotherapist can conduct a skilled assessment and examination of the spine and recommend the appropriate treatment. For most neck pain issues, x-ray and other imaging is not required for management in the initial stages.
To book an appointment, Call Us today at 416-691-3943 or contact us here.
Frequently Asked Questions About Neck Pain
Can neck pain be a sign of something serious?
Neck pain alone is rarely a symptom of a more serious problem. Seek medical care if your neck pain is present with numbness, loss of strength in your arms or hands or if you have shooting pain into your shoulder or down your arm.
How does a pinched nerve in the neck feel?
A pinched nerve will usually present with pain referred into the arm, and/or upper back, and be associated with numbness, pins & needles or tingling. Pain quality may vary from unpleasant sharp pain, to a dull ache. Referred pain in the arm may be triggered by head movements such as twisting and looking upward
When should I be worried of neck pain?
If your neck pain is intense, and associated with headache, and it's the worst pain you've ever had, and different than your usual pain, seek urgent medical care
How should I sleep with neck pain?
Try and choose a pillow that keeps you neck supported both on your side and lying on your back. Avoid stomach sleeping.
How do you loosen tight neck muscles?
Gentle stretching and exercise strategies such as chin retractions, postural exercise or other self care tools can help. Consult with a physiotherapist today to get personalized care.
Should I sleep without a pillow after neck therapy?
Generally the neck will be better supported with a pillow when sleeping.
Does stress cause neck pain?
Stress can be a significant contributor to neck pain. Stressors, both mechanical and mental in nature, can cause increased tone (tightness) of the neck muscles and contribute to painful muscular trigger points.
Bryce Lee
13 September 2023
Adam was super. Always positive and very encouraging thru my rehab.
Marcello Sapienza
10 August 2023
Excellent service . I highly recommend this clinic. Teresa the receptionist is very helpful and nice . Adam is a knowledgeable physiotherapist. And Fatima is a very good acupuncturist .
Samantha Duncan
25 July 2023
Excellent experience with Adam - thorough and very personable.
Kristin Patterson
26 June 2023
Marshall was very helpful and professional and worked with me on a very painful knee injury. i began a few months ago barely able to bend it or walk up and down stairs and have improved greatly with his program. i am now able to run up and downstairs with no problems and am almost back to 100%. the receptionists are also accommodating and professional and were easily able to process insurance claims, answer questions, and reschedule appts when i was sick or something came up. i was very impressed by my experience here and would recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone looking for a new physio!
Adriano Trapani
13 June 2023
Great experience. I had foot pain that wouldn’t go away so I came here and found so much assistance in regaining my mobility.
Kartik Uppal
8 June 2023
Went to the Pape and Danforth clinic for a massage with Robert. Customer service from initial onset was with Therese. Was very patient with me when it came to form filling and billing. Robert was also extremely good at working on my pain points and being thorough with his explanations. Overall great massage, experience and education!
AD
26 March 2023
Everyone at this clinic is very kind and professional- Would recommend!
Efficient Sense
7 January 2023
Trevor is great! He has guided me on my road to recovery. Staff is also friendly and knowledgeable. Nachi is also great!
Lucy Barron
5 December 2022
I would highly recommend the services of Trevor - he provided excellent care. I received a thorough assessment and a clear treatment plan. Trevor is knowledgeable, friendly and is a good communicator. The office is well-equipped and Mina at the front desk was always very welcoming.
Sabrina Oliver
15 November 2022
I have seen Trevor for several different problems over the years and he has always done an amazing job helping me with my recovery. He is knowledgeable in many areas and always happy to answer questions and explain what he is doing. He is thorough with assessment and treatment so you always feel like you are in good hands. He is also very honest and won't push you to keep coming if he doesn't feel you need it. Mina at the front desk is really welcoming and the clinic is very clean and comfortable. Overall a great physio experience and would highly recommend to anyone!
