Neck pain and osteopathy

The type of symptoms you might feel could be any of the following, sharp pain, burning or throbbing pain, shooting or stabbing pains. These can be either intermittent or constant.

Sometimes patients complain of headaches, which can come from a number of tissues around the the neck and the upper thoracic spine.

Acute neck pain has many causes, trauma such as whiplash, sleeping in a poor position leading to a stiff neck or straining neck muscles from carrying a heavy object.

Chronic neck pain may be caused by sitting at computers, poor posture, incorrect driving position or pathological conditions such as spinal stenosis or osteoarthritis.

What are the causes of neck pain ?

Posture

Prolonged poor postures creat tensions in the body especially in the back which can provoke neck pain.

Whiplash

Those who have been in a car accident and suffered whiplash or those who play contact sports like football, boxing or hockey are generally subjected to stiff necks.

Stress

Stress is also a causal factor in cases of somatic torticollis. During exam periods, or when in uncomfortable situations, emotions that are not released can translate into pain such as a stiff neck.

Your pillow

The use of an ineffective pillow that is too thin, too thick, or without enough support for the head should also be considered, as their use in the long term can be the cause of torticollis.

Repeated physical trauma

When you repeat wrong movements during your physical activity or at work for several years, you alter your spinal system which causes upper back pain.

No exercise

The lack of exercise is a major cause of neck pain. The vertebrae, muscles or ligaments lose elasticity and tone with age.

How to Reduce Neck Pain Through Osteopathy

Osteopathy can be of great use for the treatment of torticollis.

A session will consist of an evaluation to determine the state of the body and the response to any previous treatments. This is followed by a hands-on manual therapy, working with the bones, joints and soft tissues of the body including the tendons, ligaments, muscles and fascia.

Osteopaths are also trained to work with the Cranio-sacral system and the viscera (organs and supporting tissues).

Neck pain generally affects the sternocleidomastoid muscle that inserts itself behind the base of the ear and ends at thelevel of the sternum and/or the superior trapezius muscle that begins at the base of the skull and finishes behind the shoulder blade.

Neck Pain and Osteopathy