Neck pain is a common complaint and can come from any structures of the neck which include the muscles, nerves, discs and the vertebrae. Neck pain can be acute due to a recent injury or muscle strain or chronic due to years of poor posture. No matter how you describe it, at the end of the day, neck pain is a pain in the neck.

Neck Pain Symptoms
Neck pain is commonly associated with a dull ache, but can be associated with some form of numbness, tingling, and sharp shooting pain. Neck pain can be centralized in the neck or refer down the arm and/or shoulder blade and can also be a source of headaches. Neck pain can limit the movement of the neck, making it difficult to turn your head or look up and down.

Neck Pain Causes
The most common cause of neck pain is muscle strain, due to poor posture while sitting at your computer, slouching while watching TV and looking down at your electronic device. Sleeping with a pillow that is too large or too small can also cause strain in the neck muscles.

Neck pain can come from a number of disorders such as:
• Poor posture
• Degenerative disc diseases
• Cervical stenosis
• Disc herniation
• Spondylosis

Treating and Managing Your Neck Pain
Dealing with neck pain can begin to affect your daily activities, sleep, social and recreational activities. A complete evaluation by a doctor of physical therapy will help determine the cause of the cervical pain. Because the source of pain needs to be identified before treatment is established, at N-Balance Physical Therapy we begin with an assessment of the whole functional unit, looking for the root cause of your neck pain. Neck pain is treated with a combination of manual therapy and exercise. We will also perform an ergonomic assessment of your work station with your computer.