A PAIN in the neck

HOW TO EASE TENSION AND MOVE FREELY AGAIN

We’ve all woken up with a frozen neck after a bad night’s sleep, but when neck pain is severe or ongoing it can be difficult to ignore.

“This is especially true when you have neck pain with headaches, which can make it even harder to concentrate or work,” explains Dr Trudy Rebbeck, a musculoskeletal physiotherapist.

But though neck problems can be debilitating, they’re not usually medical emergencies. “Less than five percent of neck-pain scenarios are serious,” Trudy says. But neck issues do require appropriate treatment and lifestyle adjustments to help you minimise their impact on your life. Here’s what you need to know.

WHY IS IT SO COMMON? Your head weighs about 5kg and rests on a series of seven vertebrae – separated by discs, stabilised by joints and ligaments, and moved by muscles – at the top of the spine. “Neck muscles have to hold your head up all day,” says Trudy.

While postural problems and injuries are the most frequent causes of neck pain, disc degeneration and arthritis are also culprits. That’s why it’s vital to get ongoing issues seen to by a GP or physiotherapist.

“Try to see a physio who specialises in treating this area,” Trudy tells. Visit physio.org.nz to find one near you, and try these strategies for managing four common types of neck pain.

UPPER NECK PAIN

FEELS LIKE: A dull pain at the base of your skull that becomes worse as the day goes on, possibly accompanied by a headache.

POSSIBLE CAUSE: “Joints, ligaments and muscles in that region of the neck may become compressed, irritated or inflamed,” Trudy explains.

People with desk jobs are typically most at risk, but anyone looking down at a tablet or phone for hours may develop upper neck pain too.