Condition
Neck Pain
Stiff neck, tension headaches, and pain that radiates into the shoulder or arm. Common in desk workers and after motor-vehicle injuries.
Symptoms
Neck pain shows up as stiffness, restricted movement, dull ache, or sharp catches with certain head positions. It often comes with tension headaches that start at the base of the skull. Pain or pins-and-needles down the arm suggests a nerve-root component.
Causes
- Sustained posture: desk work, screens, driving
- Sleep position
- Acute strain from sudden movement
- Whiplash from a motor-vehicle accident or fall
- Disc irritation pressing on a cervical nerve root
- Cervicogenic headaches and migraines
How we treat it
Assessment locates the symptomatic levels and the patterns of restriction. Treatment combines manual therapy to restore movement, dry needling for stubborn muscle tightness when indicated, and exercise to retrain the deep neck flexors and shoulder stabilizers. Education on positioning during the day usually accelerates results.