The clear indicator of this condition is a stiff or sore neck, but symptoms don’t stop there. You may also experience headaches, as well as pain or numbness which radiates down your arms. Neck pain can also cause nausea.

Strained neck muscles can also compress nerves essential to breathing and heart function, and may cause difficulty breathing or an irregular heartbeat.

Other symptoms may be psychological, like fogginess, and finding it difficult to concentrate.

Your pain might make it more difficult to complete simple tasks too, like showering, getting dressed, turning your head, or sitting at your desk at work.

The causes of neck pain are extremely varied, and no two cases are the same. It may be down to postural reasons, like having to tilt your neck to look at a computer all day, or from sleeping in a position which is damaging to your neck.

Stress, trauma and big life events, like divorce or a house move can also cause neck pain.

Former injuries also play a major role in neck pain. This may include a clearly linked injury, like whiplash, but could also be the result of an indirect injury which affects another area of the body. As your body compensates for and adapts to the indirect injury, it can cause tension to accumulate in your neck

Certain physical conditions may cause neck pain, like sprains or cervical spondylosis, which is caused by aging.

Neck pain can be caused by gradual wear and tear of cartilage in the neck, which is exacerbated by lifestyle choices like smoking, due to its inflammatory effects, and by heavy alcohol consumption, which depletes the body of calcium and vitamin D.

Your treatment will depend on your individual case, but with the help of our practitioners, you’ll define the root cause of your condition to make a full recovery.

If your neck pain is postural, our osteopaths and chiropractors are here to help. They’ll do a full assessment of your neck and back in order to identify the origin of your neck pain. If necessary, they will refer you for further medical assessment or imaging before you begin treatment.

Using therapeutic techniques, our osteopaths and chiropractors will release tension and restrictions in your neck, alleviating your pain and helping you regain full range of motion. They’ll also massage and stretch your muscles, ligaments and tendons in order to realign any strained or overworked muscles in your neck and back.

Ongoing movement and exercise is key to reducing neck pain. That’s why our osteopaths and chiropractors will empower you with at-home stretches and strengthening exercises. They may also recommend specific sports to further condition your neck and protect you from further neck pain.

If the origin of your neck pain is emotional stress, you may find craniosacral therapy is the option for you. This soothing, body-based therapy relieves compression in the neck, easing both emotional and physical pain. You may also find it useful to talk with a counsellor or psychologist for emotional support.

Neck pain can be complicated by other influences, including environmental, nutritional and hormonal factors, so you might find it beneficial to visit one of our naturopaths. They can recommend the best supplements for strong bones and healthy muscles (two key factors for a pain-free neck). They can also give you dietary recommendations for reducing inflammation and managing arthritis if these factors are contributing to your neck pain.

Whatever the cause of your neck pain, you don’t have to manage it alone. No one deserves to live with pain. Come to us and discover the root cause of your pain, and how to treat and heal it.