Neck Pain

Neck Sprain / Strain

A neck sprain/strain can be subdivided into grades one to three. These may arise from differing events namely direct trauma, whiplash trauma (where the spine undergoes hyperextension and hyeprflexion), road traffic accidents, sports Injuries, overuse, muscle fatigue, repetitive strain, from bad posture or from sudden movements. There usually is immediate pain shortly after the injury or sometimes there is delayed muscle soreness (DOMS) which occurs within 24-48 hours.

The pain may radiate to the base of the skull or also to the shoulder and the arm. Muscles feel stiff and spasmed. There is a decrease of movement and there may be further local tenderness or swelling. It is important to rule out any fractures or dislocations. At the Advanced Pain Relief Clinic in Milton Keynes we regularly refer patients for x-rays and MRI scans to rule out traumatic injuries.

We are highly specialised in providing spinal manipulation and acupuncture to help neck pains/sprains. Ice, Rest, Massage, NSAIDs (only if there are no contra-indications), chiropractic joint manipulation, stabilisation exercises can all be beneficial.

Chiropractors are primary care practitioners. This means that you do not always go to your surgery or to a physiotherapist as chiropractors are specifically trained to help with neck pain resulting from a sprain or strain.

At the Advanced Pain Relief Clinic we enjoy referrals from local GP’s, consultants and physiotherapists as well as referrals from Insurance companies such as AXA PPP or Vitality Healthcare.

Cervical Facet Dysfunction/Syndrome

This syndrome is due to a cervical facet irritation and is normally felt as dull and achey pain but sharp when aggravated. There are often Headaches and there is often a movement restriction. It is normally possible to pinpoint the pain. The pain can be felt radiating to shoulder or midback and there is often a history of Whiplash injury. The pain is often worse when looking up and the head may appear tilted away from the offending joint. Muscles are often tight and guarding the injury.

Facet Syndromes respond extremely well to chiropractic adjustments. Acupuncture will release tight muscles and help in providing Pain relief. Traction is also often of great benefit. Rest, moist heat will work well on muscles. Ultrasound may be helpful to reduce local muscles spasm or swellings.

Meniscoid Entrapment

This pain originates in the joints and is due to an entrapment of the joint capsules. There is often a history of bad posture or unusual movements. Commonly there is a feeling of a “catch” when straightening the spine. The pain sensation is sharp and worsens with movements.

Entrapments resolve with spinal traction and gapping of joints alongside acupuncture. Therapeutic sports massage further alleviates pain.

Pilates and Yoga exercises increase the stability very loose spinal segments and chiropractic spinal manipulation helps relieve any spinal stiffness present.

Cervical Instability and Hypermobility

Any increased in movement between two vertebrae can result in increased motion at those segments. This may be due to Spondylolisthesis, repetitive trauma, Whiplash or movement. There are different types of instability.

Patients will complain of recurrent neck pain and “clicky” neck sensations. Pain is made worse by staying in one specific posture for too long or when there is a sustained spinal movement. There is a sensation of “catching” or “locking” in the neck. X-rays can in diagnosis.

Stability exercises and specific chiropractic joint manipulation will often help in neck instability. It is important to note that strengthening may take some time and the patient has to be prepared to work daily on exercises.

At the Advanced Pain Relief Clinic in Milton Keynes your Chiropractor or Acupuncturist will be able to diagnose the hyper mobility and prescribe specific exercises. These are often physiotherapy type of exercises that will help in joint stability. The recovery will be more protracted than for other causes and you will have to be very strict to adhere to exercise advice. We are very experienced with this type of pain and have helped many patients suffering from cervical hyper mobility with our treatments.

Cervical Joint Osteoarthritis (OA)/ Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD)

With osteoarthritis (OA) or degenerative joint disease (DJD) there is a gradually developing dull achy neck pain or maybe pain following joint movement. Morning stiffness is often relieved by increasing the movements. There are different ways to diagnose OA or cervical joint degeneration but X-ray can help give the definite diagnosis of this condition. Osteophytes (Calcific Bone Spurs), loss of disc height are some of the hallmarks that can be seen on x-rays. At the Advanced Pain Relief Clinic in Milton Keynes we often refer patients for x-rays of the neck or the lower back.

Cervical OA or DJD can respond well to chiropractic joint manipulation as well as medical or traditional Chinese Medicine. Manipulation and Acupuncture may help because they can help to improve mobility and relieve pain and at the Advanced Pain Relief Clinic Milton Keynes we specialise in Musculoskeletal (MSK) pain relief. 

Heat can be very beneficial in OA and some patients respond well to Non-Steroidal Antiinflammatory medication such as Ibuprofen (always check with your GP first if this is appropriate). If you would like to try naturopathic advice please as your Chiropractor at the Advanced Pain Relief Clinic for supplement or herbal advice. We also have a traditionally trained Chinese Acupuncturist who can offer Chinese herbal alternatives to western drugs and medication.

Cervical Nerve Root irritation / Cervical Disc Pain

This can be due to a variety of factors. At the Advanced Pain Relief Clinic we often see this condition secondary to sports injuries or other trauma. Osteoarthritis of the neck (OA) in older patients can lead to bone spurs and cause nerve root irritation and impingement.

It is interesting to note that smokers and manual workers are more at risk for this condition. The patient will normally experience a deep ache or a burning neck pain.  The nerve pain will often follow an injury but unfortunately it may arise for no good reason at all!

There may be a sensation of pins and needles or numbness or even weakness that radiates from the neck into the hand or other parts of the shoulder and arm. Certain actions such as sneezing or coughing aggravate the pain.

It is important that the patient undergoes a thorough evaluation is essential to rule out any underlying conditions or pathologies.
MRI imaging will highlight the area of disc damage. We can refer for x-ray or MRI scan or are happy to write back to the GP to encourage further evaluation or imaging to rule out any serious conditions that give you these symptoms.

Acute Torticollis (“wry neck”/”cricked neck”)

Acute Torticollis literally means “twisted neck” when translated and can be seen in babies, children and occasionally in adults. It can occur at any age.

A thorough examination is indicated to eliminate any serious other conditions such as infection but x-rays are not usually needed.

This condition responds well to a variety of treatments such as therapeutic massage and Acupuncture. At the advanced pain relief clinic in Milton Keynes we have helped countless patients with this condition and we should be able to provide you with quick pain relief and recovery providing you can follow the advice we give you.