“Cervix” is a Latin word meaning “neck.” Everyone has at least one cervix; some people have two. People who experience issues with the cervix of the uterus may benefit from pelvic floor therapy, but approximately one-third of adults, regardless of sex or gender, experience neck pain every year. Fortunately, physical therapy can help with that too.
Common Causes of Neck Pain
Sometimes when you have neck pain, you can figure out what is causing it right away. Other times, the reason for your pain may be less obvious. You may ask yourself, “If I go to physical therapy near me, can it help me figure out the cause of my neck pain?” Part of the process is to undergo an assessment to diagnose the cause of your neck pain, or at least narrow down the most likely causes. This is important because the treatment options available to you may depend on the cause of your pain.
Sometimes neck pain arises because of an underlying medical condition. An autoimmune disorder, such as rheumatoid arthritis, may cause pain in the joints of your cervical spine. An abnormal growth, such as a cyst or tumor, may put pressure on the nerves in your neck. This can cause sensory changes (e.g., numbness or tingling) as well as pain. A cancerous growth may spread and cause symptoms in other areas of the body.
Injuries are common causes of neck pain. This may be an acute injury, such as whiplash from a car accident. An overuse injury is one that occurs over a long period of time from repetitive motion or from holding awkward positions. For example, craning your head upward to look at a poorly positioned computer screen or holding it down to look at your phone can cause muscle strain that results in neck pain.
Constant or persistent stress can lead to tension of the muscles in your neck or jaw that may contribute to neck pain or headaches. Unfortunately, you often don’t realize that the tension is there until you start experiencing pain because you are preoccupied with whatever is causing you the stress. Physical therapy may teach you how to prevent muscle tension in addition to relieving the pain.
As you get older, you are more likely to experience neck pain because of wear and tear on your body. Osteoarthritis can wear down protective cartilage between the joints, which can cause inflammation to occur and bone spurs to form. Degenerative disk disease can lead to bulging or herniation of the intervertebral disks, which can compress the nerves in your neck.
Excellent PT Exercises That Can Help Manage
It is a good idea to go to physical therapy for neck pain because a therapist can recommend exercises based on what is causing your symptoms. Examples of exercises for the neck that you may learn in physical therapy include the following:
- Prone rows
- Wall push-ups
- Seated neck stretch
- Shoulder and head rolls
However, not all types of exercises may be appropriate for all types of neck pain. The value of physical therapy is that not only can it teach you exercises that can help, but it can also caution you against exercises and activities that could make your condition worse.