Areas of Pain

There are a number of different regions surrounding the Neck within which you may suffer from pain or discomfort. The particular region will differ in different people, and may vary over time in individuals.

The most common areas to suffer from neck pain are:

• The sides of the neck (right or left) in green
• The upper part of the neck (where it joins the skull) in red
• The base of the neck (where it joins the Thoracic Spine) in pink
• The shoulder blade in yellow
• The front of the neck in blue
• Running centrally along the back of the cervical spine in purple

Neck Pain may also be associated with symptoms in the Thoracic Spine or Shoulder Blade(s). It is important to note the area of pain to help determine the cause.

Characteristics

Neck Pain may also display different characteristics. Many sufferers will complain of an ache, others of a burning sensation. Sharp, intermittent pains are also commonly spoken of. It is also important to identify whether there is a pattern to the pain:

• Is it worse early in the mornings, or after a day at work?
• Will it wake you in the middle of the night?
• Will driving aggravate the symptoms?
• What about hanging out the washing?
• The exact characteristics of YOUR pain must be identified in order to determine the causes, and thus the best method of treatment.

Treatment

There are several treatment methods designed to reduce Neck Pain. Most of these will only work in the short-term - remember, pain is just a symptom. The primary cause of the problem must be identified and treated in order to gain long-term relief. Treatments commonly used to settle Neck Pain are:

• Exercise
• Medications(analgesic and anti-inflammatory)
• Hot or Cold Packs
• Rest from aggravating activity
• Electrotherapy
• Manual Therapy such as massage and manipulation can also offer at least short-term relief for chronic neck pain sufferers.

Note: The trend in the literature is to provide active, functional rehabilitation for chronic neck pain sufferers. The Melbourne Whiplash Centre uses sophisticated computerised technology to provide exercise based treatment to sufferers of chronic neck pain.

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