What We Treat
Neck & Arm Pain / Whiplash Injuries
The neck (known as the Cervical Spine) is made up of the first 7 vertebrae in the spine.
Its job is to support and move the head (which weighs on average 14lbs / 6.5Kg!)
Pain frequently comes from the discs which lie between the vertebra, or from the small joints at the sides of the vertebra.
The muscles around the neck can go into a protective spasm, which can be strong enough to completely stop you from moving your head in certain directions.
Symptoms can often felt down the arm as well, right down to the hand at times. This can be a referred pain, weakness or tingling/numbness generated by a problem in the neck, or as a result of direct pressure being put onto the nerves as they exit from the spine.
Whiplash injuries are also very common in this area, usually resulting from car accidents. During the impact the head is forced backwards, forwards and then backwards again in a split second. This causes trauma to the small joints and soft tissue structures of the spine which then become sore and inflamed as a result.
Although usually a problem within the neck whiplash injuries can also affect the Thoracic or Lumbar regions of the spine as well.
Modern car design has greatly reduced the severity of injuries resulting from accidents however early physiotherapy intervention can help to alleviate the initial symptoms and reduce the risk of any long term problems.