Osteopathy for Neck Pain Surrey

Whiplash is the result of sudden acceleration and deceleration of the body or body part. It is often associated with road traffic accidents but could also be a sports injury, I.e. a rugby or ice hockey tackle, a ball being hit into the head in football, to being on a rollercoaster. It can affect more than just the neck, with the head, lower back, shoulders, and hips, amongst other areas being affected.

It may be mild with little to no obvious symptoms to very severe pain. If there are other symptoms that may indicate concussion or compression (sickness or feeling sick, blurred or double vision, new headaches, confusion, difficulty forming words or severe neck pain radiating to the arms). In that case, you should visit A&E promptly.

This frequently occurs when you have slept awkwardly, whether in your bed or sitting up and dozing off. It can also happen when you move suddenly and unexpectedly.

The neck will feel like it is locked in a fixed position, and you will need to turn your shoulders to see to the sides or behind you. Any attempted movement of the neck will generate a sharp pain (in the neck) and at times to the head and/or shoulders.

What our osteopaths can do for you.

Reassure you, assess and then, with osteopathic treatment, ease off the tight muscles and release the restriction in the neck, followed with advice to help prevent it from recurring.

The intervertebral discs sit between each vertebra and can become damaged by sudden or repeated movements under strain. This causes the inner toothpaste-like material to push against the fibrous outer material causing a bulge or even escaping. The result is local pain and muscle spasm, with reduced movement of the neck. Any pressure on local nerve roots (where the nerves exit the spine) can cause pain down the arm, possibly along with pins and needles, numbness, or weakness.

What our osteopaths can do for you.

In most cases, we will be able to help. The assessment here is key to determine how serious it may be, so expect neurological testing to be done if this is a potential cause of your symptoms. Treatment will be aimed at reducing the muscle spasm and releasing the pressure on the disc so you can regain movement and function. This injury can often take longer to treat and, if serious, may require referral for further testing.

These will often occur on sudden movements under load, often through lifting or sport. There will be a sudden pain in the area at the time of injury, normally with signs of inflammation and pain when the muscle is moved or stretched.

What our osteopaths can do for you.

After the assessment, your osteopath will help to reduce the muscle spasm and help introduce more movement into the neck by working on and around the area. They will then prescribe exercises to help you maintain and improve the movement and to build strength.

This builds up over time, with patients suddenly noticing that they cannot move the neck as much as they used to. The truth is that the movement has been gradually reducing over months, if not years and is accompanied by stiffness and, as time goes by, pain. It starts by affecting the spinal joints of the neck, where deterioration and malformation occur alongside the thickening of ligaments and stiff muscles.

What our osteopaths can do for you.

This disease process is not reversible, but your osteopath can help reduce your pain and stiffness and encourage movement so you can lead a fuller life. This is done by working on the muscles and tendons, joints of the neck, back and shoulders (as a minimum) where appropriate, alongside lifestyle advice and exercises to encourage movement and strength.

This is very dependent on what you have done, and while a specific exercise can help one person, it may create further damage to another person.

Gentle stretches to the shoulders can help the neck in some people, as can gentle turning of the head. However, if you are in pain, it is recommended that you visit your Osteopath or medical professional before commencing any exercises.