By: Melissa Jankus, PT, DPT, CDNT
Neck Pain Stats
Neck pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders in the population (Kazeminasab et al. 2022). Neck pain can be brought about by a variety of causes, including muscle tightness or strain, acute injury, chronic overuse (i.e. poor postural control), and many others. Some neck pain resolves without intervention in a few days, however, some neck pain can continue for longer, and eventually become a chronic issue. Neck pain can affect your ability to perform daily tasks, such as dressing, cooking, and driving. Some occupations, such as office workers, can lead to higher rates of neck pain, due to prolonged time sitting and poor sitting posture and ergonomics. We are also seeing a rise in neck pain due to the head down posture associated with increased mobile device use. (Xie et al. 2016).
Trigger points and neck pain
Trigger points are centralized spasms and inflammation that can develop in the muscles of the neck and contribute to increased neck pain. Trigger points can be caused by an acute injury or can develop over time (i.e. chronic postural strain). Tight neck muscles can affect a person’s ability to bend or turn their neck, contributing to pain and joint stiffness.
Dry needling treatment for neck pain
Research supports the use of traditional physical therapy treatments, such as, manual therapy, stretching, and strengthening to help reduce neck pain and improve neck mobility. In addition, dry needling has also been shown to be very effective in treating neck pain. (Blanpied et al. 2017). Therapeutic techniques, including dry needling, can also address potential tightness in neighboring joints, like the shoulder muscle complex, that could be contributing to a person’s neck pain.
Benefits of dry needling for neck pain
Dry needling can help relieve pain and tension in the deep neck muscles, which are sometimes difficult to access with traditional manual therapy techniques alone. Dry needling can also help relieve initial tension in the neck muscles so that manual therapy and stretching techniques are more effective.
If you or someone you know is experiencing neck pain, click the button below to schedule out to schedule an appointment for an evaluation to see if dry needling is the right treatment for you.
References
Kazeminasab, S., Nejadghaderi, S.A., Amiri, P. et al. Neck pain: global epidemiology, trends and risk factors. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 23, 26 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-021-04957-4
Xie, Y, Szeto, GP, Dai, J, Madeleine, P. A comparison of muscle activity in using touchscreen smartphone among young people with and without chronic neck-shoulder pain. Ergonomics 2016; 59(1): 61-72.
Blanpied PR, Gross AR, Elliott JM, et al. Neck pain: Revision 2017. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. 2017;47(7). doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.0302