Best Ways to Overcome From Chronic Neck Pain

Goodbye and Good Riddance – these scientifically proven treatments will ensure your chronic neck pain won’t bother to return.

Don’t settle for chronic neck pain. There are easy, natural, and cost-effective solutions which are scientifically proven to reduce or eliminate your pain. We’ve saved you the time and research by creating a list of ways to dump your chronic neck pain and enjoy a renewed quality of life.

What is Chronic Neck Pain?

Chronic neck pain is defined as neck pain that is persistent or continuously leaves and reoccurs for more than 12 weeks.

If you’ve experienced any of the following symptoms for more than 12 weeks, you have chronic pain:

▪ Dull or Achy Pain

▪ A Throbbing Feeling

▪ A Burning Sensation

▪ Shooting/Radiating Pain

▪ Soreness

▪ Stiffness

▪ Stinging/Tingling

What Causes Chronic Neck Pain?

The cause of chronic neck pain varies from person to person. Some of the most common causes of chronic neck pain include:

▪ Degenerative Disc Disease

▪ Arthritis

▪ Poor posture

▪ Sudden injury (such as whiplash from a car crash, a fall, etc.)

▪ Gradual injury (such as an injury that occurs from repetitive overuse)

▪ Psychological stress, contributing to muscle tension

Common neck injuries such as herniated discs, pinched nerves, and repeated strains can also lead to chronic neck pain (if left untreated).

Break Away from the Pack

Approximately 20% of adult Americans live with chronic pain, according to the CDC. About $560 billion are spent in the U.S. each year for chronic pain and its associated expenses (Dahlhamer et al., 2018).

If you’re one of the 20% of people experiencing chronic pain, it’s time to break away from the pack and live pain-free. Your mind, body, and wallet will thank you.

Dump Your Chronic Neck Pain with These Treatments

Have you tried to dump your chronic neck pain before, only for it to creep back into your life?

Typical treatments suggested by general doctors or popular websites (such as medications, injections, and surgeries) are not always effective. Patients who have tried these suggestions with no symptom reduction may feel helpless and settle for the pain.

Doctors and patients often focus on treating the symptoms, rather than the cause.

Luckily, our list of ways to eliminate chronic neck pain are caused-based. We suggest tackling the source of the pain to cease the symptoms.

Here are some of the best ways to ease your pain for good:

# Physical Therapy

Mark this as “priority.” Before you try anything else, try neck physical therapy as your first line of defense as your go to neck pain treatment. A physical therapist who specializes in the spine is your ultimate source for curing your chronic neck pain and neck-related injuries.

Physical therapists specialize in finding and treating the cause of physical conditions (such as chronic pain) so that the symptoms stop returning.

Your physical therapist will walk you through a questionnaire, physical exam, and range-of-motion tests. He or she will make an accurate diagnosis based on the test results.

Physical therapists can usually blame conditions caused by weak muscles and poor mobility for chronic neck pain. Poor posture, poor mobility, and overuse of unconditioned muscles frequently causes injury.

If your physical therapist determines that weak muscles or poor mobility is responsible for your chronic pain, he or she will prescribe condition-specific strength and mobility exercises.

Physical therapists who are up-to-date with the most advanced treatments may also provide manual therapy.

# Manual Therapy

Leading physical therapists may offer manual therapy as part of your physical therapy program. If you can’t find a physical therapist in your area who provides this service, we recommend continuing your physical therapy program and seeking a manual therapist.

You’ll feel your tension melt away during manual therapy. During this treatment, the practitioner uses his or her hands (or a specialized tool) to relax the muscles and mobilize the joints.

Many scientific studies reveal that combining manual therapy with physical therapy is particularly effective in treating chronic neck pain.

A recent clinical trial study demonstrates that incorporating manual therapy with physical therapy three times a week for five weeks will speed up the healing process.

# Mindfulness-Based Treatments

Although chronic pain may feel like it’s only a physical problem, a whopping number of scientific studies suggest that mindfulness-based treatments reduce chronic pain.

A recent article published in the Harvard Health Blog explains that chronic pain alarms the nervous system and increases its sensitivity, which results in psychological stress. Mindfulness-based techniques can calm the nervous system’s reaction to chronic pain and therefore reduce the physical symptoms.

Some of the best mindfulness-based treatments, according to a compilation of research outlined in the Harvard Health article, include:

▪ Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – This method of treatment involves meeting with a therapist to practice retraining your mind’s response to the pain

▪ Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) – This is a type of meditation that promotes the acceptance of pain, without judging the pain as “negative”

▪ Clinical Hypnosis – Clinical hypnosis is like guided meditation. You will practice relaxing your mind, body, and negative thoughts (including feelings of pain). Clinical hypnosis helps patients feel more in control of their condition.

▪ Biofeedback – This treatment involves wearing a device that monitors body functions. Biofeedback will help you subdue your body’s reaction to pain through techniques such as muscle relaxation and changing your behavioral response to the pain.

Your Mind, Body, and Wallet Will Thank You

It’s time to fit these scientifically proven treatments into your schedule. They can save you from years of medical expenses, physical limitation, and frustration caused by chronic pain.

About the Dr. Scott Gray:

Dr. Scott Gray is an internationally recognized and expert physical therapist specializing in orthopedic, sport, and spine injuries. He is the inventor of a revolutionary form of treatment called the GRAY METHOD. This type of treatment unlike others, addresses the CAUSE rather than just your SYMPTOMS with a full body approach. For more information on his neck pain treatment in Fort Myers, FL click here.