Neck Pain and Headaches
Is pain in your neck & head making it hard to look over your shoulders when driving, look into overhead cabinets, sleep, lift weights, or perform your normal work or home duties?
Does this sound like you?
- You thought the pain would go away in a few days or weeks, but it didn't?
- You tried heating pads, ice, and home TENS units but they did nothing?
- You had a few massages, but the pain just came back in a few days?
- You went to a doctor who took some images and gave you an injection or told you to take some pills, but the relief didn't last?
- You tried physical therapy in the past but it didn't help?
- You decided that if you just avoid the activities that hurt, you can live with it?
We are here to help you find long term solutions!
Typical Neck Conditions we Treat:
- Headache
- Joint Stiffness
- Muscle Strains and Tension
- Degenerative Disc Disease & Injuries
Common Causes
- Impaired Mechanics: stiffness in the joint or decreased flexibility in the muscles leads to decreased range of motion; weakness and muscle imbalance, impaired posture
- Injury: sudden impact or load to the tissue
- Chronic compensations: a previous injury or fear of future injury can lead to avoidance of activity in certain muscle groups while simultaneously causing overuse of other tissues.
RecoverRx Performance Physical Therapy Approach
- Break the pain cycle through education, manual therapy, and increasing tissue mobility
- Improve the mechanics of the joints, muscles, and nerves in the area during daily functional tasks and exercise/sport specific activities
- Load the tissue to improve strength, power, and endurance to ensure that the tissues are prepared for all desired demands without being fearful of reinjury.
Neck and Headache Specific Treatments
- Correct neck & thoracic (midback) posture
- Decrease tension in the upper neck muscle groups
- Improve flexibility in the chest and neck muscles
- Improve joint mobility through manipulation, manual joint mobilizations, and manual traction
- Improve proper engagement of the deep neck flexor and shoulder blade muscle groups
- Improve tissue mobility through massage, instrument assisted mobilization, cupping, & dry needling
- Decrease nerve sensitivity (numbness, tingling, pain that extends down the arm) through specific nerve exercises
- Progress plyometric and functional activities (throwing, catching, pushing, pulling, pressing)
Important Things to Understand
- Tissues Heal. The body is designed to repair itself, but sometimes our system gets stuck in the inflammatory phase of tissue repair and needs a little help to move onto the recovery phase
- The true source of pain is often poorly correlated with x-ray and MRI imaging results. It is possible to have tissue damage on imaging that causes no pain or functional limitations. And it is possible to have pain with no visible findings on imaging – usually a result of nervous tissue over sensitivity.
- Soreness after exercise is not the goal, but it is also not always a sign of concern. True strength gains require an overload to the system which causes micro-damage. As that tissue recovers, it does so thicker and stronger than before. Soreness should be used as a way to monitor if the tissue is ready to take on more load, should stay at the current level, or should back down training intensity until the tissue is more prepared.
- Return to previous/desired activities is almost always possible through good education, proper mechanics, and progressive tissue loading.
Check out Dr. David's Blog to learn more about Headache Classification & Treatments
What Other People Just Like You Are Saying About RecoverRx in Oakbrook Terrace, IL
31+ 5-Star Reviews!
- Christine S.
“Dr Ariel is fabulous to work with! I saw her postpartum for 2 pregnancies, she listened to all my concerns and was able to provide so many resources to get my pelvic health back in tip top shape. She tailored specific workouts and regiments for my skill level, challenged me, provided endless amounts of information and education and tools to help me at home. She took her time didn’t rush the appointments, was prompt with scheduling and returning calls/emails. Dr Ariel has a wonderful demeanor, professional, caring, knowledgeable and a wonderful personality. Wish I would have seen her prior to pregnancy! I highly recommend seeing her for her services and I tell all my friends to go see her!”
- Philippa C.
“Luke did a fabulous job helping me rehab my rotator shoulder injury! He was so flexible on schedule with my work and travel and really exceeding all my expectations on the PT I got. I have had other issues like a knee repair procedure and had to live with middle of the day scheduling and standard canned approaches. Luke took the time with he and gave me the customized exercises I needed, worked with me on my lifting form to avoid future injuries, and did a variety of dry needle and other manipulation therapies that were very effective. I am back lifting and am really pleased with my progress! My knee had a short-term aggravation that he solved too during my other PT work which avoided more appointments and time challenges. I whole heartedly recommend Luke and his clinic for PT! Thank you so much, Luke! Great Work!”
- Adam M.
“Dr. David Bokermann was amazing to work with. I was referred to RecoverRX by a close friend because I was having a lot of shoulder pain. At one point I was having trouble just being able to put on deodorant because the pain was so bad. I though for sure that I was going to need to have surgery. I just figured I was getting old and all of the abuse that I put my arm through in my youth was catching up to me. Dr. David explained that I wasn’t going to need surgery and that what I had was a muscle imbalance. I signed up for 10 sessions with him and I am happy to say that I am pain free again. I would highly recommend them to anyone.”