| It happens to everyone; the experience of | | | | chiropractics. Physical Therapy for a Neck Injury |
| waking up with neck pain is remarkably debilitating. | | | | A physical therapist is trained in maintaining proper |
| Medically known as adult torticollis, this condition | | | | range of motion and function in your muscles and |
| occurs more frequently than you think and is | | | | joints. With a variety of passive and isometric |
| profoundly annoying. You go to bed feeling fine, | | | | exercises, a PT can help your neck muscles |
| and you wake up unable to turn your head | | | | "reset" and resume full motion. Even after this is |
| without pain. There are some common things that | | | | achieved, it can take a while for the injured |
| cause this condition, and some simple things you | | | | muscles to be fully healed. So keep up with your |
| can do to ease your suffering. How does Neck | | | | therapy if you opt for this course of action. |
| Pain Happen? Overnight you have little control | | | | Massage Therapy to Work out Kinks in the Neck |
| over the circumstances in which you sleep. You | | | | A massage therapist is taught how to help |
| may unintentionally place your head in an abnormal | | | | muscles relax. One that specializes in |
| position. The temperature may drop and cause | | | | Neuromuscular therapy also knows how to |
| neck muscles to spasm. Unusual activities the day | | | | release spasms that occur deep within the |
| before may have put a strain on your neck. Now, | | | | muscles. With the spasm resolved, other |
| when you relax, the muscles seize up. Regardless | | | | treatments will progress more quickly. If torticollis |
| of the exact source, you wake up with muscles | | | | is a chronic problem, a massage therapist can help |
| that have tightened to the point of immobility. | | | | you maintain a more relaxed muscular state, |
| When the muscles lock up, they cause the facet | | | | reducing your rate of incidence. Chiropractics |
| joints, small joints that lie along the outside of the | | | | Chiropractors work predominantly with the joints. |
| vertebrae to jam against one another. The small | | | | When a person is experiencing torticollis, the neck |
| muscles that control movement along these joints | | | | is most unwilling to allow manipulation of the facet |
| get tighter and the cycle repeats itself. It | | | | joints. A good chiropractor will spend a lot of time |
| becomes a vicious circle until you get the neck | | | | doing many of the same soft tissue manipulations |
| muscles to relax. Treatment Options for Pains in | | | | that physical therapists and massage therapists do |
| the Neck If you catch the problem right at the | | | | before attempting an adjustment. A normal |
| beginning, you will have a better chance of a quick | | | | course of chiropractic treatment for torticollis |
| solution. Ice and anti-inflammatory medications will | | | | involves 3-4 sessions. Overtime, the joints and |
| help combat the pain and inflammation. For truly | | | | muscles will return to place and relax. Barring an |
| severe cases, you might need an injection to help | | | | unusual trigger, almost all cases of torticollis are |
| release the muscular contracture, but usually this | | | | resolved successfully in a matter of a couple of |
| is unnecessary. Most cases will resolve | | | | weeks, at the most. While very painful and |
| themselves within a few days. If the spasm | | | | generally annoying, torticollis or neck pain isn't a |
| remains active for more than a week, you may | | | | serious situation. |
| want to consider physical therapy, massage, and | | | | |