Neck pain: wad

Written by:  BA-Kin, CAT(C), ISSA-CPT 
Athletic Therapist, Personal Trainer 

 Majority of people have complained of neck pain at some point in their life. Whether they are working people, athletes, students all have experience neck pain. If we think about what we do every day, most people spend time with their head poke when we drive, eat, on the computer or our mobile phone. Depending on what you do most, you can develop neck tightness or pain. 
Clients that we assessed with neck pain most often have been on a motor vehicle accident. The neck pain they are experiencing is explained as WAD (Whiplash Associated Disorder). WAD are classified as WAD 1, 2 or 3 (from minor injury to severe injury to any structures like muscles, joints, bones, ligaments or nerves)  

When a person experience whiplash, the neck muscles, upper back muscles and spine (joints) have undergone trauma. The one consistent report by clients are the signs and symptoms they experience that happens days or weeks after the accident. 

Initially, the person and muscles are in shock right after an accident. The body go through physiological changes when it is compromise. Once everything settles down, signs and symptoms are more noticeable days after or weeks after the accident. These are the lists of signs and symptoms that are reported to us by clients: 
  
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS  

• Pain on the side, front, back of the neck or base of the skull 

• Tension headaches 
• Sometimes TMJ (temporomandibular joint) pain (jaw) 
• Muscle tightness and hypertonicity 
• Inflammation of the joints 
• Muscle soreness 

• Decrease cervical (neck) range of motion 
• Fatigue quickly  
• Upper traps and upper back tightness 
• Numbness or tingling down the arm  
• Referring pain to the shoulder and arm 

You can decrease your symptoms by doing number of home treatments: 

• Resting your neck with a supportive neck pillow 
• Taking a break from anything that will irritate the neck 
• NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can help as well 

• Application of heat and ice*  

​*THE ROLE OF ICE AND HEAT APPLICATION 
The use of ICE is recommended during the acute period of an injury. Usually the parameters of ice application is every 10-15 mins 3-5 times a day or for as long as you have pain and inflammation or most studies suggests within the first 72 hours. Physiologically, ice encourage vasoconstriction to the blood vessels to slow down the inflammation. 

The application of HEAT is recommended days after your injury or after 72 hours. You can apply heat if your injured body part is stiff and sore. The goal at this point is to encourage vasodilation of the blood vessels to bring new blood and nutrients for healing. 
​
Massage is a type of thermal therapy as it produces heat to the body when a therapist performs massage techniques to the muscles and joints. Athletic Therapist can perform soft tissue release techniques with the use of motion cupping technique along with PNF (proprioceptive neuro-muscular facilitation) stretching techniques.  

I hope you find this article helpful especially if you have experience neck pain. Try the number of home treatment for yourself to help decrease pain and inflammation. Now that you know of the various massage technique that Athletic Therapist offer, you can try to book an appointment with us at Insahyu Training + Therapy as we are accepting new clients! 
 

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