Head and Neck
Click on the body parts or the list below to find out more about your pain and how physical therapy can help.
- Herniated or Bulging Disc
What is Herniated or Bulging Disc?
A disc is a jelly like, fluid filled sac that acts as a cushion between the bones of your neck (vertebrae). Your discs change as you age, drying out and becoming more brittle. In addition, as the discs dry out with age, the change in height between the vertebrae decreases, causing changes in posture and function. In younger adults, the center of the disc (nucleus) is held in place by many rings of the disc (picture a cross section of a tree trunk). With minor or major injuries, poor posture and strain, these rings can rupture allowing a pressing outward of the disc nucleus. Finally, as the nucleus reaches the outer edges, the disc can begin to bulge, which in turn can rub and irritate nerve roots exiting your spine.
In more severe cases, the disc can become herniated, which further presses into the spaces where nerves are exiting. Symptoms can range from localized pain, to numbness / tingling to a specific part of the shoulder, arm or hands. In more severe cases complete lack of sensation, muscle weakness and paralysis of an area of the upper extremity can occur.
Changes in posture, strength and range of motion can all affect the positioning of the disc and how much bulging or herniation is occurring.
How physical therapy helps
The good news is that the majority of bulging and herniated discs can be treated conservatively with physical therapy. By working with your medical history, symptoms and testing, our physical therapists can determine what areas have been affected.
A thorough plan is then created to relieve pressure on the disc by improving joint function, muscle strength and posture. Modalities, such as ultrasound or electrical stimulation may be used to reduce pain, muscle spasm or inflammation. Our therapists work with you to recover lost strength and range of motion. In addition, we then train you on the correct exercises to maintain good posture and reduce the risk of future episodes. Call us today to discover how we can help relieve your pain quickly and restore your function!
- Vertigo and Dizziness
About Vertigo
Vertigo and dizziness can be the result of a variety of different factors. Vertigo or benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) can occur because of calcium crystals that form in the inner ear labyrinth canals. These canals give feedback about balance to your brain.
About Dizziness
Dizziness can occur for a variety of reasons, including issues with medication. Issues with mobility of the neck joints and muscles can also affect dizziness. When this occurs, the major arteries in the neck which supply the back portion of the brain that control balance and orientation can be affected.
How physical therapy helps
Our physical therapists perform a thorough examination of your balance and vestibular symptoms. We evaluate your visual movements, positioning of your head, neck mobility and balance. At times, we may need to provoke symptoms to determine the exact mechanism of your vertigo or dizziness.
If you are suffering with dizziness and vertigo, you can benefit from physical therapy intervention to improve symptoms and increase your neck mobility. There are specific vestibular and balance exercises that are performed to settle the calcium deposits in the inner ear and improve your balance systems. Call us today to discover how we can stop your vertigo or dizziness and make you feel like yourself again.
- Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMD or TMJ)
About Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMD)
Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMD) describes the problems that may occur at the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). This joint is where your jaw bone attaches to the skull. It is a complex joint that has to slide forward and drop down in order for your jaw to open. It moves thousands of times a day with talking, eating and any time you move your jaw. The joint has a disc or fluid filled sac within it and has many ligaments and muscles that coordinate movements.
The TMJ relies heavily on proper posture and alignment to function well. The posture and positioning of the neck and head play a large role in the pulls of muscles on the TMJ. Abnormal muscle pulls can lead to altered movement of the TMJ and thus pain.
How physical therapy helps
Physical therapy helps TMJ suffers in a number of ways. Our therapists work with you to determine the exact mechanisms of your TMJ and where you have poor alignment of the TMJ, neck and head. By improving posture, movement and function, the normal muscle balance and movement of the TMJ can be restored. Call us today to discover how we can help relieve your pain quickly.
- Degenerative Disc Disease
What is Degenerative Disc Disease?
As a normal part of the aging process, the fluid filled discs between our neck bones (vertebrae) dry out and shrink. However, in some individuals, this can be excessive, leading to a severe loss of height in one or more sections of the neck. This loss of height can increase rubbing of bone on bone, produce bone spurring, increase pressure on joints and nerves exiting the neck.
Symptoms can range from chronic aching pain in the neck, to radiating pain in the arms, numbness / tingling and headaches.
How physical therapy helps
Physical therapy is a very important part in the maintenance of degenerative disc disease (DDD) and degenerative joint disease (DJD). While the disease process itself can’t be changed, maintaining good posture, joint mobility, alignment, strength and range of motion, can reduce or eliminate symptoms and maintain a healthier spine.
Our physical therapy is a great treatment solution to help you feel better and return to normal activities. If symptoms do return in the future, know that we are here to help you resolve your pain quickly. Call us today to discover how we can help you!
- Arthritis and Stenosis
What is Arthritis and Stenosis?
As we age, we use our neck joints and muscles thousands of times a day. This wear and tear over time can lead to bony changes in the joints and bones (vertebrae) of the neck. These bony changes, along with poor posture, cause spurs of bone that can rub and irritate the surrounding tissue.
When the spurs protrude in the holes on the side of the neck where the nerves exit out (foramen), or the central spinal cord canal, this is called spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis can be central stenosis or foramenal stenosis. It can cause a variety of symptoms, from chronic pain, to numbness and tingling into the arms. In severe cases of central canal stenosis, which affects the spinal cord, poor balance, pain in the legs and difficulty with walking can occur.
People with osteoarthritis in the neck can experience chronic pain, stiffness and limited range of motion with turning their head and looking up. Pain may be worse in the morning or after prolonged sitting.
People with rheumatoid arthritis can suffer with neck pain. It is very important for people with rheumatoid arthritis to maintain strength in their shoulder, neck and postural muscles. This is because a very important ligament in the upper neck often weakens with rheumatoid arthritis and can be a serious health risk if injured.
How physical therapy helps
Physical therapy is very important for neck arthritis. Our physical therapists assess your range of motion, joint mobility, strength and posture. From there, we determine the best plan of treatment, which may involve gentle hands on therapy to restore joint range of motion, massage to improve muscle mobility, strengthening, range of motion exercises and postural re–training.
Our physical therapists work with you and your physician to restore natural movement, eliminate pain and get you back to enjoying your normal activities. Call us today to discover how we can help relieve your neck pain quickly!
- Poor Posture and Forward Head Syndrome
What is Forward Head Syndrome?
Forward head syndrome is extremely common in today’s society and describes a condition where, due to changes in posture, the head juts forward actually shortening the neck. This can be mild or severe and is affected by different factors such as type of work, age, arthritis and genetic factors.
Due to prolonged sitting, poor posture with work, working at a computer, sitting at home in poor posture watching TV and a host of other common poor postures, changes in your spine can occur over time. Think about how much time you spend looking into a screen and hunched over a desk. The 10–12lbs of your head are pulling forward on your spine.
Over time, the normal curve in your neck reduces, the length of the spine decreases and muscles in the neck become weaker. This can lead to a variety of symptoms from neck pain, to headaches and even impinged nerves radiating pain into the upper extremities.
How physical therapy helps
Physical therapy works in a variety of ways to improve your posture and actually change your neck posture over time. With hands on therapy, stretching, special exercises and postural re–training, our physical therapists work with you to improve your posture, alignment and neck strength. In addition, we train you on proper postural positioning and techniques to adapt your work and home areas to reduce the strain on your neck. Call us today to discover how we can help quickly reduce your neck pain and improve your posture!