Head & Neck

The human neck is amazing! It is made up of vertebrae that extend from the skull to the upper torso, with cervical discs which act as shock absorbers between the vertebrae. The bones, ligaments, and muscles of your neck, in turn, support your head and allow for motion, so any abnormalities, inflammation, or injury can cause neck pain or stiffness.  This can be very debilitating and can affect every aspect of your life. However, neck pain such as this is very common and in most cases, is not a serious problem.

If you have pain, or a niggle that won’t go away, don’t ignore it.

Here at The Physio & Therapy Rooms in Barrowford, we offer treatment for all types of head and neck problems, with our aim always being to improve your quality of life by easing your pain, increasing your mobility and getting you back to doing the things you enjoy.

Get in touch today to start your recovery.

“In June 2018, I was involved in a serious car accident. After being taken to accident and emergency, I was diagnosed with a lower back injury and whiplash to the shoulders and neck, among other injuries. I was referred to a physiotherapist, Daniel Crawford, shortly after.

Dan gave an initial assessment and identified three activities that, because of the injuries sustained, I was no longer able to carry out. They were simple. Be able to drive for a sustained period, start running again, and carry my daughter on my shoulders. Three things that I feel are so important and that I was completely unable to do. Dan assured me that we would continue treatment until I could carry out these activities. From the very first appointment, I found Dan approachable and easy to talk to. He will answer any questions in detail and with great professionalism.

Throughout my treatment, Dan has always explained the progress that had been made and identifies even the smallest changes in injuries to help him tailor the treatment. He is thorough and displays his extensive knowledge of injuries and their treatment by explaining step by step what is happening during each phase of recovery. Each session showed progress and between sessions, Dan gave exercises to carry out each day to aid that progress. My recovery is now almost complete and I owe that to him.

Dan has undoubtedly enabled me to continue to do the things I didn’t think I would be able to do again; I would recommend him without reservation.”

Antony H, Skipton

Our team of experienced physiotherapists treat a wide range of conditions but some of the more common head and neck problems that we routinely offer relief from are:

  • Osteoarthritis (OA) – This is the main form of arthritis and is known as the ‘wear and tear’ of a joint. In the back and neck, the protective cartilage covering the joint surfaces can wear away, resulting in swelling, pain, stiffness, aching, and limited movement of the joints.
  • Cervical Spondylosis – Also known as Cervical Osteoarthritis, is a condition involving degenerative changes to the bones, discs, and joints of the neck, caused by the normal ‘wear and tear’ of ageing.
  • Neck Stiffness – A lack of sufficient movement, often triggered by a muscular strain or spasm. The cause of this is often postural but sleeping in an awkward position, or performing a sudden movement of the head can also bring this on.
  • Tension Headaches – There are a variety of triggers that can cause muscles in the head and neck to contract and lead to tension headaches. Symptoms of a tension headache include pain behind the eyes and in the neck and head (particularly the forehead). As these issues worsen, people can also experience dizziness, nausea, and even problems with memory, speech, and swallowing.
  • Herniated/Prolapsed Disc – Commonly referred to as a ‘slipped disc’. A disc can herniate, or prolapse if the joints between particular vertebrae are over strained. This can be caused by spinal degeneration or trauma such as whiplash.
  • Radiculopathy – A condition caused by compression, inflammation and/or injury to a spinal nerve root. Pressure on the nerve root can result in pain, aching, weakness, numbness, or a tingling sensation that travels or radiates to other areas of the body that are served by that nerve, such as the arms and hands. Wherever this compression or irritation occurs, these types of symptoms may last for just a few days or weeks but in some cases can last for many months or years. However, regardless of how long they have been there, these types of symptoms can usually be resolved.
  • Whiplash – Whiplash is the common term for the acceleration-deceleration forces on the neck which may occur during a motor vehicle collision, or other incidents such as a fall or sporting injury. These forces can result in painful injuries to the muscles, ligaments and joints of the neck, and other spinal areas.
  • Postural Problems/Kyphosis – This is one of the most common causes of neck pain. Poor posture leads to a compensation in the muscles around the neck, which can cause pain and discomfort in and around the neck.
  • Dizziness – Dizziness is a physical unsteadiness, imbalance, and light-headedness associated with balance and other disorders. It can be vestibular (dizziness arising from the middle ears) and non-vestibular (dizziness caused by structures other than the middle ears).

For more information, or to make an appointment to start your recovery, we would encourage you to call our friendly team in Barrowford on 01282 509500, who will be more than happy to help.

Here at The Physio & Therapy Rooms, we are very proud of the feedback we receive. If you would like to see what people say about us, click here to read about the positive difference we have made to our client’s lives.