North Shore · Glenfield & Orewa
Desk necks, whiplash and stiffness, treated at Glenfield
A neck that will not turn, aches by mid-afternoon, or has been stiff since an accident. Neck pain is one of the most common things we treat — and usually needs the upper back treated with it.
Neck pain treatment
Neck pain is rarely only about the neck. The upper back, shoulder blades and ribs all contribute, and treating the neck alone is why some people improve for two days and then go straight back to where they started.
Most of what we see at Glenfield is mechanical: stiffness that limits turning, pain between the shoulder blades, and headaches that start at the base of the skull. Whiplash after a car accident is the other common one, and that is ACC-covered.
You are treated at the first appointment, with a plan for what to change between visits.
What is causing it
What your neck is doing usually points at which of these it is.
Aching that builds through the working day, worse by Thursday, eased by the weekend. The most common presentation we see. More on work injuries.
Neck pain, stiffness and headache in the days after a car accident. ACC-covered, and better treated early than left to settle on its own.
The neck that will not turn one way after sleeping awkwardly. Dramatic, uncomfortable, and usually one of the quickest to improve.
Headaches that start at the base of the skull and spread over one side. More on headaches and migraines.
Neck pain with pins and needles, numbness or weakness down the arm, from irritation at a nerve root.
The two travel together often. Jaw clicking, clenching and grinding are covered on our TMJ and jaw pain page.
Warning signs
Most neck pain can be treated directly. A few presentations are not and need medical assessment the same day rather than an appointment with us.
Go to an emergency department if neck pain follows a significant head or neck injury, or comes with a severe sudden headache, fever and a stiff neck you cannot bend forward, weakness or clumsiness in the hands, or problems with balance, speech or swallowing.
Who treats it
Four approaches in one building. Necks often do best with two of them used together.
Hands-on treatment of the neck, upper back and ribs together, because the upper back and ribs often contribute.
Physiotherapy for necks means movement retraining and strengthening for the deep neck and shoulder blade muscles, plus Western Medicine Acupuncture (dry needling) where it helps.
Remedial and deep tissue work through the neck, shoulders and upper back for the muscular tension that comes with a stiff neck.
For persistent neck pain and neck-related headaches, particularly where the muscles are too irritable for firm hands-on work.
What treatment looks like
Necks usually improve quickly. What takes longer is making sure they stay improved.
Assessment of the neck, upper back, shoulders and jaw, because the painful spot is often not the origin.
Hands-on treatment to ease muscular guarding and restore movement.
Exercises for the deep neck and shoulder blade muscles, which is what stops the stiffness returning each week.
Desk set-up, phone habits, sleeping position and pillow — the things doing it to you eight hours a day.
Between appointments
Heat suits most stiff necks better than ice, ten minutes at a time. Keep the neck moving gently through the range you have rather than holding it still, which stiffens it further.
Your pillow matters more for necks than for backs. One pillow that fills the gap between your head and the mattress, not two stacked. Our guide to choosing a pillow goes through it, and sleeping positions covers the rest.
At a desk, raise the screen so the top is at eye level and bring the phone up instead of dropping your head to it. Small changes, repeated all day, beat any stretch.
Common questions
Anything else? Call 09 444 3231.
Visiting us
| Monday – Thursday | 7:00am – 7:00pm |
|---|---|
| Friday | 7:00am – 6:00pm |
| Saturday | 10:00am – 5:00pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
| Monday – Friday | 8:00am – 7:00pm |
|---|---|
| Saturday | 10:00am – 5:00pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Other conditions
Book online at Glenfield or Orewa, or call 09 444 3231 if you are not sure who to see.
