Neck Pain

Osteopath treating a patient's neck at Newhill Osteopathy

Most neck pain comes from the joints and muscles of the neck and upper back rather than anything sinister, and it usually responds well to hands-on treatment.

At Newhill Osteopathy in Horley we treat a lot of stiff and painful necks, from one that has locked up overnight to a long-running ache that builds up with desk work. This page explains the kinds of neck pain we treat, what tends to cause them, and what an appointment actually involves.

What types of neck pain can osteopathy help with?

Stiff, aching necks from desk and screen work

The most common picture we see. The ache usually sits across the top of the shoulders and at the base of the skull, builds through the day, and eases off at weekends or on holiday.

A neck that has locked up

You wake up unable to turn one way, with your head held slightly to one side. It feels alarming and is very sore, but this kind of sudden spasm normally settles well with gentle treatment and a little time.

Whiplash and older injuries

A car accident, a fall or a knock playing sport can leave the neck stiff and sensitive long after the original injury has healed. Getting the movement back gradually is the key.

Pain that travels into the shoulder or arm

When a nerve in the neck is irritated you may feel pain, pins and needles, or a heavy, weak feeling running into the shoulder blade, arm or hand. We test the nerves carefully, treat gently, and refer you on if that is the right thing to do.

Neck pain with headaches

Tight muscles at the base of the skull often refer pain up over the head. There is more about this on our headaches page.

Necks with wear and tear

Age related changes in the neck are normal and very common. They do not mean that nothing can be done, and easing the stiffness and muscle tension around a worn area usually helps a great deal.

Why does neck pain happen?

There is rarely one single cause. It is usually a mix of everyday things:

  • Posture and desk set-up – long spells with the head forward tire the muscles that hold it up.
  • Stress – shoulders creep up towards the ears and stay there.
  • Sleeping position – the wrong pillow, or dozing off in a chair, leaves the neck at an awkward angle for hours.
  • Sudden movements – twisting to lift a bag or to reverse the car can strain a joint that was already stiff.
  • A stiff upper back – if the mid back and shoulders do not move well, the neck ends up doing their share of the work.
  • Old injuries – a whiplash from years ago can leave an area that still grumbles.
  • Not enough movement – necks are happiest when they are used regularly.

What happens at your appointment?

  • We listen first. Where the pain sits, what brought it on, what makes it better or worse, and what you have already tried.
  • We examine you. We look at how your neck, upper back and shoulders move, check your posture, and test the nerves if pain is travelling into an arm.
  • Hands-on treatment. Gentle joint movement, soft tissue massage, stretching and, if you are happy with it, manipulation. The techniques are always chosen to suit you, and you can say no to anything.
  • Practical advice. Simple exercises, desk and pillow tips, and a realistic plan to stop the pain coming back.

Simple things you can try at home

  • Move every 30 minutes if you work at a screen, even if it is only to stand up and roll your shoulders.
  • Gentle chin tucks and slow neck rotations, kept well within comfort.
  • Raise your screen so the top of it is roughly at eye level, and lift your phone up rather than dropping your head down.
  • A warm wheat bag across the shoulders for ten to fifteen minutes to help tight muscles let go.
  • Check your pillow: your head should sit level with your body, not propped up or dropped down.

Please see a doctor first if your neck pain follows a serious accident or fall, or comes alongside pins and needles or weakness in both arms or legs, unsteadiness on your feet, problems with bladder or bowel control, a fever with a stiff neck, a severe headache or a rash, or unexplained weight loss and feeling generally unwell. These need medical attention rather than osteopathy.

More reading on neck pain

Related condition: headaches. You can also see everything we treat on our conditions page.

Frequently asked questions

I woke up with a stiff neck and cannot turn my head. Should I be seen straight away or wait for it to settle?

Most locked necks of this kind, known as an acute wry neck, do settle on their own over a week or two, so waiting is not unreasonable. Being seen early is often more comfortable though. Gentle work on the surrounding joints and muscles tends to ease the spasm and get you turning your head sooner, and it lets us check that nothing more serious is going on. If you also have pins and needles or weakness in an arm, or the pain started after a fall or a car accident, please get it looked at promptly.

Should I use heat or ice on a stiff neck, and is it better to rest it or keep moving?

As a rule of thumb, heat suits a stiff, achy, tight neck, while ice can be more soothing in the first day or two after a sudden strain, when the area feels hot and irritable. In practice, whichever feels better to you is the right choice, and neither will do any harm used sensibly for ten to fifteen minutes at a time. Complete rest is rarely the answer. Gentle movement within your comfort range stops things seizing up, and it is usually long spells of stillness rather than activity that make a neck worse.

How many appointments will I need before my neck feels better?

That depends on how long the problem has been there and what is driving it, so we would rather not promise a number before we have examined you. As a rough guide, a recent, straightforward neck strain often improves noticeably within two or three sessions, while a long standing problem linked to desk work or an old injury may take a few more, along with some exercises at home. We will give you an honest estimate at your first appointment, and if you are not responding as we would expect, we will tell you rather than simply keep booking you in.

Can neck problems make me feel dizzy or unsteady?

They can. Stiffness in the upper neck can disturb the signals your brain uses to work out where your head is, and some people notice this as light headedness or a slightly unsteady feeling, often worse when they turn their head. It tends to ease as the neck starts moving more freely. Dizziness has plenty of other causes though, including inner ear problems, blood pressure and medication, so we assess it carefully, and if we do not think your neck is responsible we will say so and suggest you see your GP.

I have been told I have wear and tear or arthritis in my neck. Is hands-on treatment still safe?

Usually, yes. Age related changes in the neck are very common, and they show up on scans of plenty of people who have no pain at all, so a report of wear and tear does not mean your neck is fragile or beyond help. We simply adapt what we do, favouring gentle mobilisation, soft tissue work and stretching, and using less manipulation or none at all. Treatment will not reverse the changes themselves, but easing the stiffness and muscle tension around them often makes a worthwhile difference to comfort and movement.

Book an appointment

If neck pain is getting in the way of work, sleep or driving, we would be glad to help. Call 01293 369 442, email [email protected], or book online.

Book an appointment