Category: Neck Pain

Three misconceptions about physical therapy for neck pain in O’Fallon, MO

Physical therapists specialize in many treatments that can help people overcome painful and debilitating injuries and conditions in the neck. However, some people miss out on physical therapy due to misconceptions that keep them from ever receiving treatment.

We hope to clear up some common misconceptions about physical therapy below, so you can make a more informed decision on whether or not you need to visit a physical therapist for neck pain:

1. Physical therapy hurts

The goal of many physical therapy treatments is to reduce and prevent pain—not to cause pain. However, since physical therapy often involves therapeutic exercises, some people think it must be painful and too challenging. This is far from the truth.

Physical therapists are highly skilled in creating a custom treatment routine for each of their patients. These treatments help people recover at a pace that’s good for them. There may be some soreness after some exercises, but you should never experience an increase in pain because of physical therapy.

2. You don’t need to see a professional for physical therapy

Some people think physical therapy is nothing more than some exercises you can do at home. While physical therapists do recommend certain exercises to do between appointments, your complete treatment includes much more.

First of all, physical therapists are highly skilled and trained in identifying which exercises are right for you. Second, they specialize in other treatments that you cannot perform at home, such as joint mobilization, soft tissue mobilization, dry needling and aquatic therapy.

3. Physical therapy isn’t covered by insurance

Many insurance providers cover physical therapy as it is a medically proven health care service. Talk to your insurance provider about physical therapy to see how it’s covered under your plan.

Visit Excel Sports and Physical Therapy in O’Fallon, MO, for neck pain treatment

Our team at Excel Sports and Physical Therapy in O’Fallon, Missouri, can help you reduce pain in your neck and improve its range of motion. Don’t let these misconceptions keep you from getting the treatment you need. Contact our team today for more information about neck pain treatment or to schedule an initial appointment.

July 10, 2019
Neck pain treatment for patients in St. Louis
Neck pain affects nearly everyone at one time or another. Whether from sleeping in a funny position or overdoing it at the gym, we’ve all had to deal with a crick in the neck or limited range of motion for a day or two. While neck pain improves quickly for many people, for others, it can drag on and begin to seriously interfere with their quality of life.

It’s important to meet with a qualified medical professional for diagnosis and treatment of neck pain that has not improved in a short period of time. Among other treatment options, physical therapy can be a highly effective method for many of the underlying causes of neck pain.

If you’re suffering from neck pain in St. Louis, Missouri, or the surrounding region, the caring team of experts at Excel Sports and Physical Therapy has options for you. To help you learn more, we’re sharing the following information about the neck pain treatment options a therapist can provide. For answers to any questions, please reach out to us at any time.

How physical therapy helps neck pain

Neck pain is so common because this relatively delicate part of the body has to support the full weight of our heads while facilitating basic movement. What’s more, the neck also protects the upper spinal cord as it travels from the base of the skull and branches out to the upper body. This is why so many neck injuries can also result in radiating symptoms like tingling, numbness and muscle weakness in the shoulders, arms and hands. Neck pain is also often associated with headaches.

Meeting with a physical therapist for neck pain treatment typically involves the following steps:
- A review of your medical and treatment history, along with any diagnostic testing and imagery that has been performed.
- A question-and-answer session regarding your specific symptoms and how your pain is affecting your normal activity level.
- Development of a treatment plan that can include manual therapy, massage, hot and cold therapy, transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation and neck strengthening exercises.
- Education about treatments and exercises you can perform at home along with lifestyle factors that can supplement in-office sessions.
By following a physical therapy plan, you can improve the long-term health of your neck and relieve pain by increasing flexibility and strength to reduce the stress being placed on it through everyday activities.

Personalized neck pain treatment at our St. Louis clinic

Excel has a talented team of physical therapists who work with patients one-on-one to create a collaborative neck pain treatment plan. We have a clinic right in St. Louis and many more locations in the surrounding area.

Make your initial appointment today when you contact one of our friendly and caring representatives.
May 6, 2019
What causes neck pain and headaches?

Neck pain and headaches can cause difficulty in one’s day-to-day life and be debilitating when severe or persistent. Understanding the underlying causes of and options available for the reduction of neck pain and headaches are important first steps in addressing this common issue. Physical therapy services provided by the team of rehabilitation experts at Rehab Access can assist with both of these steps and work to develop a plan of action to reduce and potentially prevent further neck pain and headaches related to certain causes.

Causes of neck pain and headaches

Although each individual case must be reviewed to determine the specific cause underlying the symptoms, it has been shown that most neck pain and headaches are caused by muscular, skeletal issues in the cervical and thoracic vertebrae. This is the area along the upper back and neck and is made up of interlocking, disc-shaped bones in your spinal cord as well as some of the strongest and most pressured muscle tissue in the body. This all-important set of body parts can be affected by trauma or even a surprising amount of regular daily activities. For example, an individual working in an occupation that requires sitting all day looking at a computer screen or documents is at a high risk for neck pain and headaches, due to the pressure put on the cervical vertebrae region and the lack of movement necessary to maintain strength and flexibility.

Identifying the cause of each type of pain and next steps

Pinpointing the precise cause of neck pain and headaches can be accomplished via an examination by a trained expert like those on our team at Rehab Access. Once we have worked with you to identify the cause, we will then develop a plan of exercises that fit your current level of abilities and needs. These exercises and tactics will first address the immediate need by seeking to reduce pain in your neck and head associated with your physical situation. We will then work with you to develop skills and a plan to address the factors in your day-to-day life which may be contributing to the painful symptoms.

Trust Rehab Access to address your neck pain and headaches

Rehab services can help reduce neck pain and headaches. If you are suffering from these common issues, we hope you reach out to us so that we can work together with you to work toward that goal. Contact our team today to set up an initial appointment.

May 3, 2019
Five simple steps for treating neck pain

When your neck is sore, it’s important to take steps to care for it. Your neck is important, and it’s difficult to do much of anything when it’s in pain.

Everyone is bound to suffer from neck pain at some point, but there are ways you can treat it on your own. Here are five simple steps that are effective in treating neck pain.

1. Adjust your screen height

Tilting your head downward for long periods of time is often the culprit for neck pain, and can make existing neck pain grow worse. We often look down when texting on our cell phones or looking at a laptop screen.

Instead of staring downward, bring your screens up to a more level position with your face. This helps keep your neck straight, which reduces the strain on your muscles that causes pain.

2. Improve your posture

As you should adjust your screens for better neck position, you should improve your posture in general. When you’re sitting for long periods of time, keep your back and neck straight. Your shoulders should be even with your chest and your feet should be planted firmly on the ground.

This posture helps reduce pressure on the muscles that support your neck.

3. Stretch your neck

Weak and inflexible neck muscles are more susceptible to pain than a strong and flexible neck. Practice some gentle neck stretches every day to help improve your neck strength and flexibility.

Try slowly rolling your head around your shoulders in one direction and switching to the other after a few rotations.

You can also reach your right arm over your head and place your hand near your left ear. Gently pull your head toward the right and hold it for a few seconds. Do this a couple of times and then switch to the left.

4. Use ice and heat

If there is any redness, swelling or heat around the pain, you should apply some ice to it. Icing the pain can help reduce swelling and inflammation. Use a bag of ice or a cold pack on your neck for about 10 to 15 minutes. Do this two or three times a day for a couple of days.

After the swelling and inflammation have gone down, you can switch to heat. Heating helps soothe the pain but it can make inflammation worse, so that’s why you need to wait a couple of days before starting it.

5. Get a massage

A massage can release the tension in your neck muscles that might be contributing to your pain. You can reach up behind your neck and gently press on the knots and tight areas or you can have a partner help.

Be careful not to push too hard while massaging as this can lead to further pain in your neck.

Contact Franklin Rehabilitation for neck pain treatment

Sometimes, your neck pain may be too severe to treat on your own at home. In these cases, you should visit a physical therapist for treatment. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.

February 1, 2019
How physical therapy can help treat neck pain
Your neck is made up of muscles, ligaments, tendons, bones and joints that all work together to perform a very important role in your body: keeping your head up. This is hard to do though when your neck is in pain.

Neck pain can be related to many causes because of the different parts that make up your neck. For example, pain may be caused by a torn or stretched muscles or it may be related to a spinal condition like a slipped disc.

Often, neck pain is minor and can be treated with rest, icing and heating and over-the-counter medicine. However, when neck pain is severe or caused by a serious condition, you will need professional treatment. Many people choose physical therapy to help treat their neck pain.

How does physical therapy help people with neck pain?

Physical therapists, like those at Franklin Rehabilitation, are healthcare professionals who work with the muscles, bones, joints, tendons and ligaments to treat a variety of conditions, including neck pain.

Physical therapy treatments are customized to the needs of each patient, so they all look a little different. Generally, the goal is to strengthen and stretch the muscles, but depending on your needs, your treatment may include much more, like hot and cold therapy or dry needling. At Franklin Rehabilitation, our neck pain treatments will help:
- Improve strength and flexibility — Many cases of neck pain are related to over-strained muscles and ligaments that could benefit from stretching and exercising. Strengthening these muscles and ligaments will also help reduce pressure from the spine, which may be another source of pain.
- Reduce pain — Hands-on therapy, massage, dry needling and other techniques will be used to help reduce your neck pain.
- Improve posture — Poor posture is a direct contributor to neck pain. You can reduce and prevent neck pain with some simple changes in the way you stand, sit and sleep.
- Avoid surgery — Relieving neck pain with physical therapy can help reduce the chances of needing surgery to correct the condition affecting your neck.
Contact Franklin Rehabilitation for neck pain treatment

Are you tired of suffering from chronic neck pain? At Franklin Rehabilitation, our team will work with you to develop a personalized treatment to help reduce your pain and improve your quality of life. Contact us today if you’re ready to schedule an appointment.
December 3, 2018
Finding Neck Pain Treatment Doesn’t Have to be a Pain
If you’re one of the many people dealing with chronic neck pain, then you’re probably researching an effective neck pain treatment plan. Neck pain treatment can come in many forms, but it is often centered on physical therapy. Physical therapy helps to target the tension in the neck muscles that is causing your pain.

Our team at Franklin Rehabilitation is ready to help you find relief. Our team members have an average of 10 years of experience assisting people with chronic pain and conditions. We use evidence-based techniques to help you find lasting relief. Take a moment to read through the benefits of neck pain treatment.

Franklin Rehabilitation offers neck pain treatment.

Searching for neck pain treatment can be overwhelming, especially if you don’t know what is causing your pain. At Franklin Rehabilitation, we can help you find relief by first diagnosing the cause of your symptoms.

We also provide patients with our guide called “Patient’s Guide to Back and Neck Pain.” With this guide, you’ll learn:
- The common causes of neck pain
- About useful physical therapy tools and techniques used by our team to treat neck issues
- The answers to frequently asked questions about neck pain
Our goal is to empower our patients with information so they can make an educated decision about their treatment needs. We encourage you to download this guide or contact our office to receive a copy.

Schedule your appointment for neck pain treatment

If you are ready to find relief from your chronic neck pain, contact our team today to find out more information about the physical therapy services we offer. Whether your neck pain is caused by a herniated disc or injury, we can create a personalized treatment plan to help you get back to the life you enjoy. Contact our team today to schedule an appointment.
October 12, 2018