So, most people want to know "why am I still getting pain that seems to be getting worse?"

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Does That Sound Like You?

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Well, the real causes of pain are different for everyone. But generally speaking, they can be narrowed down to: 
 

• Stiffness in areas of the spine, shoulder blade

• Tight muscles  pulling joints out of alignment

• Weakening and degeneration of muscles and tendons

• Overuse or repetitive strain

• Tension on nerves of the neck and shoulder

• Lack of joint stability during movement

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The above are all related and affect one another. They then in turn result in:
 

• Changes in posture to a more hunched forward position of the spine and shoulders

• Pinching of the shoulder tendons (i.e rotator cuff tears, bursitis)

• Stiffening of the shoulder joint to protect itself (i.e Frozen shoulder)

• Disc pressure in the cervical spine

• Pinched nerve in the neck and shoulder

• Poor movement patterns that place stress on tendons and joints long-term
   

As you can see, shoulder and neck pain is never a generic one treatment and exercise fits all. There are a lot of things coming together. Everyone is at a slightly different point.

Effective treatment depends on knowing exactly where you are and where you need to go toward to get better!

My role as a physio seeing mostly shoulder and neck pain is to find the what, where, why and how of the factors listed above, and more.

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I put everything together to form a treatment plan that follows a 4-step process.

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1. Assessment and diagnosis to find root causes and form a tailored plan
    

2. Targeted hands on treatment to quickly reduce pain and improve mobility
    

3. Fix root causes and posture by improve control and stability of joints
    

4. Make body resilient so pain doesn't come back with increased activity

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Throughout the process, pain will keep getting better. Sometimes it goes away within a couple of sessions, depending on how long it's been there.

 

And the rest of the time is focused on fixing the causes so it doesn't keep coming back and to help the person become more active without hurting themselves again.

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Neck and shoulder pain are one of the most common problems for adults today, so you are not alone. The first problematic attack of neck and/or shoulder pain usually occurs after age 45.

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Things like rotator cuff tears over time, bursitis, frozen shoulder, pinched neck nerves, and disc issues in the neck are things that most commonly occur after age 45.

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And these are the type of shoulder and neck pain conditions I specialise in.

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Why am I talking about both shoulder and neck together?

 

Because for some people it can be hard to know where the pain is coming from. In my experience shoulder pain can cause neck pain and vice versa.

 

There's often involvement in both areas and they both need fixing. This is true for disc protrusions, pinched nerves and muscular issues.

 

But shoulder pain like rotator cuff tears and frozen shoulder don't always come with neck pain. In these cases the pain is mainly with arm movement, but over time, inevitably results in neck pain too.

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What about standard medical care?

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A common situation is when someone's neck or shoulder pain gets worse, they go see a doctor. They are usually given a scan, an X-ray or advice to have some painkillers and some rest. Maybe even steroid injections.

 

The only problem is, looking at scans in isolation never gets the best results. There may be issues like bursitis, but the scans don't tell you the big picture, and the deeper root causes of the problem

 

And that's why when you get an injection based on a scan, it only addresses the "symptoms" rather than the "cause".

 

In chronic conditions, they don't work, as the problem is no longer inflammation. It's a degeneration and weakening of tendons. I feel these injections are over-prescribed, as the side effects are weakening of the shoulder tendons further.

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That's exactly the reason why some find the first injection helps, but then the second and third does nothing. 

 

The same is true for painkillers. It masks the problem - often not very effectively, and when you stop taking them the pain just comes back more.

 

Some take strong painkillers to manage pain, but others choose not to because of side effects.

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Has this happened to you?

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There are many reasons for neck and shoulder pain lasting longer than it should. If you've tried things yourself without much improvement here are some reasons why:

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• You tried things weren't suitable for YOUR specific type of neck or shoulder pain

• You're not sure about why you have neck and shoulder issues and so are unable to really fix the deeper causes

• You thought it would go away on its own if you rested for a long time and moved less. But all that did was make it more stiff and tight.

• Someone told you that neck and shoulder pain just comes with age, and that it is just something to accept. They meant well, but no matter what your age, you can always improve.

• You tried taking painkillers as recommended by a doctor, but they didn't help your pain and stiffness a lot. Then once you stopped taking them, you felt the neck or shoulder pain even more.

• You went for a massage which didn't help at all except making you feel a little more relaxed for a day or two - or maybe even made you a bit sore afterwards.

• You came across exercises supposed to help neck and shoulder pain. But because they weren't the right ones for you they didn't do anything or even made you feel worse

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If any of this sounds like what you've gone through, getting the right expert advice will be immensely helpful. 

 

That's something I can easily offer.

 

To find out more about my system of physio and how it could help you, click the button below to arrange a complimentary call with Adrian.

 

You'll be given advice tailored to your condition and have potential back pain causes and treatment explained in more detail. There will be no obligation to book any appointments, but you will be able to if you choose.