Physical Therapy Services
Neck Pain
Assessment of the neck, upper back and jaw together.
Neck Pain
The neck rarely works in isolation: the upper back, the shoulder girdle and the jaw all share its mechanics, and restriction in one commonly involves the others. We examine them together, treat what the examination finds, and pair that with the postural and movement work that keeps symptoms from returning between visits.
How It Works
How we assess and treat a neck
The neck is assessed with the upper back, the shoulder girdle and the jaw, because they share mechanics and restriction in one commonly involves the others. Your therapist tests movement and looks for which structures reproduce your symptoms, including whether arm symptoms are being referred from the neck.
Treatment is hands-on where the findings support it, paired with movement and postural work. What you do between visits is a large part of what holds the change.
What It Addresses
What neck treatment addresses
Neck treatment here is used to address presentations like these. What is driving yours is established at the evaluation.
- Neck pain and stiffness, including with turning or looking up
- Neck symptoms associated with long hours at a desk or on a phone
- Arm symptoms being assessed as possibly referred from the neck
- Neck symptoms alongside headaches or jaw problems
- Neck problems after an injury that has been medically cleared
What to Expect
One-on-one care, built around you
Your care begins with a one-on-one evaluation. Rather than focusing on the symptoms alone, we establish a cause and effect relationship through accurate palpation and assessment of the body, then build a rehabilitation program customized to your individual needs.
- Range of motion measured and recorded, so there is a baseline to compare against.
- Examination of the upper back, shoulder girdle and jaw as part of the neck assessment.
- Hands-on treatment in the same visit where the findings support it.
- A home program addressing both movement and the positions your day involves.
Common Questions
Questions we are asked about Neck Pain
- Why are you examining my jaw and upper back?
- They share mechanics and nerve supply with the neck, and restriction in one commonly involves the others. Examining them together is how the driver is found rather than guessed at.
- I get pins and needles in my arm. Is that the neck?
- It can be, and that is one of the things the examination tests for. If the findings suggest something that needs a physician opinion, we will tell you.
- Will you crack my neck?
- Only where the examination supports it and after it has been explained to you. Manual treatment of the neck here covers a range of techniques, and what is appropriate is discussed before it is done.
- Do I need a referral, and is it covered?
- We accept major insurance providers, but coverage for neck treatment varies by plan, and some plans ask for a physician's referral or prescription while others do not. Call (212) 922-0044 before your first visit and we will confirm your coverage and tell you what, if anything, you need to bring.
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