Condition
Neck Pain
Neck pain can be incredibly disruptive — from struggling to turn your head, to dealing with headaches, shoulder tension, or pain radiating into your arm. Whether it’s come on suddenly after sleeping awkwardly, or built up over time due to posture, stress, or previous injury, we can help you understand what’s going on and how to move forward. At Back to Fitness Physio, we combine hands-on treatment, movement retraining, and targeted rehab — including Pilates and posture-focused classes — to ease pain, restore mobility, and prevent future flare-ups.
What is Neck Pain?
Neck pain is something most of us will experience at some point — and it can range from a mild ache or stiffness to sharper pain that limits how easily you can move your head. Sometimes it’s linked to poor posture or long hours at a desk. Other times, it can start suddenly after sleeping awkwardly, lifting, or even turning quickly. You might feel it just in your neck, or notice pain spreading into your shoulders, upper back, or even into your arm or head — like with cervicogenic headaches or nerve irritation.
It’s common in people who sit at computers, use mobile devices a lot, or carry stress in their shoulders. But neck pain can also show up after injury, through age-related changes like arthritis, or from muscle tension, stiffness, or weakness in the spine.
The good news is that most neck pain isn’t serious — and it often responds well to movement, hands-on treatment, and postural rehab. The key is understanding what’s driving your pain and building the right plan to treat it.
What are the Common Symptoms of Neck Pain?
Neck pain can show up in a variety of ways — from a constant dull ache or tightness to sharp, catching pain when turning your head. You might feel stiffness, especially first thing in the morning or after a long day at your desk. For some people, pain spreads into the upper back or shoulders, and in certain cases, it can cause headaches, dizziness, or even pain, tingling or numbness down the arm if a nerve is involved.
Other symptoms can include feeling like your head is heavy, struggling to find a comfortable position to sleep, or noticing a crunching or clicking when you move. Often, people find that their neck pain flares with stress, poor posture, or after periods of inactivity — like a long car journey or a day working at the laptop.
Whether it’s been going on for days or years, understanding the pattern of your symptoms helps us identify what’s causing them — and more importantly, how to treat them effectively.
How we can Help With Neck Pain
At Back to Fitness Physio, we start by listening to your story — when the pain started, what makes it worse, and how it’s affecting your daily life. From there, we carry out a thorough assessment to look at your neck mobility, posture, muscle tension, and how your upper back and shoulders are working too. It’s rarely just one thing — so we look at the full picture.
Treatment may include hands-on techniques like joint mobilisation or soft tissue release to ease pain and restore movement. We also guide you through rehab exercises to improve strength, mobility and posture — especially if you’ve been sitting for long periods or carrying tension through your shoulders.
Many people find 1:1 or small group Pilates helpful for improving spinal control, while our yoga and Back to Balance classes can support relaxation and postural awareness. If appropriate, we can also use K-Laser to help reduce inflammation and support healing.
Whether your pain is new or long-standing, we’ll build a clear, personalised plan to help you move more freely and get lasting relief.
Benefits of Neck Pain Treatment
Effective treatment for neck pain can bring more than just relief — it can transform how you move, sleep, and feel day to day. Many of our patients come to us after weeks, months, or even years of tension, stiffness or discomfort that’s been interfering with work, exercise or simply turning their head without pain. One of the biggest benefits of physiotherapy is getting to the root of the problem — not just masking symptoms, but dealing with what’s driving them.
You can expect improvements in neck mobility, posture and muscle function, as well as a reduction in pain, headaches, and referred symptoms like shoulder or arm discomfort. Over time, rehab helps you build resilience and confidence, so you feel more in control and less likely to have ongoing flare-ups.
Whether you’re recovering from an injury, managing wear and tear, or struggling with stress-related tightness, a personalised physio-led plan can help you feel stronger, freer and more like yourself again.
Faq's
Neck Pain FAQs
Is exercise bad for neck pain?
Not at all — gentle, targeted movement is often one of the best ways to ease neck pain. While it’s important to avoid pushing into sharp pain, guided exercises can help reduce stiffness, improve posture, and support long-term recovery.
How to sleep with neck pain?
Try sleeping on your back with a thin pillow or on your side with your neck well supported. Avoid sleeping on your front, as this can strain the neck. A supportive mattress and good pillow positioning can make a big difference.
How to relieve neck pain?
Applying gentle heat, doing light stretches, and moving regularly (even a short walk) can help reduce tension and stiffness. Stress management and posture awareness also play a big role — and if symptoms persist, physio is a good next step.
How long to see an improvement for my neck pain?
It depends on the cause, but many people start to feel improvements within 1–3 sessions. Longer-standing issues or nerve involvement may take a little longer, but with a clear plan, progress is very achievable.
s neck pain always caused by an injury or posture?
Not always. Neck pain can also be influenced by stress, poor sleep, previous trauma, or age-related changes like arthritis. That’s why we take a whole-body approach, rather than just blaming “bad posture”.
Can physio help with tension headaches or headaches from the neck?
Yes — cervicogenic headaches, which stem from neck dysfunction, often improve with physiotherapy. We focus on easing stiffness, improving posture, and reducing muscular tension to help prevent them from returning.
Do I need a scan for neck pain?
In most cases, no. We can usually assess and treat neck pain without the need for imaging. If we feel there are any signs of something more serious or requiring further investigation, we’ll let you know and refer appropriately.
Can neck pain cause dizziness or pins and needles?
Yes — in some cases, nerve irritation or joint stiffness in the neck can lead to symptoms like dizziness, tingling, or radiating pain. A full physio assessment will help us identify the cause and create a safe plan to manage it.
