Everyday millions of people struggle with neck and shoulder pain. Pain that disrupts their sleep and impacts their ability to complete daily tasks. This pain may be sharp, shooting, or even burning. It may cause trouble working or even performing childcare duties. Above all the pain impacts many people’s mood. All this leaves them wondering what to do about their issues. The good news is in many cases the pain will resolve in a few weeks. But in the cases where it does not, then taking action is the next step.

Action?

Yes, seeking a neck and shoulder pain expert is recommended. The next question becomes are you looking for intervention or more conservative management. From an intervention standpoint an orthopedic will order imaging, offer medication, an injection, or if severe enough potentially surgery. If there is nothing to injection or perform surgery on, the person will likely get referred onto another healthcare provider such as a physical therapist.

If we assume you are not interested in more meds, an injection, or surgery then an orthopedic is not your best first option. A better option would be to see a muscle and joint expert such as a physical therapist. This individual will learn how the pain is impacting your daily life. They will assess how your body moves and response to movement…seeking what makes the pain better or worse. From there an action plan will be developed to address whatever problems were discovered. This could be working to restore range of motion, addressing selective muscle strength, or guiding and restoring functional movement patterns.

You might be asking yourself, don’t I have to see an orthopedic first to get a diagnosis? The answer is NO. A physical therapist can diagnose you just the same and if concerns are found can refer you to the next best provider if they are not the one for you.

All this is to say, if you are wondering what to do about neck and shoulder pain, the answer is consult a physical therapist.

Still have questions.

Find answers here by clicking this LINK and requesting to speak with an expert.