Is Your Holiday Stress Really A Pain in the Neck?

**Is Your Holiday Stress Really A Pain in the Neck?**

December 2024 Newsletter

There’s no denying that the holidays are a stressful time of year. There are parties to plan, shopping to do, and feasts to prepare. But is all that stress really the cause of your neck pain, as many people will claim?

The short answer? No. The long answer? Your holiday stress may be contributing to your pain, even if it’s not causing it directly. Let’s dig into why that is — and how Key Physiotherapy can help you find lasting relief for the new year!

What Actually Causes Neck Pain?

Neck pain, as with back pain and other musculoskeletal discomfort, stems from issues in the neck joints or surrounding muscle tissues.

Your neck pain could be caused by one of the following:

Muscle strains, which occur when the muscles in the neck become overstretched

Poor posture from slouching or prolonged sitting, which puts stress on your neck’s muscles, ligaments, and vertebrae

Underlying conditions such as a herniated cervical disc or degenerative disc disease

Whiplash, a common injury that occurs when your whip you rapidly whip your head back and forth (such as during a car accident)

So, where does stress come in? During times of high stress, our muscles tense up (it’s part of the fight or flight response). These tight muscles will worsen impairments already present in your neck and upper back muscles, making your pain symptoms more pronounced.

If you experience neck pain this holiday season, know that stress may worsen your condition — but it’s not causing it. Stress reduction techniques may help you feel better (along with their other benefits, such as keeping your heart healthy), but you’ll need to identify and address the underlying cause of your discomfort to fully resolve your pain.

How Physiotherapy Will Help You Find Lasting Relief

Our first step is to identify the source of your pain. We’ll do this through a comprehensive assessment, taking a health history, discussing your symptoms, and performing a few simple movement screens.

Once we know the source, we can create a customized treatment plan that offers short- and long-term pain relief. Your plan might include the following:

Manual therapy to mobilize your neck joint and work out restrictions in the soft tissue
Targeted stretching and strengthening exercises
Postural corrections and ergonomic adjustments
Activity modifications

And although holiday stress isn’t causing your neck pain, managing it is still essential to your overall health. We can show you stress reduction strategies that will get you through this busy season, such as breathing exercises or self-massage techniques.

Celebrate a Pain-Free Holiday Season

Don’t let neck pain ruin your holiday fun. Call Key Physiotherapy and schedule your initial assessment today!

Request Appointment

Patient

Success Story

“Can’t say enough about how positive my experience has been during my treatments at KEY Physio. Right from my very first interaction to register as a client, and throughout my biweekly appointments, I have been impressed with how friendly and supportive Mark & his whole team are. Mark takes the time to explain everything clearly and is genuinely invested in seeing my pain reduce and my range of motion improve. Thanks also to Kaleigh and Christine who always give a warm welcome and are so lovely to deal with. Special mention to office pup Coco — the goodest girl and bestest “greeter”!”

— Jen R. — Google 5-Star Review

Feel Better by Eating Better!

Roasted Root Vegetables

12 oz rutabaga, peeled & cut into ¾-inch pieces
8 oz celery root, peeled & cut into 1-inch pieces
8 oz peeled baby carrots
8 oz fingerling potatoes
3 medium parsnips, peeled & cut into 1-inch-thick slices

1 medium fennel bulb, cored & cut into thin wedges
2 shallots, peeled & cut into thin wedges
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground pepper

Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine rutabaga, celery root, baby carrots, fingerling potatoes, parsnips, fennel, and shallots in a shallow roasting pan. Add oil, salt, and pepper; toss to coat. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Increase oven temperature to 425°F. Bake, uncovered, about 10 minutes more or until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned.

Exercise of the Month

Cervical Retraction and Extension With Towel

Start by standing up straight. Wrap a towel around the back of your head and hold the ends with both hands in front of you. Tuck your chin, pushing your head back into the towel and then raise your chin up towards the ceiling against the towel. Return to start. Repeat 3 sets, 10 reps each.