13 Dec Experiencing recurrent neck pain that doesn’t seem to go away despite having regular treatment for it

Did you know that stress and anxiety can build up muscles tightness in your neck and shoulder that contribute to your neck pain

An Australian study in 2009 found that their cohort of 53 office workers have a 49% incidence of neck pain over a one year period. Women were more likely to experience neck pain than men and psychological stress was a major predictor of neck pain. The study also found that having more mobility in the neck joints and participating in frequent exercise reduces the incidence of neck pain.

Here at My Favourite Physio, our Expert Physiotherapists are certainly not unfamiliar with the reports of psychological stress amongst our patients with neck pain. As such, we often not only treat the physical muscle tightness and joint stiffness in our neck pain patients, we also address the psychological factors that may be contributing to our patient’s neck pain.

Here are 3 ways we recommend to our patients to help them reduce their stress and anxiety levels:
1. Mindset and perception about situations. Often situations can be seen as an attack at us, when in reality it is reflection of the other person’s issues. Having a mindset that it’s not personal attack but situational circumstances can help reduce your stress levels.

2. Think positive. Every situation is never a failure, always a lesson or a win. Often we feel stress because we feel a lot hangs on the balance of a situation and its outcome, however, seeing it as an opportunity to learn and grow can take a lot of the stress out of the situation.

3. Take positive actions. We suggest that our patients determine if the situation is within their control or not, and if so, take small but specific steps towards changing the situation. Taking action doesn’t mean taking action to solve the situation, sometimes, it means walking away from it.

If you are struggling with neck pain and stress, reach out to My Favourite Physio on  (02) 9790 4233. Find out how our Expert Physiotherapists can help you overcome your neck pain today!