Today, neck pain is becoming a common condition among the masses, especially the millennials and those who are in their early 50s. The cases of musculoskeletal pain have been on the rise, with people focusing more on their work and careers and less on their health.
It is true that a hectic lifestyle filled with work and tasks can trigger the occurrence of musculoskeletal pain. It persists when you choose not to do anything about it.
Apart from your packed work schedule, other factors like your posture, your sleeping position, how you sit, any physical activity you, etc. all play a crucial role in how your neck is turning out to be.
According to who, musculoskeletal conditions comprise more than 150 diagnoses that affect the locomotor system.
If you are experiencing severe neck pain, and you have tried all the options out there from OTC medications, physiotherapy, home remedies, etc. then your doctor may prescribe you laser therapy for neck pain. Looking for laser therapy for pain near me can give you the answers you have always been wanting regarding your musculoskeletal health issues.
What Causes Severe Neck Pain ?
Neck pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal conditions that wreak havoc in the lives of nearly 10% of the American population. While the exact cause of severe neck pain is still unknown, given the fact that more than 50% of the American population have degenerative joint disease, the pain can be associated with numerous factors, such as:
● Poor posture
● Cervical nerve root involvement
● Trauma or injury to the neck, such as repetitive occupational injuries or whiplash
If detected and treated early, you can prevent it from becoming chronic. Nevertheless, if the injury is too severe, or there is a failure in the early diagnosis of the pain and injury, it can lead to the following conditions:
● Disc herniations
● A degenerative joint disease of the zygapophyseal joints in the neck
● Degenerative disc disease
Laser Therapy for Neck Pain: How it works?
Pain management laser therapy New York is the latest procedure that comes with several advantages. To start with, laser therapy for pain management use a low wavelength light source in a non-invasive procedure to treat complications in the neck muscle tissues and the related connective tissues. The primary reason why more and more people with musculoskeletal pain prefer laser therapy for neck pain is that it doesn’t require a surgical incision.
It is an outpatient procedure that is conducted at the doctor’s office and usually takes up to 15-20 minutes. There are no pre-procedure preparations; you don’t have to take any medications, nor will you be put under any kind of anesthesia.
The doctor uses a handheld laser device that produces light energy. When it comes in direct contact with your body, the photons emitted by the laser device penetrates your skin to reach the damaged tissue cells.
How Effective is Cold Laser Therapy for Neck Pain?
The effectiveness of cold laser therapy for neck pain can be determined by only after the first couple of treatments. While you will get instant pain relief for that particular day of treatment, to complete pain management, you may have to visit the doctor a couple of times a week or several times in a month.
The procedure only takes 15-20 minutes to complete depending on the severity of the pain and the area being treated. Patients who have undergone laser therapy have spoken highly about the procedure and how it has helped them in combating severe neck pain.
The laser produced by the cold laser machine works to energize the damaging tissue cells. This boosts the recovery process. The process works somewhat similar to photosynthesis. Similar to how plants synthesize the energy of the sunlight to help it grow, the cells synthesize the photons emitted from the light energy.
This triggers cell regeneration, therefore; reducing inflammation and swelling. On the other hand, the cold laser applied to the affected region also numbs the irritating nerves in the area. This lowers the painful sensations you get from moving that particular body part.
Overall, it is the future of musculoskeletal pain management, and coupled with other non-invasive and outpatient procedures like physiotherapy, cryotherapy, acupuncture, etc. cold laser therapy can prove extremely beneficial.
Frequently asked questions
Can cold laser therapy be used when a neck disc is herniated?
It is sometimes included in the plan, but it does not act on the disc itself. Laser is aimed at irritated soft tissue and muscle, so any effect is on the surrounding pain rather than the herniation. Symptoms such as arm weakness, numbness or worsening night pain call for evaluation before starting any modality.
Is laser therapy safe to use over the thyroid?
Providers generally avoid treating directly over the thyroid gland, and over the eyes, as a precaution rather than because harm has been established. The applicator can usually be positioned to treat the neck muscles while staying clear of that area. Anyone with known thyroid disease should mention it so placement can be planned.
Can laser therapy help headaches that start at the base of the skull?
It may, when the headache genuinely originates in the upper neck, since those headaches are driven by irritation in joints and muscles the treatment can reach. Headaches with other causes, including migraine, will not settle simply because the neck was treated. Working out where a headache actually starts is part of the evaluation.
Will neck pain from desk work return after laser therapy ends?
Often, unless what is driving it changes. Treatment can settle the local muscle and tissue irritation, but it does not alter the position the neck holds all day, so workstation setup, movement breaks and strengthening usually have to change alongside it. That is why laser is generally used as one part of a plan rather than on its own.
Neck pain that is not settling on its own?
A physician-led evaluation checks the neck, nerves and posture together. More on neck pain.
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