50 year old male came in with right sided neck pain. He's had the pain for 2 years. He's seen GPs, orthopeadic doctors, and physiotherapy where treatment included traction and heat. He's not any better despite the medication. Xrays showed osteophytes (small extra bone growth) at the right facet (side) joints at the neck spine.
On examination, I found that his upper neck spine was very stiff especially on the right side. When your spinal joints are stiff, normal neck movements will tug on the nerves in that region and send signals to your brain. This is felt as pain.
Physiotherapy treatment consists of neck spine joint mobilization and manipulation (this makes the joints more supple and hence reduce tugging on nerves), nerve mobilization (this ensures that the nerves slide back and forth with movement smoothly) and homework which are 2 neck muscle stretches.
The patient is feeling much better after 2 treatments to date.
Aized
Physiotherapist
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