Neck pain

Hello sirs,

My wife is a hair stylist. She spends a lot of time on her feet with her arms in a raised position in front of her ( as if she was holding onto shoulder high handle bars) while doing this she performs action of wrist extension and elbow flexion while round brushing, blow drying, brushing, etc. For a couple of months now she has been complaining of shooting, cramping pain in the neck area at the top of the shoulders on both sides of the spine. In addition she has shooting aching pain at the base of the skull on the right side that travels down and across her upper jaw. She is considering Acupuncture, Chiropractic or Physical therapy. I am curious what you would suggest for both diagnosing and addressing a pain like this.

Sincerely,

Brian

Hey Brian,

Sorry to here about your wife’s pain. Biggest questions are as follows:

  1. Any associated headaches? vision changes?
  2. Any numbness or tingling down either or both arms?
  3. Any history of neck injury?
  4. Does she train?

Hi Jordan,
thanks for the response.

  1. she does get headaches, but no vision changes
  2. no numbness or tingling in either arm
  3. no history of neck injury
  4. no, she does not train.

Brian

… Any chance she’d be interested in training?

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I haven’t done a good job persuading her. Part of it is probably the messenger. She doesn’t see how lifting is going to help her neck. I try to be really reserved in my responses anymore (to her various complaints of work related pain) because she is sensitive to the argument for strength training after years of me trying to get her to give it a try. Ultimately I think she needs to hear it from someone other than myself. Though I did mention that perhaps pressing might help with her particular issue, and she indicated that she might be willing to give it a try. I don’t think she would be willing to do a ful NLP though. I’m also not sure that she would dedicate enough sessions, especially with me as her coach, to see any benefit. I wanted to get your takes on what you thought might help in her situation with you expertise and education. Perhaps she will find that more compelling than anything I have told her.

thanks,

Brian

If she isn’t willing to properly “train” any nonspecific “general exercise” tends to provide benefit in the setting of chronic aches and pains like this. While we like progressive resistance training for a few additional reasons, but when it comes down to the evidence, we don’t actually have data showing that what we do works “better” for chronic pain than other types of exercise.

Thank you for your input.