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Non-Specific Neck Pain

Ryan Evans
Mar 23, 2023
1 min read

This type of neck pain is diagnosed by ruling out other pathology, it commonly presents as stiffness along with the pain. It's important to consider psycho-social elements along with helping to return ROM and some strength to the affected area.


Risk Factors

  • Female

  • High job demand

  • History of low back or neck disorders

  • Job insecurity

  • Low social/work support

  • Older age

  • Poor workspace

  • Repetitive activity

  • Smoking

  • Trauma

  • Obesity

  • Sleep disorders

  • Certain occupations (clerical, industrial, agricultural)


Symptoms

  • Pain aggravated by movements, posture, and actives.

  • Pain that radiates in a non-segmental distribution down the arm, up into the head, into the shoulder, or across the scapular

  • Pain associated with paraesthesia or hyperaesthesia, but with no objective loss of sensation or muscle strength.

  • Positional asymmetry, limited range, or movement often asymmetrically

  • Tenderness in intervertebral joints and/or hypertonic muscles that may be palpable as nodules or tender bands


Treatment

  • Provide reassurance – and safety net after.

  • Talk about not sleeping with excessive pillows or possibly with a firmer one (no more than one)

  • Encourage activities and normal lifestyle.

  • Discourage cervical collars.

  • Signpost to Versus Arthritis.

  • Advise about analgesia.

  • Work on ROM (Nod, L/R Flexion, L/R Rotation)

  • Possibility for Isometric Exercises


Differential Diagnosis

  • Acute trauma – e.g., whiplash)

  • Acute disc prolapse.

  • Adverse drug rection

  • OA of Cx Spine

  • Inflammatory arthritis

  • Malignancy

  • Neurological disorders

  • Cervical radiculopathy

  • Fibromyalgia

  • Infection


Other

  • Important to ensure no other signs of serious pathology.



1. NICE. (2022), Neck pain – non-specific. Available from: https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/neck-pain-non-specific/. [Accessed March, 2023.]

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