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Le Yantra, Spine & Sports Injury Clinic

Symptom, several possible causes

Neck Pain

neck pain

Common, usually mechanical, and generally very treatable.

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No referral needed · One-to-one throughout · Treated at both clinics

A black-and-white photograph of a man seen from behind, wincing as he holds the side of his neck, the area highlighted in red.

Draft, awaiting clinical review

The copy on this page is written and is waiting on clinical sign-off. It carries noindex and stays out of the sitemap until a clinician reviews it and a review date is recorded, which is what makes the medical statements on it attributable.

Neck pain is discomfort or stiffness in the cervical spine and the muscles around it. It is extremely common, particularly in people who work at screens, and in most cases it is mechanical rather than caused by anything serious.

Because several different problems produce similar-feeling neck pain, working out which one you have is what determines the treatment.

What causes it, and where to go next

Mechanical neck pain. Aches and stiffens through the day, eases at weekends, worse at a desk. The commonest presentation. See Neck & Cervical Pain Programme.

Cervical spondylosis. Age-related change in the cervical spine, often found on scans. See Spondylosis.

Headache arising from the neck. Starts at the base of the skull, travels forward, often one-sided. See Cervicogenic Headache.

Nerve involvement. Pain, tingling or weakness travelling into an arm. Assessment needed to establish which level.

Acute torticollis. Sudden painful stiffness, often on waking, neck locked to one side. Alarming but usually settles quickly.

What it feels like

An ache or tightness across the neck and upper shoulders, often worse as the day goes on. Difficulty turning your head. Sometimes headaches. Sometimes symptoms travelling into an arm.

When to seek medical care

Seek medical care rather than physiotherapy if you have:

  • Neck pain following significant trauma
  • Neck pain with fever
  • Progressive weakness in an arm
  • Problems with balance and coordination

How we treat it

Assessment establishes which of the above applies. Treatment usually combines manual therapy to the neck and upper back with specific strengthening and practical changes to how you load your neck through the day.

How long it takes

Most mechanical neck pain settles over weeks. Long-standing desk-related pain often needs the workstation and strength changes as well, which take a little longer to show.

Treatments we commonly use

Which of these applies to you is decided at your assessment, not before it.

Frequently asked questions

Is my pillow the problem?

Occasionally. More often the issue is the hours before bed rather than the ones in it.

Why does it hurt more at the end of the day?

Sustained loading accumulates. That pattern points toward mechanical neck pain and usually responds well to a mix of treatment, strengthening and workstation change.

Can neck problems cause dizziness?

Sometimes, though dizziness has many causes and some need medical assessment. Mention it at your appointment.

Related conditions

  • Spondylosis

    Age-related change in the spine, very common on scans of people with no symptoms at all. The structure does not reverse; the symptoms often improve.

  • Cervicogenic Headache

    A headache generated in the cervical spine and felt in the head. Identifiable by pattern, and testable in an assessment.

  • Lower Back Pain

    Pain between the ribs and the legs. Common, rarely dangerous, and generally responsive to movement and strengthening.

Find us

Treated at both clinics

Every service runs at both our clinics, Malleshwaram and MEI Layout, monday – saturday 9 am – 9 pm · sunday & public holidays 10 am – 5 pm.

Your wellness starts here

Book an assessment at either clinic

Every treatment plan at Le Yantra starts with a full assessment, not a standard protocol.

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Monday – Saturday 9 AM – 9 PM · Sunday & public holidays 10 AM – 5 PM

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