Typical symptoms
- Neck pain and stiffness, especially when turning your head
- Pain spreading around the shoulder blade and into the shoulder
- Pain, numbness or tingling travelling down the arm, sometimes into the hand and fingers
- A feeling of weakness in the arm or hand
- Pain that increases after long periods looking at a screen or with your head bent forward
- Headaches that spread from the neck to the back of the head
Causes and risk factors
Neck discs lose water with age, and a herniation usually causes symptoms when a load comes on top of this slow change. About the straightened neck, it's worth knowing that the curve on an X-ray can also change with your posture and muscle tension at the moment the image is taken, and it's common in people with no pain at all. That's why I plan treatment around your symptoms and how your neck moves, not the angle on the X-ray.
- Long hours at a desk or looking down at a phone
- Weakness in the muscles around the neck and shoulder blades
- Stress and poor sleep
- A previous car accident or neck strain
- Smoking
How I work with neck problems
The goal isn't to protect your neck by avoiding movement; it's a neck that moves comfortably and confidently and can handle load.
Assessment
I assess how your neck and upper back move, your posture, and the sensation, reflexes and muscle strength linked to the nerves of the arm. We talk about your working day and the positions that trigger your pain. If you have MRI or X-ray reports, we go through them together.
Manual therapy
I use gentle joint mobilisation for the neck and upper back and soft tissue techniques for the neck and shoulder muscles. When symptoms spread into the arm, neural mobilisation aimed at improving the nerve's mobility may also be used.
Exercise therapy
We start with controlled movements that work the deep neck muscles, then progress to a programme that strengthens the muscles around the shoulder blades and upper back. The programme is kept short so it fits into your work and daily routine.
Education
We make practical changes to things like screen height, how you sit, phone use and sleeping position. We also talk openly about what a "straightened neck" on a report does and doesn't mean.
How many sessions will I need?
Neck pain without symptoms in the arm usually responds more quickly; if there are nerve signs, the process can take longer. For many people 6–10 sessions is a realistic range, but we decide the exact number together after the first assessment.
What you can do at home
- Raise your screen to eye level; if you use a laptop, add a separate keyboard and a stand.
- At your desk, get up every 30–45 minutes and move your shoulders and neck.
- Keep up gentle movements such as slowly turning your head side to side within a pain-free range and shrugging your shoulders.
- Hold your phone closer to eye level instead of looking down at it for long periods.
When to see a doctor first
With any of the following symptoms, see a doctor — or go to the emergency department if needed — before starting physiotherapy:
- Clumsy hands (trouble doing up buttons or writing) together with unsteadiness when walking
- Numbness or weakness in both arms
- Rapidly increasing weakness in the arm
- Neck pain that started after a fall, accident or blow
- Pain together with fever, unexplained weight loss or a history of cancer
- Sudden, severe headache, dizziness, or problems with vision or speech
Frequently asked questions
Can a straightened neck be corrected?
Should I wear a neck collar for a cervical disc herniation?
Can a herniated disc in the neck cause dizziness?
Which pillow is best for a herniated disc in the neck?
This page is for general information only and does not replace a medical diagnosis or examination. If your symptoms are severe or getting worse quickly, see a doctor first.