Neck Pain and Acupuncture  

Neck problems cause loss of movement and pain. Causing loss of movement, pain, referred pain into the shoulders and headaches, which can be quite debilitating. It is a common problem faced by many people, preventing them from performing everyday and work-related activities.  Traditional Acupuncture can help you with your pain and to find your way forward.
Muscle tension and back strain often cause neck pain. Factors such as worn joints and damaged cartilage can also cause soreness and pain. Traditional Acupuncture can be effective for neck pain and tension, either as a stand – alone treatment or alongside other treatments and therapies. 

Acupuncture Finding the Root Cause 

Traditional Acupuncture practitioners observe the root of the problem and identify the underlying cause. Neck pain and headaches are often signs of something deeper going on. Your acupuncturist will take a full medical and environmental history. Also paying attention to your spine’s health to check for symptoms of bulging discs, injuries, damaged joints, and nerve damage. Also, considering each individual’s stress, mental and emotional health, which has an impact on your pain.

Help with Healing  

Although it may be challenging to determine the exact cause of the pain, qualified acupuncturists will do in-depth examinations and find the root of your issue. You may be surprised to see that your neck pain is treated by inserting the needles in the abdominal area or your feet, as well as the area of pain. Such an approach is efficient since it reduces the inflammation and strengthens Qi, balancing health to help induce relief and healing. 

Research, Neck Pain and Acupuncture

• A 2024 systematic review found that acupuncture used alongside other treatments can provide sustained pain relief for at least 3 months and improve function in chronic neck pain, with mostly mild, short‑lived side effects.
• National health bodies note that acupuncture is widely used for back and neck pain, and its effects may involve both nervous‑system changes and nonspecific therapeutic effects.
• Benefits may include reduced pain, improved range of motion, and decreased muscle tension.
  Overall, acupuncture is considered safe, with low complication rates when performed by a qualified practitioner. See the British Acupuncture Council website: https://acupuncture.org.uk/

Hannah Charles is a founder member of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC)

The BAcC is an advocate for traditional acupuncture professionals and maintains the highest professional standards to protect the general public. BAcC members are registered on an accredited register, regulated and approved by the Professional Standards Authority for Health & Social Care (PSA). For More information, see the website:https://acupuncture.org.uk/

Acupuncture Treatment

Traditional Acupuncture can help with balancing and caring for your neck pain and related issues. For Traditional acupuncture treatment and care: contact Hannah Charles LicAc MBAcC at: https://www.southwellacupuncture.co.uk/contact/

What Causes Neck Pain? 

Since your neck is flexible and supports your head’s weight, it can be quite vulnerable to injuries and conditions that cause pain and limit motion. The factors that commonly cause neck pain are the following: 

• Muscle strains: Muscle strains are often caused by spending too much time on the computer, smartphone, some sports and exercies or even reading in bed or the position you sleep. 
• Trauma – from road traffic accidents, contact sports and abuse.
• Muscle pain: Aching or sore neck and shoulder muscles may occur in response to overexertion or prolonged physical or emotional stress. The neck muscles may develop hard knots that are tender to the touch, sometimes called trigger points. 
• Muscle spasm: This is a sudden, powerful tightening of neck muscles. Your neck may hurt and feel tight or knotted, and it may be impossible to turn your head. When you wake up with a painful, stiff neck, that’s likely a muscle spasm. Muscle spasm can result from a muscle injury, but it may also occur in response to a spinal disc or nerve problem, or even emotional stress. 
• Headaches: Neck related headache is most often felt in the back of the head and upper neck and is usually the result of muscle tension or spasm. Neck-related headache pain is usually dull or aching, rather than sharp; the neck might also feel stiff or tender. 
• Facet joint pain: Often described as deep, sharp, or aching, pain in the facet joints (part of the vertebrae of the neck) typically worsens if you lean your head toward the affected side and may radiate to your shoulder or upper back. Arthritis in the facet joints, as in other locations, may feel worse in the morning or after a period of inactivity. 
• Nerve compression: This issue oftencomes from herniated discs or bone spurs in the vertebrae of your neck. It can also be a trapped or damaged nerve in the arm or hand, or muscle spasms. Causing compression or pinching of the nerves, causing pain in the area. 
• Nerve pain: Irritation or pinching of the roots of the spinal nerves causes pain that may be sharp, fleeting, severe, or accompanied by pins and needles. Depending on the nerve involved, the pain may shoot down the arm or even into the hand. 
• Injuries: Any injury to the neck can provoke pain, especially those resulting from car collisions 
• Certain diseases: Diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, meningitis, or cancer, can cause neck pain. 
• Referred pain: Referred pain is pain in one part of the body that is triggered by a problem in another part of the body. For example, neck pain that worsens with exertion may indicate a heart problem, while neck pain that occurs when you eat may stem from a problem in the oesophagus. 
• Bad posture: and wrong body positioning can affect neck health and cause tensions and pain. 
• Stress: can cause pain and tension in the neck  
• Bone pain: Pain and tenderness in the cervical vertebrae are far less common than neck pain from the soft tissues. Bone pain needs medical attention because it may signal a more serious health problem.

Acupuncture Treatment

Traditional Acupuncture can help with balancing and caring for your neck pain and related issues. For Traditional acupuncture treatment and care: contact Hannah Charles LicAc MBAcC at: 

https://www.southwellacupuncture.co.uk/contact/