Neck range-of-motion is terrible

[squirlwhisperer]

Hello, I'm kind of new here but not inexperienced. My ROM in my neck is deteriorating and it definitely impacts my hunting. Have reviewed some YT vids but I may need some hands-on help. What kind of DR or other professional is appropriate? I just want better ROM, not a monthly visit to a quack chiropractor.

 

[Beendare]

Go see a PT.

I have arthritis in my neck and the PT helped a lot with stretching and range of motion exercises

 

[Bigred323]

How old are ya?

Ever tried doing any yoga?

 

[Marbles]

A PT or orthopedic surgeon.

You could try the [P]rehab app. It is created by PTs and has lots of good information. I use it myself.

Depending on your knowledge level, having an actual assessment could be good. If bone growth is limiting your movement, that will not be fixed with moving better. But, if it is soft tissue, then the answer is to use it.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

See your primary care Dr. first, if you haven't yet. He will likely refer you to a Orthopedic specialist if he thinks you need to see one.

 

[Phaseolus]

I had some ROM issues from spending too much time looking backwards on a tractor. Chiro didn't help, three months of PT didn't help. Finally I saw a massage therapist who specialized in deep tissue massage (Rolfing). It was quite painful but after three visits I was pain free and had full ROM. It's worth a try.

 

[KenLee]

I've had at least one compression fx in every vertebra in my neck. Tried all treatment except cervical fusion. Only thing that helps is my monthly visit to chiropractor.

 

[squirlwhisperer]

How old are ya?

Ever tried doing any yoga?

55

No yoga, open to the idea. Thanks.

 

[686]

My neck would get so stiff I couldn’t check my blind spot while changing lanes when driving. Also back and shoulder stiffness. I started getting deep tissue massages with cupping about 18 months ago and it solved the problem for me. The massages can hurt, like bringing a tear to your eye hurt, and the cupping isn’t comfortable either, but the flexibility and pain relief are great.

 

[Ice-kub]

Them little blue pills sometime cause a stiff neck.

 

[bullnose]

Get checked out ASAP. It could be muscular, skeletal, neurological, or a combo. I was diagnosed with cervical dystonia (sometimes called torticollis or wry neck) 3 years ago after multiple visits over the previous two years with musculoskeletal specialists, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, Chiropractors, and orthopedic surgeons that couldn't diagnose the actual problem. It finally took a trip to a neurologist to get it diagnosed and start treatment.

 

[Louisiana]

I had some ROM issues from spending too much time looking backwards on a tractor. Chiro didn't help, three months of PT didn't help. Finally I saw a massage therapist who specialized in deep tissue massage (Rolfing). It was quite painful but after three visits I was pain free and had full ROM. It's worth a try.

I'm going to look into that myself.

 

[WCB]

I have a bad neck and back...chiro helps immensely...however my chiro includes, PT, and if you are serious an actual full health schedule. They run a full body wellness center including different messages, chiro, diet and nutrition consultation.

Some of the recs above are good. However, if you can find a place like I go to it is fantastic for me. If I get handed off to the masseuse they know instantly where I need work or issues I am having.

 

[Mangata]

confirm get neck checked primary care to ortho or Neurosurg & get MRI.
Likely get significant benefit from PT. Definitely undergo course of PT prior to any operative intervention!

 

[Marble]

I think before I wasted time on any treatment I would want a diagnosis as to what the problem was. As said above, could be skeletal, muscular, or nerve-related.

MRI, x-ray, or CT will answer that question.

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[wh0cansay]

Get it checked out asap. If it's an impinged nerve then it'll start dying off. Nerves take a very long time to heal, if at all.

A kinesiologist saved my life once, the nerve survived but took two years to regenerate.

 

[grfox92]

All mobility issues associated with aging can be corrected with proper stretching. This is my opinion. I'm not a doctor.

I let my fitness go since November of 2024. By January I had such bad pain in my hips and back I was genuinely worried.

I always stretched for 30 minutes in the morning before that. I got back on my stretching routine. I couldn't believe how tight my hips, hamstrings and legs in general were. The more I stretched, the lesser the pain in my back and hips. If I miss a few days of stretching the pain starts back and reminds me to get back on my routine.

This point reminds me alot of the losing trust in Doctors thread that was going on here a few weeks back. Most Dr. are not going to recommend that you try stretching to solve your issues first.

I have degenerative disc and was in pain all the time. I never went to an ortho for it because I knew they would just push surgery. Working out and stretching eliminated my back pain and kept space between my disc's. I'd recommend focusing on stretching, utilizing YouTube like you have been.

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[bpitcher]

Imaging and PT should be the first steps.

A traction collar has really helped me with my neck issues. I will often feel an immediate decrease in nerve pain and an increase in mobility after a session.

 

[dtrkyman]

I have a friend who is a chiro, far from a quack. Problem with Orthopedics is they make their living on surgery, not always needed!

I would look into a PT type clinic first and get some imaging and see what's going on.

 

[wh0cansay]

All mobility issues associated with aging can be corrected with proper stretching. This is my opinion. I'm not a doctor.

I let my fitness go since November of 2024. By January I had such bad pain in my hips and back I was genuinely worried.

I always stretched for 30 minutes in the morning before that. I got back on my stretching routine. I couldn't believe how tight my hips, hamstrings and legs in general were. The more I stretched, the lesser the pain in my back and hips. If I miss a few days of stretching the pain starts back and reminds me to get back on my routine.

This point reminds me alot of the losing trust in Doctors thread that was going on here a few weeks back. Most Dr. are not going to recommend that you try stretching to solve your issues first.

I have degenerative disc and was in pain all the time. I never went to an ortho for it because I knew they would just push surgery. Working out and stretching eliminated my back pain and kept space between my disc's. I'd recommend focusing on stretching, utilizing YouTube like you have been.

Sent from my SM-G990U using Tapatalk

Incredibly dangerous advice. Arbitrarily elongating muscles by force (which is what stretching is) can make things a hell of a lot worse. Muscles are support structures.