“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.” – Lance Armstrong
If you suffer from chronic neck pain, it may sometimes feel like it’s going to last forever. However, in most cases real relief from that nagging or even debilitating neck pain can be had. While the causes can vary, the tools and techniques for bringing relief and even eventual healing easily accessible.
Experiencing neck pain relief with Active Release Technique®, or ART®, is one of the proven ways it can be achieved. What is required from you is patience, dedication, hard work, and trust that the experts at Pain and Performance Solutions can help to bring you neck pain relief ART®.
So, What is Active Release Technique®?
ART® is a highly specialized soft-tissue management system that was developed by Dr. P. Michael Leahy in the 1980s. Dr. Leahy noted that the symptoms of patients were related to changes in their soft tissues, so he developed this technique which revolved completely around the patient’s symptoms.
At its core, ART® is a soft tissue method that focuses on relieving tissue tension through the removal of fibrosis and scar tissue adhesions which can develop as a result of overload due to repetitive use. These disorders may lead to muscular weakness, numbness, aching, tingling and burning sensations. It is also one of the most well-known technique among chiropractors, physical therapists, and therapeutic bodyworkers.
Essentially, ART® works by breaking up adhesions and other unhealthy tissues that have formed in the body. For example, if muscles are exposed to an unusual amount of stress the body tries to reinforce those muscle by increasing tension and forming collagen fibers.
Although these collagen fibers and increased tension may help the body adapt to the specific stress it is being exposed to such as typing at a keyboard all day, these same adaptations may eventually prevent proper tissue movement, resulting in painful conditions such as carpal tunnel, for example.
Can ART Work For Neck pain?
The neck is an engineering marvel. It not only possesses great flexibility and mobility, it also supports your head, which may weigh 10 to 12 pounds. Yet, despite its great, inherent strength, the neck’s continual stress and flexibility also make it susceptible to injury or strain. Excessive tress on the cervical spine, for example, can result in acute neck pain or even long-term, chronic neck pain involving the soft tissue, joints, and discs.
For many people, neck and shoulder pain often accompany one another and the pain can even affect the strength and mobility of their arms and hands.
Neck pain can range from merely stiff neck that subsides eventually, to a more severe neck sprain that lasts for days, to even more serious conditions such as whiplash or herniated discs. Fortunately, while many instances of a sore neck will resolve itself in time, it’s been shown that experiencing long-term neck pain relief can be achieved with the proper diagnosis and utilizing Active Release Technique(R) to lead to a full recovery.
How Does Active Release Technique® Work?
Achieving neck pain relief with ART® begins with a combination of initial examinations and treatments.
According to the ART® website,
“[T]he provider uses his or her hands to evaluate the texture, tightness, and movement of muscles, fascia, tendons, ligaments, and nerves. Abnormal tissues are treated by combining precisely directed tension with very specific patient movements.”
The specific techniques that may be used to provide neck pain relief with ART® are determined by each patient’s unique needs. There are 26 muscles in the neck, consisting of 10 pairs of two muscles each and two sets of three. These muscles attach to the various bones of the skull, spine, thoracic cage, and shoulder girdle. Because the neck muscles are layered, careful attention during treatment is required to isolate them. The Active Release Technique® allows the therapist to apply isolation treatment to each individual muscle of the neck through a full range of motion.
While administering the movement, the therapist will maintain tension on the muscle as it slides under the therapist’s fingers. The treatment can be mildly painful, and it feels like a much-needed stretching that you can’t quite do yourself. the technique works by increasing the nervous system’s tolerance to stretch the tight muscle.
ART® has become widely practiced in various setting. For example, ART® therapy is used by hundreds of corporations on-site to treat repetitive strain injuries, and in thousands of therapy clinics around the world. Its growing popularity is due to the proven quick results in treating conditions such as tennis elbow, neck pain, shoulder rotator cuff injuries, and even plantar fasciitis.
Experience Neck Pain Relief With Pain and Performance Solutions and Active Release Technique®
The first step in pain relief is letting us get to know you.
When you arrive for your first appointment, we will learn about your present pain experience as well as any history of discomfort. Experiencing relief from neck pain relief through ART can only begin when we can understand where your pain started.
Perhaps it actually began much earlier from another injury you might have sustained. A full examination will help us determine which form of treatment is needed to help you on your road to recovery.
Your body will compensate for pain, so it can allow you to function as well as possible throughout your day. But, because your body may shift that pain to compensate for the discomfort, this can lead to other forms of pain. Your trust in us is key, as is your honesty. Ultimately, getting your body working properly and healthy is the only way to achieve total recovery, and that is our goal for you.
We are here to help and will answer any, and all questions that you may have, so don’t hesitate to reach out. You can contact us at (707) 636-4404 or by filling out our online contact form.