I have had several patients lately with complaints of neck pain with or without c/o numbness, tingling, burning, or weakness in either one or both arms.  These particular patients did not present with symptoms consistent with or respond to treatments for disc or muscular causes of their pain.  Most of these patients have been responding well to manual techniques on ligaments in their neck that have been sprained by some sort of trauma in their past.  It could be any type of trauma including a car accident, fall, bike accident, slip without fall, walking into a door, whiplash, or even just carrying something heavy that tractions the ligaments.  Ligaments are connective tissue that hold bones to bones.  Ligaments respond best to ultrasound and manual techniques including transverse friction massage to break up the scar tissue.  These are the two most common ligaments that I have worked on in the neck:

Intertransverse Ligaments

The intertransverse ligaments connect the transverse process of one vertebrae to the same side transverse process of the vertebrae just below as well as above it with the exception of C1.  Thus there is a right and left intertransverse ligament and with the exception of C1, each vertebrae in the cervical spine has four intertransverse ligaments attached to it.  These ligaments limit side bending of the cervical spine and tend to become torn/sprained with a quick or strong force into side bending.  These ligaments can refer pain into the head and down the arms and shoulder blades.  With manual techniques and ultrasound any adhesions can be eliminated and thus eliminating the pain if it is coming from these ligaments.

Supraspinous Ligaments – Ligamentum Nuchae until C7

The supraspinous ligaments attach the spinous process of one vertebrae to the spinous process of the vertebrae below it.  In the cervical spine, the ligamentum nuchae is thickened supraspinous ligaments that originate from the occipital protuberance to the C7 spinous process as seen in the picture below.  From C7 on down to the sacrum there are individual supraspinous ligaments between each spinous process of the vertebrae.  The ligamentum nuchae/supraspinous ligaments limit flexion (looking down) of the cervical spine.  They can become torn/sprained with a strong force into flexion that is commonly experienced with car accidents.  These ligaments can also refer pain into the head, down the arms, and into the shoulder blades.  With manual techniques and ultrasound any adhesions can be eliminated and thus eliminating the pain if it is coming from these ligaments.

So if you have neck pain with or without numbness, tingling, or burning down either one or both arms and/or headaches and have not had your ligaments evaluated make an appointment today.  You can call us at 914-271-2426, email us at oldpostpt@icloud.com, or make an appointment on our website oldpostpt.com.