SALT LAKE CITY — Living with chronic neck pain can be bothersome at best and debilitating at worst for those who suffer from it. Whether caused by a trauma, like a fall, or by sleeping in an uncomfortable position, the pain can often be tough to deal with.
Questions about issues people should be aware of regarding neck pain will be answered on Saturday 10 a.m. to noon during the monthly Deseret News/Intermountain Healthcare Hotline.
Physical therapists Jake Magel and Susan McLaughlin with Intermountain Healthcare will answer calls.
From the Salt Lake area, call 801-236-6061. Elsewhere, the toll-free number is 1-800-925-8177.
"It's estimated that 22 percent to 65 percent of the population will experience neck pain sometime in their lives," Jake Magel, director of Intermountain Orthopedic and Spine Therapy Clinic at Intermountain Medical Center, said. "Sitting in front of a computer and poor postural habits can absolutely contribute to neck pain."
He added that about 15 percent of all Americans experience neck pain every day.
Such high prevalence is caused by a variety of easily identifiable factors, he said, but sometimes the cause is unknown.
"It can be what's called an insidious onset," Magel said. "It just comes on over time, and sometimes, it can be due to age-related changes and our sedentary lifestyle."
He said that chronic neck pain (lasting more than 6 months) is often "managed" rather than cured. In those cases, people learn to correct their posture during their daily activities, include proper exercise and improve their overall flexibility to help relieve their discomfort.
"The evidence has shown that for people with chronic neck pain, exercise (along with) hands-on manual therapy is beneficial," Magel said. "An acute episode of neck pain that is uncomplicated, meaning that it doesn't go down your arm (involving nerve routes), then you can treat it pretty darn successfully with manipulation and exercise."
More complex cases may require more intensive treatment, he said.
Of patients who visit his clinic for neck pain, Magel estimated that approximately 70 percent suffer from chronic (ongoing) pain, with 30 percent having acute pain.
For those who suffer neck pain, he said the sooner they can begin a treatment regimen, the better their potential results.
"If we can get people in for physical therapy in the (initial) stages of their neck pain, we are much more likely to be able to keep them from developing chronic neck pain," Magel said.
Issues people should be aware of regarding neck and pelvic pain are the topic of Saturday's Deseret News/Intermountain Healthcare Hotline. From 10 a.m. to noon, physical therapists Jake Magel and Susan McLaughlin of Intermountain Healthcare will answer questions from callers.
From the Salt Lake area, call 801-236-6061. Elsewhere, the toll-free number is 1-800-925-8177, only operational during hotline hours.
e-mail: jlee@desnews.com