A very common question that patients ask during their physical therapy treatment is whether they should use heat or ice for pain relief. The main consideration before deciding which to use, is determining whether or not inflammation is present in the painful area.
What is inflammation?
Cervical pain is a common musculoskeletal complaint, with greater than 50% of the population experiencing cervical pain at some point in their lives. During a given year time span 30-50% of people are currently living with cervical pain. Cervical pain is a common reason for one to seek care with physical therapy. It is prudent to determine the most effective treatment approach based on the symptoms and examination findings for that patient presents with. Manual therapy directed at both the cervical and thoracic spine has been shown to be an extremely effective approach for people with cervical pain.