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The Manual Touch Physical Therapy

Whole Body Approach

Reclaim movement, function and life
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Alleviate Neck Pain | Your First Aid Kit

February 11, 2025 By Denise Schwartz Leave a Comment

Waking up stiff and unable to turn your head is more than just inconvenient—it’s literally a pain in the neck. Suddenly, simple tasks like driving or working feel impossible. The pain may even creep up into your head or travel down your arm, sometimes accompanied by numbness or tingling. This is acute neck pain, a type of pain that comes on suddenly and can disrupt your day.

But what happens when this acute pain isn’t addressed? Over time, it can transition into chronic neck pain, which lingers for months or even years. While chronic pain might not always interfere with daily activities, it’s still frustrating to live with.

The good news? You don’t have to. Whether you’re dealing with acute episodes or chronic discomfort, physical therapy offers solutions to alleviate neck pain and regain your quality of life.

Acute Pain vs. Chronic Pain: Know the Difference

Acute neck pain needs immediate attention to prevent it from becoming chronic. Addressing it early can often resolve the issue in just a couple of physical therapy visits. Chronic neck pain, on the other hand, typically requires a longer-term approach.

At The Manual Touch, we take the time to evaluate you as a whole person, uncovering the root causes of your discomfort. Together, we’ll develop a tailored treatment plan that combines hands-on techniques, exercises, and education to both alleviate neck pain and prevent it from coming back.

Your Neck Pain First Aid Kit

For those times when you can’t make it to physical therapy right away, I’ve put together a first aid kit to help alleviate neck pain at home. These exercises, tips, and positioning strategies are gentle and effective—but remember, if any movement worsens your symptoms or causes pain to radiate down your arm, stop immediately.

Exercises to Alleviate Neck Pain

Instead of stretching your neck directly, focus on moving your body to reduce strain:

  1. Hip Mobility in Three Planes: These movements have you moving your body on your neck instead of your head on your neck – usually much more comfortable and teaches you to use your body so as not to overuse your neck.
  2. Wash the Wall: Place your hands on the wall, shift your weight to one side as you slide your arm up the wall, return arm and weight to starting position.
  3. Seated Thoracic Mobility: Sitting in a chair, cross your arms on your chest, look straight ahead, rotate your body to the right and left while looking straight ahead so as not to move your head.
  4. Chair Rotations: Sit forward-facing in a desk chair that can rotate, cross your arms across your chest, rotate the chair to the right and left while looking straight ahead so as not to move your head.
  5. Core Stability on Your Back: Strengthen your core to support your neck.

Best Practices for Posture and Positioning

Good posture and positioning can alleviate neck pain significantly:

  • Sitting: Choose a chair that supports your lower back to create a stable base for your neck. Sitting on a ball, OOV, or balansit can also help improve alignment.
  • Sleeping:
    • On your side: Use a pillow that fills the gap between your head and shoulder.
    • On your back: Use a pillow that supports your head and neck without pushing your head forward.
    • Avoid stomach sleeping: Instead, place a pillow in front of you and between your legs to support a half-stomach position.

Self Hands-On Treatment

You can also use gentle self-treatment to alleviate neck pain:

  • Neck Mobility with Support:
    • While seated, lace your fingers or use a belt to support the base of your neck.
    • Move your head slightly in all directions—up, down, side to side, and in rotation—ensuring your hands stay close to the movement.
    • Gradually move your hands down the length of your neck, repeating these motions at each level.

When to Seek Help

These strategies can help you manage acute neck pain, but they’re not a substitute for professional care. If you’re dealing with chronic discomfort or acute pain that doesn’t improve, it’s time to book a session. Physical therapy can address the underlying issues and provide long-term relief.

Take the first step to alleviate neck pain today—schedule your consultation with The Manual Touch!

Get in touch the manual touch physical therapy alleviate neck pain

Filed Under: Back, Neck, & Sciatica Pain, Chronic Pain

About Denise Schwartz

Denise Schwartz, PT, IMT, C is the owner of The Manual Touch Physical Therapy. For over 30 years, she has been helping patients reduce pain and improve quality of life using a whole body approach. Denise specializes in chronic pain, spinal conditions, running/triathlon injuries and prevention, balance/vestibular disorders, functional exercise, kinesiotaping, and various non-traditional and traditional & manual therapies. Contact Denise at denise@themanualtouch.com

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Testimonials

I saw Denise at The Manual Touch recently for sciatic pain, that only the day before I saw Denise kept me from walking; I could only hobble for short distances before I would sit down and collapse. After some tissue work and gentle exercise with Denise, she put Kinesiotape around the affected area. I immediately noticed stability and pain improvement and could walk so much better that I was able to complete shopping trips to 4 stores I had been planning but did not think I could do. To me, the t… Read more
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I was in Florida for vacation and developed an upper respiratory infection. I had annoying coughing and congestion in my chest. This went on for several days, and it was not getting better. It felt like I had a mucous plug stuck in my chest that would not break up. One night I remembered the self-treatment that Denise taught me at The Manual Touch where I had received PT, putting one hand over the afflicted area, and one hand near my abdomen where mucous could drain out. After about 5-10 minutes… Read more
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The best physical therapist I’ve ever experienced is Denise Schwartz in Wheeling at the Manual Touch. I have seen Denise twice for over 6 months to treat 2 bouts of frozen shoulder that occurred 8 years apart. In addition to my shoulder, she has also helped with my back, exercise regimen, and overall health. She is a holistic practitioner expert in PT techniques and knows how to teach her clients how to fit her techniques easily into their lives. She relates with her clients about as well as any… Read more
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As a young elite athlete I was involved in numerous accidents resulting in scar tissue causing loss of flexibility and restrictions as an adult. After each treatment I feel so much less restriction and experience greater range of motion.
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Last winter our daughter Maddie had had several eye and ear infections, and all required topical and oral antibiotics.  These were instigated by a plugged tear duct.  A pediatric ophthalmologist said there was little chance the duct would open up on its own since she was well over a year old, and there was no harm in waiting a little longer before SURGERY. My husband and I did not want our little girl’s eye probed, and we definitely did not want her to have a general anesthetic, so we bro… Read more
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The physical therapy I received at The Manual Touch PT helped reduce my sciatica pain to a manageable level in just a few sessions.  The exercises I was given strengthened and trained my muscles to prevent further back problems allowing me to return to playing basketball.
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Just a note to thank you for the time you spent with me Saturday in evaluating my running technique and body alignment.  Your suggestions are already making sense and having an early impact.  After our meeting, I went out for a 5K run and found your suggestions “to shorten my stride” and “being conscious of not overlapping my steps” to be helpful. Thanks Denise  
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I have been receiving PT therapy for pain and autoimmune disorders for over 18 months at The Manual Touch.  This also affects my kidneys and my lungs and other organs as I swell with fluid that my lymph system doesn’t seem to handle well.  I depend on the regular IMT tissue therapy I receive from Denise to help me function as normally as possible.  This therapy seems to work synergistically with the acupuncture and medication I also receive.  There are no cures for these disorders and as n… Read more
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Excellent, professional assessment and treatment for an older woman who’s had lots of failed therapy. Kind and compassionate and caring! Thanks.
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I can honestly say that Denise was the first physical therapist to listen to my story.   She has demonstrated more patience and compassion than any other therapist that I’ve ever met. For the past 8 years, I have been symptomatic with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a rare genetic condition which affects the connective tissue throughout my body. As a result of this disorder I deal with ongoing severe acute and chronic pain and a variety of other rare overlapping conditions such as thoracic outl… Read more
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We believe all body systems and mental/emotional health are connected. We take a whole body approach to discover why patients are not healing and what were the initial causes of their current symptoms. 

Our mission is to use this whole body approach to help patients heal and overcome pain and limitations, resulting in improved quality of life. We also aim to promote wellness in our communities through ongoing education. 
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Testimonials

I saw Denise at The Manual Touch recently for sciatic pain, that only the day before I saw Denise kept me from walking; I could only hobble for short distances before I would sit down and collapse. After some tissue work and gentle exercise with Deni… Read more
https://themanualtouch.com/wp/testimonial/m-d-evanston-il
I was in Florida for vacation and developed an upper respiratory infection. I had annoying coughing and congestion in my chest. This went on for several days, and it was not getting better. It felt like I had a mucous plug stuck in my chest that woul… Read more
https://themanualtouch.com/wp/testimonial/a-b-riverwoods
The best physical therapist I’ve ever experienced is Denise Schwartz in Wheeling at the Manual Touch. I have seen Denise twice for over 6 months to treat 2 bouts of frozen shoulder that occurred 8 years apart. In addition to my shoulder, she has also… Read more
https://themanualtouch.com/wp/testimonial/b-h-elmhurst-il
As a young elite athlete I was involved in numerous accidents resulting in scar tissue causing loss of flexibility and restrictions as an adult. After each treatment I feel so much less restriction and experience greater range of motion.
https://themanualtouch.com/wp/testimonial/s-northbrook-il
Last winter our daughter Maddie had had several eye and ear infections, and all required topical and oral antibiotics.  These were instigated by a plugged tear duct.  A pediatric ophthalmologist said there was little chance the duct would open up o… Read more
The physical therapy I received at The Manual Touch PT helped reduce my sciatica pain to a manageable level in just a few sessions.  The exercises I was given strengthened and trained my muscles to prevent further back problems allowing me to return… Read more
Just a note to thank you for the time you spent with me Saturday in evaluating my running technique and body alignment.  Your suggestions are already making sense and having an early impact.  After our meeting, I went out for a 5K run and found you… Read more
I have been receiving PT therapy for pain and autoimmune disorders for over 18 months at The Manual Touch.  This also affects my kidneys and my lungs and other organs as I swell with fluid that my lymph system doesn’t seem to handle well.  I depe… Read more
Excellent, professional assessment and treatment for an older woman who’s had lots of failed therapy. Kind and compassionate and caring! Thanks.
I can honestly say that Denise was the first physical therapist to listen to my story.   She has demonstrated more patience and compassion than any other therapist that I’ve ever met. For the past 8 years, I have been symptomatic with Ehlers Danlo… Read more
Read More

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