Neck pain: moving freely again
Neck pain is very common and in most cases is not caused by serious damage. Therapeutic exercise, manual therapy and a few changes to daily habits help reduce the pain, improve movement and also manage the headaches that can come with it.
What we treat
Below you will find the problems we see most often.
- Stiff neck The classic "crick in the neck": sudden pain that makes it hard to turn your head, or to bend it forwards, backwards or to the side.
- Persistent or recurring neck pain Pain and stiffness that have lasted for months or keep coming back, often after hours at the computer.
- Cervicogenic headache Headache that starts at the back of the head and gets worse with certain neck movements or positions.
- Cervicobrachialgia Pain spreading towards the shoulder and arm, sometimes with tingling in the hand.
- Whiplash Pain and stiffness after a road accident or a fall.
- Neck and jaw Neck problems often go hand in hand with jaw problems: we assess them together.
How we work
- 01 Listening and assessment We listen to your story, rule out signs and symptoms that may need further investigation, and assess your neck, shoulders and, if needed, your jaw.
- 02 Understanding pain We explain what is happening and which work, sleep or sport habits overload your neck.
- 03 Exercise and manual therapy Mobility and strengthening exercises for the neck and shoulder muscles, with manual therapy when it helps.
- 04 Independence and prevention A simple programme to fit into your day, even at the office, to reduce relapses.
Three myths to bust
"One crack and it's all gone"? For most people, no.
On social media and by word of mouth, there is an idea that neck pain can be fixed in one session with a manipulation that "puts the vertebrae back in place". That is not how it works, and we would rather tell you up front.
That is why, for us, manual therapy is a tool, not the treatment. The treatment is a process that makes you independent.
Sources: Carroll et al., Spine, 2008 · Gross et al., Cochrane review on manipulation and mobilisation, 2015 · Bussières et al. guideline, 2016
When to see a doctor straight away
Contact your doctor or the emergency department straight away if you have:
- dizziness, double vision, difficulty speaking or swallowing
- a sudden, extremely severe headache, unlike your usual ones
- weakness or loss of sensation in your arms or legs, or difficulty walking
- pain after a major injury, such as an accident or a fall
- fever with a stiff neck
- a history of cancer and new neck pain
Frequently asked questions about neck pain
Content by Luca Barbisan, OMT physiotherapist · Updated October 2026
Do I need an X-ray or an MRI?
In most cases, no. Scans are useful when there are warning signs or when the result would change the treatment. If any doubts come up during the assessment, we refer you to your doctor.
Can headaches come from the neck?
Yes, in some cases. Cervicogenic headache starts in the neck and improves when the neck is treated. During the assessment we find out whether this applies to you or whether it is better to look into it further with your doctor.
How many sessions will I need?
It depends on how long you have had the pain and what triggers it. After the first assessment we give you an estimate and set goals together.
Is physiotherapy for neck pain covered by insurance?
Yes. With a medical prescription it is covered by basic health insurance, minus the deductible (franchise) and co-payment. All the details on costs and health insurance.
You might also be interested in
Is your neck holding you back? Let's talk.
Write to us on WhatsApp: we will get back to you to find a day and time together.
All we need to book is your name and availability: we go through the details of your health together at the practice.