Finally treating chronic neck pain for good
Chronic neck pain that radiates into the shoulder, arm or hand can restrict everyday life massively. Turning your head while driving, working on a laptop, sleeping, sport: everything becomes a strain.
Many people affected have a long history behind them: massages, painkillers, short-term improvement … and then the symptoms come back.
This is exactly where the concept of KINEO Physiotherapy comes in:
We do not just treat the symptoms, we find the cause of your chronic neck pain.
What is chronic neck pain?
If neck pain lasts longer than three months or keeps coming back, it is called chronic. If tingling, numbness or loss of strength in the arm are added, a nerve root in the cervical spine is usually irritated.
Medically, this form is called cervicobrachial pain or cervical radiculopathy.
Typical signs are:
- dull, pulling pain in the neck
- radiation into the shoulder, arm or hand
- morning stiffness
- getting worse with screen work
- tension headaches or dizziness
Why do these complaints often not go away on their own?
Because the cause is rarely "just tension".
Usually several factors work together:
- Poor posture (forward head posture, rounded back)
- Weakness of the deep neck muscles
- Overloaded shoulder blade muscles
- Disc changes or narrowing
- Stress and permanently raised muscle tension
- Years of screen work or one-sided strain
Without targeted therapy, a cycle develops of irritation → protective tension → even more irritation.
Typical symptoms depending on the affected nerve root
Nerve root
Symptoms
C5
Shoulder/upper arm, weakness when raising the arm
C6
Thumb/index finger, biceps weakness
C7
Middle finger, weakness when extending
C8
Little finger, loss of grip strength
If you recognise yourself here, there is a high probability that your neck pain is partly caused by a nerve.
What you can do yourself for chronic neck pain
These exercises do not replace therapy, but they are a decisive building block so that your neck settles and the treatment at KINEO Physiotherapy works faster and more lastingly.
Do the exercises several times a day for 5–10 minutes. Important: calmly, in a controlled way, not into the pain.
1. Chin nods (mobilisation of the upper cervical spine)
- Sit or stand upright
- Slowly lower your chin towards your chest
- Lift your head back up to the neutral position
- 10 calm repetitions
Releases tension in the upper neck and reduces pressure on irritated nerves.
2. Gentle head turns
- Slowly turn your head to the right
- Hold for 2–3 seconds
- Slowly turn to the left
- 10 repetitions per side
Improves the mobility of the cervical spine joints.
3. Backward shoulder circles
- Slowly circle your shoulders backwards in big circles
- 15 repetitions, then change direction
Relieves the overloaded shoulder and neck muscles.
4. Chest stretch in a doorway
- Place your forearms on the door frame
- Take a small step forward
- Hold for 20–30 seconds
Opens the chest, corrects forward head posture and relieves the neck straight away.
5. Isometric neck strengthening (very important!)
- Place your hand on your forehead and press lightly against it
- Your head stays stable, no movement
- Hold for 10 seconds, 5 repetitions
Then:
- Hand on the back of your head
- Hand on the side of your temple
Activates the deep neck muscles, which are almost always too weak in chronic complaints.
6. Nerve mobilisation for the arm (if the pain radiates)
- Stretch your arm out to the side
- Palm facing up
- Tilt your head to the opposite side
- Build up tension, release again (10 repetitions)
Calms irritated nerve structures and reduces tingling and pulling in the arm.
How KINEO treats chronic neck pain differently
At KINEO, you do not get a standard massage.
You get a structured cause analysis and a therapy tailored to your symptoms.
1. Precise assessment of the cervical spine and nerves
We test:
- Joint mobility of the cervical spine
- Nerve root function (reflexes, sensation, strength)
- Muscle tension
- Posture, workplace, movement patterns
2. Manual therapy + neuromobilisation
- Mobilisation of blocked spinal joints
- Releasing myofascial tension
- Trigger point treatment for radiating pain
- Neuromobilisation of irritated nerves
Patients often already feel a clear easing of the radiating pain at this stage.
3. Modern techniques for stubborn complaints
If needed, we add:
- Shockwave therapy
- Dry needling
- Heat therapy
- Kinesiology taping
4. Targeted build-up of the deep neck and shoulder blade muscles
The decisive step so that the pain does not come back:
- Strengthening the deep neck flexors
- Stabilising the shoulder girdle
- Posture correction through training, not through "sitting up straight"
5. Ergonomics and everyday coaching
We show you in concrete terms:
- how your workstation needs to be set up
- which sleeping position relieves your neck
- which micro-breaks are decisive
- how to use your smartphone and laptop in a neck-friendly way
Why patients with chronic neck pain come to KINEO
Because they realise that:
- Massages only help in the short term
- Painkillers are not a solution
- they finally want to understand why the pain is there
- they are looking for a lasting solution
Your way to a pain-free, mobile neck
Imagine:
Being able to turn your head freely again.
Working on the laptop without pulling in your arm.
Sleeping without morning stiffness.
Sport without limitations.
This is exactly what the treatment at KINEO Physiotherapy is designed for.
Book an appointment for chronic neck pain in Zürich
Do you suffer from neck pain with radiation, tingling or loss of strength in the arm?
Then it is time to treat the cause, not just the symptoms.
Book your appointment now at KINEO Physiotherapy in Zürich and start your way back to a pain-free everyday life.
