How often do you feel pain in the neck, upper back, and shoulders after a whole day at the desk, or wake every morning with an ache that never goes? If you are nodding now, you are not alone. This is a problem that hundreds of thousands of office workers face every day.
Today we will introduce you to the real causes of work-related pain, and the modern treatment that will help you return to living at full capacity again.
Why do office workers hurt so often? Understanding the problem properly
Before rushing to find a treatment, it is important to understand why the pain arises, and why it does not go away easily.
The working habits that are the root cause
Sitting at work for too long is the main problem everyone knows well, but many people may not know that when you sit working for more than 2-3 hours without getting up to move, the muscles of the neck, upper back, and shoulders begin to tighten, blood flow becomes poor, and inflammatory substances build up in the tissue.
Using the muscles repeatedly — typing, using a mouse, or holding a phone for long periods — makes some muscles and tendons work too hard while others are used too little. This imbalance creates trigger points, what we know as "muscle knots."
Incorrect sitting posture is another important factor. Many people lean forward to look at the computer screen, raise the shoulder when using a mouse, or bend the head down to look at a phone. These postures compress the nerve, so that signalling between the brain and the muscle becomes abnormal.
The hidden stress
What many people overlook is psychological stress, which acts directly on the pain. When you are stressed, the body releases the hormone cortisol, which tightens the muscle further. The longer the stress lasts, the tighter the muscle.
The pain you should not overlook
Let us look at the kinds of pain that say you should see a doctor soon.
Neck, upper back, and shoulder pain that comes with numbness
If you feel neck pain and also have numbness in the fingertips, this may be a sign that a nerve is compressed, not merely ordinary muscle tightness. Numbness in the fingers may come from a nerve in the neck being compressed, so that signalling to the hand is incomplete.
Pain that steadily worsens
If your pain began slight but has grown steadily worse even with rest or less work, this is a clear warning sign of a problem that needs serious treatment. There may be chronic inflammation, or the structure of the tissue may have changed to the point that the condition worsens.
Headache and migraine that come with a tight neck
Many people do not know that a frequent headache or migraine may arise from tight neck and upper back muscles. When the muscles at the back of the head and the base of the skull are tight, they compress the nerve that signals to the head, producing a headache that is hard to treat.
The true story of a UX designer who almost had to resign
A UX designer at a well-known startup had to sit at a computer for more than 10 hours a day, along with the pressure of deadlines and high competition.
A life beginning to fall apart
Her neck and upper back pain began slight. She thought it was normal for someone who works, and tried massage and warm baths, but it did not improve — it grew steadily worse, until in the end she began to have a one-sided headache of the migraine kind as well.
The pain meant she could not work at full capacity. Her creative thinking declined, her memory began to fail, and worst of all she began to have trigger finger from using a mouse and working with a tablet frequently. Her finger began to catch when straightening, and she had to use the other hand to pull it.
A comprehensive diagnosis
The medical team at the clinic did not look at the pain alone, but assessed her in detail, and found that she had:
- Severe office syndrome, with several trigger points in the neck, upper back, and shoulders
- Tension headache, arising from tight muscles at the back of the head and the temples
- Trigger finger, from repeated use of the hand and inflammation of the tendon in the palm
The treatment plan that changed a life: 4 modern techniques
The doctor designed a treatment plan specifically for her, using the most modern medical technology, in 4 main techniques.
1. Dry Needling: Western-style needling for muscle knots
Dry needling is a technique in which a fine needle is inserted directly into a tender point or a muscle knot, differing from Chinese acupuncture, which follows meridian lines.
When the needle reaches the muscle knot, a local twitch response occurs, which is a sign that the muscle is releasing. Blood flow in that area improves, inflammatory substances are carried away, and the body begins its natural process of repairing itself.
For her, the doctor used dry needling in the neck, upper back, shoulders, and the muscles around the head that were the root of the headache. From the very first session she felt a relaxation that had not occurred for many months.
2. Focused Shockwave Therapy: precise shockwaves
Focused Shockwave Therapy is a technique that delivers high-energy shockwaves precisely into the problem tissue.
PYONG Rehabilitation Clinic uses 3D Dynamic Focusing technology, which can adjust the focus dynamically according to the depth of the muscle, so that the energy reaches exactly the tissue that needs treatment, as deep as 9 centimetres.
For her trigger finger this technique was highly effective. The shockwave helped the inflamed tendon recover, reduced the swelling, and let the tendon glide smoothly again.
3. Peripheral Magnetic Stimulation (PMS): reducing deep pain with magnetic waves
PMS uses electromagnetic waves to stimulate muscle and nerve at depth, without touching the skin.
The magnetic wave creates a high-strength magnetic field, producing an electrical current in the tissue that stimulates the muscle to contract rhythmically, increases muscle strength, improves nerve function, and reduces inflammation.
The important advantages are that it is painless, has no side effects, and the patient feels the improvement immediately after treatment. She said that after the first PMS session she felt her neck and upper back muscles much lighter and could move more freely.
4. High Power Laser Therapy: high-power laser for recovery
High Power Laser Therapy uses high-intensity laser light energy penetrating as deep as 5-6 centimetres into the tissue, without damaging the skin.
The photon energy from the laser is absorbed by the cells, stimulating the production of ATP, the energy of the cell, helping cells repair themselves faster, reducing inflammation, increasing blood flow, and effectively relieving pain.
The treatment is painless, takes only 5-10 minutes per area, the patient feels only a comfortable warmth, and importantly the result is visible immediately after the session.
A remarkable result
After treatment according to the plan, this UX designer saw a clear change.
Within 2 weeks: neck and upper back pain down by more than 70%; the trigger finger beginning to improve, with the finger bending and straightening without catching; headaches occurring less often.
Within 1 month: pain down to only 20% of what it was; able to work at full capacity without having to stop often because of pain; creative thinking back, with better work.
Within 2 months: no pain disturbing daily life any longer; the fingers working normally; no headaches at all; quality of life back as it was.
The supporting techniques you should know
Besides the 4 main techniques, PYONG Rehabilitation Clinic has other supporting technologies that may suit you.
Diagnostic Ultrasound: examining for precision
Before treatment, the doctor uses high-frequency sound waves to examine the structure of muscle, tendon, and nerve in real time, which makes the diagnosis precise and allows the treatment to be planned exactly.
It is also used during an injection or a hydrodissection procedure, to be sure that the injection is in the right place and safe.
Customized Insole: an insole made for you
Many people may wonder what an insole has to do with neck and upper back pain. The answer is "a great deal."
The foot is the foundation of the body. If the shape of the foot is abnormal — flat foot, high arch, or a problem with the way you walk — the weight is not distributed in balance, so the knee, hip, and spine have to work in compensation. Some muscles work too hard, until in the end pain follows.
The doctors at PYONG Rehabilitation Clinic will assess your gait and the shape of your foot. If a problem is found, they will design an insole specific to your build, helping to rebalance your walking, reduce cumulative injury, and prevent the pain from returning.
Who should see a doctor?
You may still wonder whether your symptoms are severe enough to need a doctor. Let us look at the warning signs.
- Office workers who sit at a computer for more than 6 hours a day, particularly those doing graphic design, programming, data entry, or work that uses a mouse and keyboard continuously
- Freelancers working from home, who often have an incorrect sitting posture, unsuitable equipment, and sit working for long stretches without the breaks of an office
- Frequent mobile phone users — bending the head down to look at a phone for long periods makes the neck carry as much as 5-6 times the usual load, damaging the structure and producing "text neck"
- Athletes and people who exercise with repeated injury in the same place, or with pain that does not go away even with a rest from exercise
Warning signs you should not overlook
- Pain for more than 3 months, or returning frequently
- Pain steadily worsening even with rest
- Numbness, burning, or pain radiating down the arm or leg
- Pain that keeps you from sleeping or wakes you in the night
- Pain affecting your work and quality of life
- Self-treatment tried without improvement
Why PYONG Rehabilitation Clinic?
You may wonder why choose here, when there are so many physiotherapy and massage clinics. The answer lies in "the difference in the approach to treatment."
At PYONG Rehabilitation Clinic, every step of examination, diagnosis, and treatment is carried out by a rehabilitation medicine physician, a specialist in the musculoskeletal system directly.
The physician can assess your overall condition, diagnose the true cause, and adjust the treatment plan flexibly as appropriate, as well as prescribe medication alongside the treatment if necessary.
PYONG Rehabilitation Clinic
Management of pain and musculoskeletal disorders, by specialist physicians
Location:
999 Room BF-11, Floor L, Gaysorn Village
Ploenchit Road, Lumpini, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330
(near BTS Chit Lom)
Free valet parking
Opening hours:
- Monday-Friday: 16:30-20:00
- Saturday-Sunday: 10:00-20:00
PYONG Rehabilitation Penthouse Clinic
Care for older adults and neurological rehabilitation, by a team of specialist doctors and allied health professionals
Location:
127 Room K, Floor 11, Gaysorn Tower
Ratchadamri Road, Lumpini, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330
Opening hours:
- Monday-Friday: 10:00-20:00
- Saturday-Sunday: 10:00-20:00