McGregor Blvd, Fort Myers
Neck Pain Treatment in Fort Myers: Help for Tight, Knotted Muscles
Your neck aches by 3 p.m. You rub the same knot over and over. Turning to check your blind spot on Summerlin Road hurts.
If you are looking for neck pain treatment in Fort Myers, this page tells you what SoftWave may do for sore neck muscles and what it won't. The short version: the research is promising for knotted neck and shoulder muscles, but it is still early. We say so up front.
- 5.0 from 198 Google reviews
- Dr. Lee Angle, D.C.
- McGregor Blvd, Fort Myers
Why does my neck hurt all the time?
Most long-lasting neck pain comes from muscles, not bones. The muscles that run from the base of your skull to your shoulders hold up a head that weighs about as much as a bowling ball. Look down at a phone or lean toward a laptop, and they work much harder.
Over time, small tight spots form in those muscles. People call them knots. Doctors call them trigger points. Press one and it hurts. Sometimes the pain shows up somewhere else, like the back of your head or behind your eye.
Other common causes:
- Sleeping on a pillow that is too high or too flat
- An old whiplash injury that never quite settled down
- Stress that makes you lift your shoulders toward your ears all day
- Worn joints in the neck, which is common after 50
Can SoftWave help neck pain?
SoftWave sends sound waves into sore tissue. SoftWave devices have FDA 510(k) clearance for some uses, such as improving blood supply and activating connective tissue (the tough bands that hold muscles and joints together).
The best research so far is on knots in the trapezius, the big muscle between your neck and shoulder. A 2020 review in the journal Medicine pooled five small trials of focused shockwave for that problem. People who got shockwave had less pain than people who got other treatments. The authors also said the trials were small and the proof is weak, and they asked for bigger studies. You can read the review.
So here is where we stand. For a knotted, overworked neck that has not settled with stretching and rest, SoftWave is a fair thing to try. It is not a sure thing. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling.
Dr. Angle uses SoftWave on all kinds of neck pain, from a stiff, knotted neck to nerve pain that runs toward the shoulder. Often he pairs it with chiropractic care. The one line he draws: if a nerve is causing real weakness, he sends you to a medical doctor first.
What about headaches?
Some headaches start in the neck. They often begin at the base of the skull and wrap up over one side of the head. If tight neck muscles feed your headaches, calming those muscles may help. We have not found good studies on SoftWave for headaches yet.
Migraine is different. It starts in the brain and nerves, and SoftWave does not treat it. Dr. Lee Angle is an upper cervical chiropractor, and many of his patients come to him for headaches. That care is separate from SoftWave. Read about upper cervical care at our main clinic.
Here is what Dr. Angle sees in his own patients: "We find if the neck muscles are looser and less inflamed headaches decrease in intensity and frequency." That is his experience in the office, not a study. It is also why we think a neck that feeds your headaches is worth mapping.
Start with a $49 mapping session
- We find the spots that hurt
- A straight yes or no on SoftWave
- No pressure to buy a plan
- If it's not for you, you are out $49, not thousands
- 5.0 from 198 Google reviews
- Dr. Lee Angle, D.C.
- McGregor Blvd, Fort Myers
Who is a good fit for neck pain treatment with SoftWave?
Often a fit
Your neck and upper shoulders feel tight and sore, or you get tingling or nerve pain toward the shoulder. It has gone on for weeks or months, and stretching, heat and massage only help for a day.
See a doctor first
Your pain started after a car crash or a fall. Or your arm or hand is getting weaker, you drop things you used to hold easily, you have a fever, or the pain wakes you every night.
Picture a dental hygienist in Iona who leans over patients eight hours a day. By Thursday her right shoulder is up by her ear. She is the person this page is for.
What does a SoftWave visit for neck pain feel like?
- Mapping. Matthew Mahoney moves the wand slowly over your neck and upper shoulders to find the spots that react.
- Treatment. Gel goes on the skin. The wand taps over the sore muscles for about 10 to 15 minutes. Most people feel firm tapping. A knot may feel tender while the wand is on it.
- Home. You can drive yourself home. Aftercare: Nothing special. You can drive home or go back to work right after.
Want to know more about the feel? Read does SoftWave hurt?
How many visits and what does it cost?
Most people need 6 to 8 sessions, once a week. The first step is a $49 mapping session. You find out if we think SoftWave fits your neck before you commit to anything else.
Plan price: $100 per session, or 6 sessions for $540 (that is $90 a session).
Paying: You can pay with your HSA card. See SoftWave cost in Fort Myers for more.
Sore shoulders often come with a sore neck. Read about shoulder pain treatment in Fort Myers, the problem Dr. Angle first tried SoftWave on himself.
Who will I see?
Dr. Lee Angle, D.C. (Doctor of Chiropractic), runs Upper Cervical Health Centers on McGregor Blvd. Necks are his everyday work. Matthew Mahoney runs the SoftWave sessions.
Dr. Angle has a 5.0 rating from 198 Google reviews. Those cover all of his care, not only SoftWave. For his chiropractic approach to the neck, see neck and shoulder pain at our main clinic.
Common questions
Can SoftWave help my headaches?
Some headaches start in tight neck muscles. If yours do, easing those muscles may help. We will not promise that. SoftWave does not treat migraine itself. If headaches are your main problem, ask about Dr. Angle's upper cervical care.
Do you use SoftWave on the neck?
Yes. Dr. Angle uses it for all kinds of neck pain, from a stiff neck to nerve pain. If your arm or hand is getting weaker, he will send you to a medical doctor first.
What is a knot in my neck?
Doctors call it a trigger point. It is a small, tight spot in a muscle that hurts when you press it. It can also send pain to other places, like the back of your head.
How many sessions does neck pain take?
Most people need 6 to 8 sessions, once a week. Your mapping session is where we set the plan for your neck.
When should I see a medical doctor instead?
Go to the ER for neck pain after a car crash or fall, or neck pain with a fever, a stiff neck you cannot bend forward, or new weakness or numbness in your arms. Call your doctor if the pain wakes you every night.
Tired of rubbing the same knot every afternoon?
Get a straight answer on whether SoftWave fits your neck. Book your $49 mapping session, or call 239.243.8810. We are at 12651 McGregor Blvd Ste 102, Fort Myers, FL 33919. Get directions.
Call to book $49