Neck Pain

  • What is neck pain? (Overview)

Neck pain, sometimes called cervicalgia, is common. It is pain in or around the spine beneath the head.

According to the cause, neck pain can present as axial neck pain (felt mostly in the neck) or radicular neck pain (pain that shoots into other areas, such as shoulders or arms). It can be acute (lasting up to six weeks) or chronic (lasting more than three months).

Fortunately, neck pain is rarely a symptom of a serious problem and improve with conservative treatments, like pain medicine, exercise and stress management.

  • What are the symptoms of neck pain?

Symptoms include:

– Muscle tightness and spasms.

-Headache.

-Decreased ability to move the head

-Persistent ache.

-Stabbing or burning pain.

-Shooting pain that travels from their neck to their shoulders or arms.

  • What causes neck pain?

-Aging. Degenerative conditions such as osteoarthritis (the wearing down of joint cartilage) and spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spaces in the spine) can lead to neck pain.

-Muscle Strains. Overusing neck muscles during repetitive or activities, poor posture, weak abdominal muscles and heavier body weight can affect the spine’s alignment and contribute to neck pain.

-Mental stress. Many people tighten neck muscles when they’re stressed which can lead to neck pain and stiffness.

Injuries. Trauma and other injuries can damage muscles, ligaments, tendons, discs, vertebral joints and nerve roots in the spinal cord leading to neck pain. During automobile accidents, whiplash is a common injury that causes neck pain. This occurs when the head moves backward and then forward, straining the soft tissues of the neck.

-Nerve Compression. Herniated discs and bone spurs of the vertebrae press on the nerves branching out from the spinal cord.

-Diseases. Some diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, meningitis or cancer, can cause neck pain.

  • How is neck pain diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will take medical history and do a physical examination to check tenderness, numbness and muscle weakness.

Imaging tests used include:

 Xray. X-ray can show problems with cervical alignment, fractures and slipped disks, and can detect arthritis.

CT scan. CT scans combine X-ray images to produce detailed cross-sectional views of structures inside the neck.

MRI. MRI can show problems with the spinal cord, nerves, bone marrow and soft tissue.

Electrodiagnostic tests. These tests check the function of nerves and muscle response.

Lab tests. These tests can sometimes provide evidence of inflammation or infections that might be causing or contributing to neck pain.

  • How to prevent neck pain?

-Practice good posture. Keep your shoulders aligned and your back straight when seated so you’re not straining your neck.

-Stay active. Increase your activity level if you do not move much.

-Don’t carry heavy weight on your shoulders. Instead, consider using luggage or bags with wheels.

-Sleep in a healthy position. Your head and neck should be aligned with your body. If you sleep on your back, place a pillow underneath your knees to decrease additional pressure on your low back.

-Take frequent breaks. Take occasional breaks to move around and stretch your entire body, including your neck muscles.

  • How is neck pain treated?

Medications

-Pain relievers such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can ease neck pain and inflammation.

Muscle relaxants can help your neck muscles heal.

Therapy

-Physical Therapy. A physical therapist can teach correct posture, alignment exercises and also movements that strengthen the muscles and tendons in your neck and improve flexibility.

-Soft neck collar. A soft collar that supports the neck may help relieve pain by taking pressure off the neck. But it cannot be used for more than three hours at a time or for more than 1 to 2 weeks, as it might do more harm than good.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). Electrodes placed on the skin near the painful areas deliver tiny electrical impulses that may relieve pain.

Surgery and other procedures

Steroid injections. Your Health care provider might inject steroid medications near the nerve roots to reduce inflammation and relieve pain.

-Surgery. Most causes of neck pain don’t require surgery. However, surgery might be an option for relieving nerve root or spinal cord compression.

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Neck Pain