Neck pain is an almost inevitable part of a person’s life. Everyone will experience neck pain at one point or another with varying severity. Neck pain can be acute or chronic; most of the time though, it is not serious. Poor posture is the primary cause of this condition. However, there are cases when neck pain is a symptom of a more serious problem. If you experience severe neck pain despite several days of self-care, it is important to seek medical attention.
Symptoms of Neck Pain
Neck pain can manifest itself in different ways. Signs and symptoms of this condition may include:
•   Sharp or dull pain in the neck
•   Stiffness
•   Shoulder pain together with neck pain
•   Back pain together with neck pain
•   Difficulty in doing everyday tasks because of an uncomfortable sensation in the neck
Causes of Neck Pain
Muscle strains, worn joints, disk disorders, and injuries are the common causes of neck pain. Straining your muscles because of poor posture at work, hunching over the steering wheel, and sleeping uncomfortably can trigger muscle strain. Neck muscles become fatigued when this happens, and chronic pain can develop. And similar to other joints in the body, the neck joints will suffer from wear and tear as time goes by. This can cause osteoarthritis to occur in the neck.
Injuries are also a major cause of neck pain. When rear-end collisions occur, the head is jolted forward and back. The movement strains the tissues of the neck when it is pushed beyond its limits. Meanwhile, disk disorders occur when the disk between the vertebrae becomes stiff. It narrows the space in the spinal cord, and the disk in the neck becomes likely to herniate.
Treatment of Neck Pain
In most cases, the neck will respond positively to self-care. Some treatments you can try at home include taking over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers. Alternating hot and cold on the neck for 20 minutes a day also can relieve some of the pain. Other effective treatments include giving your neck time to rest, gentle stretching, and applying pain cream.
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I was originally diagnosed as having carpal tunnel by a neurologist 3 years ago. I believe he was a quack! Told him the pain was in my neck causing the problems. He didn’t listen, so I got another neurologist.
I under went surgery two years ago for neck pain. The neurosurgeon said I had spinal stenosis. He inserted 2 small plates to the 4 vertebrates and also a new disk cause my disk was only tissue thin he said. It is amazing how much relief I received after that surgery and healing time over 30 days. I am able to turn my neck now as for 30 years could hardly turn my neck.
Thanks for writing this post. Will be reading more of your blog soon. 🙂
I’ve been living with chronic back pain since I was 7!
Took a poorly placed tumble off a bunk bed in my sleep. Vertebrae in my upper neck are all twisted now, more than 8 hours in bed is torture and my back pops like rice crispies as soon as I get out!
Not fun stuff =\
[…] do you know the cause of your pain and the best methods for treating it? Our sister site, Health Eagle, has an informative article that will educate you on the causes, symptoms, and treatment options […]
somebody has an alternative way to avoid this?, it’s really annoying sometimes when i awake.