4 Common Causes of Neck Pain

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Neck pain is one of the most common complaints among patients in the U.S.. The bones, muscles, and ligaments in your neck allow your head to move and of course, they support your head. If you have bad poor posture, you may have problems with your neck. Neck pain may also be caused by injury, for example, a fall or collision. Most people don’t have serious neck injuries. However, a serious injury may require surgery. In this article, we want to introduce you to common causes of neck pain.

1. Neck strain

Neck strain is one of the most common causes of neck pain. When you spend a long time hunched over a computer or cell phone, you may get a muscle strain. Ligaments and muscles connect the cervical vertebrae. Sprains may occur at any moment, for example, a vehicle collision or a fall. Symptoms of neck strain include:

- Neck pain

- Spasms 

- Headache 

- Arm numbness 

- Reduced neck movement 

- Severe

In general, all strains are treated identically. You will have to wear a soft collar to support the neck and relieve pressure to give it time to heal. A neck pain doctor may recommend you take pain killers and apply hot and cold packs to the injured area to relieve the pain. Neck sprain injuries usually take about 5 weeks to heal

2. Nerve compression

Nerves play ann important role in the body. They send important messages, and if you have a compressed nerve, your body will send you a message, such as sharp pain. It is vital to note the problem, because, the faster you take action, the faster you will have relief. Symptoms of nerve compression include:

- Neck pain

- Numbness

- Weakness

- Burning sensation

Treatment will depend on the cause of the pain. If your pain is severe, you should make an appointment with your doctor. In such cases, you may need more than one type of treatment to get relief. But in general, people need just enough rest and to not create additional pressure on the neck. 

3. Cervical spondylosis

Cervical spondylosis is also known as cervical osteoarthritis (neck arthritis). It affects joints and discs. It is caused by age, but sometimes can be caused by other factors. Ninety percent of people over 60 have neck arthritis. Additional causes of neck arthritis can be a dehydrated spinal disk, injury, ligament stiffness, herniated discs, etc. Symptoms of cervical spondylosis include:

- Neck pain

- Muscle weakness

- Headaches

- Numbness

- Spasms

Most people require non-surgical treatment, such as physical therapy, medications, ice or hot packs, massages, injections, etc. But in some cases, surgery is essential, for example, when your spinal cord compresses.

4. Neck injuries

Most people do not pay attention to  their neck health and they remember about it only when it hurts. When our neck hurts we understand that neck muscles, bones and tendons allow you to turn your head frequently. Unexpected injury reduces head mobility and needs attention. You can not do your favorite sport or even drive, because it becomes painful. There are few types of neck injuries, for example, neck sprain, pinched nerve, or herniated disk. Symptoms of neck injury include:

- Neck pain

- Headaches

- Weakness

- Spasms 

- Disability in turning head normally 

Treatment methods depend on the place, type, and severity of the injury, age, medical condition, etc. 

The bottom line

To sum up, if you have neck pain for more than one week, contact your doctor and choose the treatment method that will suit you best. Try to take care of your overall health and do not forget to have an annual check up.