The human neck consists of vertebrae that extend from the skull towards the upper torso. Cervical disks are there to absorb the shock between bones. People experience neck pain due to inflammation or injury that may cause stiffness or pain around the neck. It is the bones, muscles, and ligaments that support the head and allows for its motion. Poor posture of overuse is the common culprit that causes neck pain in the majority of people. Some people experience neck pain from falling, playing high contact games such as rugby, or whiplash. Neck pain is not such a severe condition; people suffering from neck pain get relieved after a few days. A few cases may require attention from a doctor; for example, neck pain that lasts more than a week and is accompanied by other signs and symptoms may be severe and needs immediate medical attention.
What are the root causes of neck pain?
Neck pain can happen due to some reasons, which include the following:
Muscle tension or strain: It happens due to poor posture, working on a desk for way too long without changing the position, wrong sleeping position, and jerking the neck during an exercise.
Injury: The neck is vulnerable to damages like falls, sports injuries, accidents, and more. Ligaments and muscles in the neck forced to extend beyond the limit or normal range cause neck pain. Severe damage in the neck bones or cervical vertebrae might lead to injuries in the spinal cord; whiplash, for example, causes damage to the spine due to sudden jerk.
Heart attack: Neck pain is one of the symptoms of a heart attack but usually hides behind other signs and symptoms such as sweating, shortness of breath, nausea, arm or jaw pain, and vomiting. So, if you feel neck pain and your present other symptoms of heart attack, that is an emergency, quickly call the ambulance to rush you to the emergency room.
Meningitis: It is a fatal disease that causes inflammation of the thin tissue around the brain and the spinal cord. People who are suffering from this disease experience fever and headache accompanied by a stiff neck.
Other causes of neck pain: Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that causes swelling of the joints, pain, and bone spurs; when this happens around the neck, it causes neck pain. Osteoporosis is a disease that weakens the bones, and it may lead to small fractures; it usually occurs on the knees and hands, but it is possible to happen in the neck. As you age, cervical disks degenerate, narrowing the space between the vertebrae, adding stress to joints. When vertebral disks protrude due to injury or trauma, it adds pressure to the spinal cord and root nerves leading to herniated cervical disks. Lastly, spinal stenosis happens when spinal columns narrow, adding pressure to the spinal cord; if this extends to the neck area, it causes neck pain.
Treatment for neck pain
The doctor shall perform physical examinations and take notes of your medical history. The doctor shall inquire about the signs and symptoms plus all the prescriptions you have received or medicine you bought over the counter, or any supplements you might be taking. Your doctor will prescribe treatment based on the findings from your physical exams and your current medications. He might have to perform imaging and tests to help determine the cause and to find a way on how to solve neck pain.
