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Causes and Symptoms of Neck Pain

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Causes and Symptoms of Neck Pain

Vertebrae that extend from your skull to your upper torso make up your neck. In between the bones are cervical discs that absorb shock. Neck bones, ligaments, and muscles support your head and enable motion. Any abnormalities, inflammation, or injuries of these parts can lead to neck pain. Most people develop neck pain occasionally. Poor posture and repetitive use of neck muscles are leading causes of Flowood neck pain. In most cases, neck pain is mild, resolving within a few days. Sometimes neck pain can indicate severe injuries or illnesses requiring urgent medical attention.

Causes of neck pain

Muscle strains: Straining neck muscles can result from hunching over your computer or smartphone for prolonged periods. Minor activities like reading in bed, neck jerking during exercise, and gritting your teeth can lead to straining of neck muscles.

Worn joints: Like other body joints, your neck joints tear and wear as you age. Osteoarthritis, a form of arthritis, can cause the cartilages between your neck bones to deteriorate, leading to neck pain.

Nerve compression: Herniated disks, bone spurs, or growths in your neck vertebrae can press on your nerves branching out from your spine.

Injuries: Sudden jerking of your head backward and forward can strain your neck’s soft tissues, leading to pain. You can also experience neck injuries in car accidents, falls, or sports, and these injuries can force the neck muscles and ligaments to move outside their usual range.

Fibromyalgia: This is a condition that causes pain in your muscles throughout the body. The pain mainly occurs in the neck and shoulder sections.

Symptoms of neck pain

Symptoms of neck pain range from mild to severe, lasting for varying periods. In most patients, it is acute, staying for a few days or weeks. Sometimes it can become chronic. Your neck pain may be mild, not affecting your daily duties, or severe, interfering with your routine activities or causing disability. Neck pain can present with many symptoms, including:

Stiff neck: You may feel like your neck is stiff or stuck. Sometimes neck pain can decrease your range of motion.

Sharp pain: Your neck pain can present as a sharp or stabbing pain localized in one section.

Pain during motion: Your pain can exacerbate when you move, twist or extend your cervical spine, from side to side or up and down.

Radiating pain or numbness: Neck pain can radiate to your head, trunk, shoulder, and arms. If your pain results from nerve compression, you may experience numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arms or hands. Neck pain involving a pinched nerve may cause a burning or sharp ache, starting at your neck and traveling down your arm. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms.

Headache: Neck pain can also cause a headache known as cervicogenic headache. Neck pain accompanied by a headache can also be a symptom of migraine.

Pain when palpated: During a physical examination, your neck pain may increase if your doctor palpates your cervical spine.

Neck pain is treatable, and your doctor can use medications, physical therapies, or surgery depending on your underlying cause and symptoms. Schedule an appointment at Jackson Neurosurgery Clinic for neck pain treatment to relieve your discomfort.

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