Neck Pain

Neck pain is discomfort in any of the structures in the neck. These include muscles and nerves as well as spinal vertebrae and the cushioning disks in between. Usually, neck pain is localized to one area and goes away on its own after a few days or weeks. However, in some cases, pain becomes very constant and can radiate into the shoulders or arms.

Symptoms of neck pain

Neck pain can simply be just pain or discomfort in a certain area, or it can have many other uncomfortable symptoms such as:

• Sharp pain: A stinging or stabbing pain usually localized to one spot, which most often occurs in the lower neck.
• Radiating pain: Pain that radiates in the nerves from the neck into the arms and shoulders- usually a burning sensation.
• Tingling, weakness, or numbness: Sensations that can go beyond the neck and radiate into the shoulders, arms, hands, and fingers. Usually, the pain is only felt in one arm, not both. This can often be described as ‘pins and needles’ sensation.
• Stiff neck: Difficulty turning neck into other directions and general soreness.
• Headaches: When nerves and muscles from the neck that connects to the head become irritated, most usually described as a tension headache or migraine.
• Trouble lifting or gripping objects: This can occur as a result of weakness or tingling in the hands and fingers.

Often, these symptoms cause sleep disturbances due to the discomfort. Neck pain can also interfere with completing daily activities that are otherwise simple such as getting dressed or driving. Neck pain with symptoms that increase and don’t go away should be discussed with your doctor.

Causes of neck pain

Pain in the neck can be caused by a number of different problems. When neck pain causes irritation along the nerve pathways, other places may become painful such as the shoulders, arms, and even hands and fingers. If your pain doesn’t go away within a few days or weeks, there may be an underlying cause or illness that makes it difficult to function. Most causes of neck pain are simple and fixable such as sleeping in the wrong position or a certain injury. Constant neck pain can be a sign of cancer or meningitis, even though it is very rare.

Other causes of neck pain can range from a severe whiplash injury which results in the neck and head being suddenly forced back quickly (such as an auto accident), or having poor posture (when a person sits with their head tilted forward for a long period of time each day.) The cervical spine could be causing a neck muscle to spasm in result to a soft tissue injury.

Diagnosis and treatment of neck pain: If the pain is severe and persistent, or getting worse with time instead of better, it is important to seek a medical professionals opinion in order to make sure there are no underlying causes for your pain.

There are three general categories of neck pain that will help your doctor determine your diagnosis:

• Acute: Pain lasting less than 4 weeks
• Subacute: Pain lasting 4-12 weeks
• Chronic: Pain lasting 3 or more months

Acute pain can be caused by sleeping wrong, and usually goes away relatively quickly. However, if pain becomes subacute or chronic, it is usually necessary to get medical treatment in order to get a correct diagnosis and treatment plan. Your doctor will want to start by getting the complete medical history and occupation, lifestyle, and sleep habits. He/she will also want to know if there have been any recent or past injuries and what the pain feels like. After this, a physical examination will be performed to check the neck’s range of motion and most sensitive areas. Further testing may include an X-ray, CT scan, myelogram, or an MRI to check what may be going on in the muscle tissue, bones, or discs.

Neck pain can usually be treated at home, with help from other medical professionals, and rarely surgery is needed.

Treatments may include:

• Ice or heat to reduce swelling and pain
• Rest, which will help the tendons and muscles heal on their own
• Massage to soothe spasms or tension
• Lifestyle modifications such as reducing time in the positions that cause the neck pain
• Over-the-counter medications to help reduce inflammation
• Physical therapy to help with neck flexibility and strengthening
• Prescription medications if the neck pain is causing severe pain or sleep disturbances
• Cervical injections to reduce pain and inflammation instantly

If an injury is causing your neck pain, sometimes surgery is the only option. Neck surgery is often followed by the above treatments listed to ensure a speedy recovery.