Neck pain is a common ailment. While the pain may simply be an indicator that your have overused the muscles in the neck, it can also be an indication of a much more serious problem. If your pain involves shooting pains that extend down the arms, an inability to touch the chin to the chest or numbness in the hands or arms may be more serious and should be evaluated by a doctor.
Some of the pain may be the result of overuse of muscles in the neck. If you work at a computer all day with poor posture, you may have a pain in your neck. If you continue to strain those same muscles day after day the strain may lead to chronic pain.
As a part of the aging process, the joints of the neck may become worn and cause pain. These wear and tear injuries can lead to the formation of osteoarthritis in the neck. Osteoarthritis can cause stiffness and pain when you need to move your head.
Problems of the spine may cause there to be less room for the nerves to branch out from the spinal cord. These problems can lead to a pinched nerve that causes a lot of pain. Examples of problems that might cause the pinched nerve include compressed discs, bone spurs or discs that have become stiffened.
The pain in your neck may be attributed to an accidental injury. One of the most common is a whiplash caused by an automobile accident. The whiplash puts strain on the muscles as they try to keep the head in place when the vehicle is struck. This type of injury often affects the soft tissues of the neck.
Rheumatoid arthritis can cause pains in the neck. In fact, the third most common place for pain from rheumatoid arthritis is in the neck. Persons suffering from rheumatoid arthritis may have long-term pain.
Spinal meningitis causes the lining of your brain and your spinal cord to swell. Stiffness along with pain is often one of the first indicators of this disease. Spinal meningitis is a serious disease and is infectious.
In some rare instances, the pain may be caused by cancerous tumors. Normally, the cancer does not start in the area of your neck, but it may travel here from another part of your body. Such tumors may require surgery or other treatment.
Treatment for your the pain depends on a correct diagnosis. Doctors use tests that include x-rays, ct and mri scans. In addition, the doctor may want to do a spinal tap to rule out meningitis.
Doctors treat your pain with medication and therapy. Some of the medications used include injections of steroids. Therapy includes temporary immobilization of your neck, traction or special exercises to help relieve the pain.
If you are experiencing neck pain that does not seem to get better, you will need to schedule an appointment with your doctor. He can evaluate the source of the pain and recommend a treatment plan. With the correct help, you may not have to suffer with neck pain forever.
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