One may suffer from neck pain due to a variety of reasons. It’s an annoyance and gets in the way of normal living. In order to rid yourself of neck pain, you have to know why it happens before visiting a pain clinic near you.
Neck pain is a common problem with multiple causes. Common symptoms include tight, stiff muscles, spasms, headache, reduced ability to turn ones head, and pain that gets worse when the patient holds their head in one position for a long time.
What Causes Neck Pain?
The neck is part of the spine and therefore consists of vertebrae and associated tissues like discs. Various inflammations, injuries, and abnormalities can cause neck pain. Many people experience occasional neck pain. The condition is often caused by poor posture, overuse, or normal wear and tear. It can also be caused by an injury like whiplash. Other common causes of neck pain include osteoarthritis, herniated discs or bone spurs pressing on a nerve, and strained muscles.
Common and Prevalent Causes of Neck Pain
1. Bad Sleeping and Sitting Posture
A great deal of what we do and how we feel is connected to how we sleep, sit, or stand. Research shows that craning your neck forward is a risk when you are doing things like surfing the internet or reading books, which can lead to cervical spine problems. Remember, we’re not telling you to curtail your activities, just to be cautious about craning your neck.
As far as sleep goes, there are several ways to go about it. There are other ways, however, and they include sleeping on your back. Sleeping on your left side causes back pain.
You may also be sleeping with your head at an awkward angle using too many pillows, which is also not good for neck pain. It may be a good idea to consider getting a foam pillow to assist with your neck’s comfort and flexibility.
2. Excessive Stress
Every day, stress adds something new to our list of potential hazards. If it causes our muscles to become tense, it will make it easier to strain them a bit more. If you’re constantly stressed, your injury risk increases. The best advice we can give is to get a hold of yourself. You must, even if it is only for a short period of time.
When you are experiencing frequent stress, it is better to see a psychologist. They can help you cope with your symptoms and, if they believe medication may help, can recommend that you see a specialist in a pain clinic.
3. Lifting Excessive Weight
Don’t worry, this is not a weight loss entry, but it still can be a health problem. It is about weight literally, as in the form of a bag or a backpack. Too much weight, and in particular its uneven distribution, needs your spine to bend, which can lead to injury and uncomfortable conditions. As to how to cure it, we can only suggest that you try to go for an even distribution of weight and reduce it if you can.
4. Whiplash
Whiplash has some causes similar to Brachial Plexus, and some symptoms can be similar too. A person with whiplash, however, may also experience headaches, lower back pain, dizziness, tinnitus, and other symptoms.
Whiplash treatments are often simplistic. They include ice packs, painkillers and home or outpatient treatments and physical therapy. In a month, symptoms will often disappear.
5. Nerve pinched
A pinched nerve in the neck is very much like a brachial plexus injury. A pinched nerve can, however, also be caused by being overweight. The pain can disappear in a few days if the condition is not serious. In some ways, they can also be cured by implementing some home remedies too.
Neck pain is usually not serious; it can sometimes indicate a major problem
A patient should therefore contact our office if any of the following are true:
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The neck pain has lasted several days with no signs of getting better
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The pain is severe
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The pain is accompanied by numbness, tingling, weakness, or headache
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The pain spreads down the legs and arms
Visit Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management
Our pain clinic in OKC is reputed for treating acute and chronic back and neck pain. Come to us by booking your schedule online. We will make sure you say a final goodbye to your neck pain.
**Disclaimer: This content should not be considered medical advice and does not imply a doctor-patient relationship.
