What is Neck Pain?
Neck pain is any form of discomfort within your neck area. This can range from mild to severe and is sometimes accompanied by other symptoms. This can also cause a deformed posture. In many cases, neck pain is not serious and can go away within hours. However, there are cases where proper intervention is needed to relieve the symptoms and correct the problem.
What Causes Neck Pain?
Neck muscle tightness and spasm
This is the most common cause of neck pain and results from poor posture or incorrect positioning during sleep. When our necks are in an uncomfortable position for too long, our joints and muscles tend to stiffen due to the build-up of calcium in the area. This can result in stiffness and pain once we start moving. A sudden jerk on the neck also causes pain, especially if it is intense.
Misalignment of cervical (neck) joint
Joints are connective tissues that cushion our bones. Just like any other part of our body, when our neck joints get misaligned, this will cause trauma and impingement of nerves that will result in pain.
Cervical disc problems
As mentioned, cervical discs are an added cushion in our vertebral area to support and protect our spinal nerves. Injury to this area can result in tearing which may lead to the protrusion of jelly-like substances in between them. This in turn could cause pressure to the surrounding nerves leading to extreme pain up to numbness.
Symptoms and Signs of Neck Pain
Neck pain can be associated with;
- headaches
- tingling in the arms
- muscle pain
- fever
- stiff neck
- throat pain
- tenderness
- weakness of the arms
How to Diagnose Neck Pain?
Neck pain is diagnosed through assessment and evaluation. Based upon your history and the examination, a healthcare provider will determine if further diagnostic testing is necessary. If so, neck pain diagnostics include:
- X-rays
- MRIs
- CT Scans
How is Neck Pain Treated?
Mild neck pain or stiff neck without any other symptoms are usually treated with home remedies to ease the discomfort listed below.
- Rest the affected area and avoid too much neck movement
- Ice pack for the first 24 hours to prevent too much soreness
- Warm compress after 24 hours to soothe the pain and ease the healing process
- Do not stay in one position for too long to avoid adding pressure to the injury
- Chiropractic procedures are also helpful in managing and preventing symptoms of neck pain
When neck pain becomes more consistent, more severe or impacts your daily routines, it is probably time to see a healthcare provider. Chiropractors take care of and treat many patients with neck symptoms and neck pains. The Chiropractic team at N8 Family Chiropractic has the experience to properly diagnose and treat neck pain.
Conclusion on Neck Pain
Neck pain alone is not something to worry about aside from the discomfort. Home remedies can often help when dealing with aches and pains in the neck.
In cases where neck pain is impacting your life, in any way, it is time to schedule an appointment to have an evaluation performed.
Our neck plays a vital role in our body, from holding important nerves for body functions to giving us a good stance and appearance. Injuries to this part can greatly affect our well-being. Avoiding neck pain through proper posture and neck exercises are always the best ways to keep our necks in good shape.
Schedule for Neck Pain Treatment at N8 Family Chiropractic
