Neck pain may occur from muscle strain or joint pain from everyday activities including poor posture, prolonged use of a computer, and sleeping in an uncomfortable position.
Common causes of neck pain can arise from injury to the soft tissues (muscles, ligaments, or nerves) or prolonged wear and tear. Traumatic accidents or falls and contact sports can cause neck injuries and pain. Common conditions producing neck pain include:
Myofascial pain: Pain in the soft tissue of the neck that is worsened by poor posture (e.g., “tech neck” from prolonged screen use) or improper ergonomics.
Cervical disc herniation: Disc herniation is the bulging or rupture of the soft fibrous disc that cushions the vertebrae. The condition can be caused by normal aging or by traumatic injury to the spine. The condition results in painful, burning, tingling, or numbing sensations in the neck and arms.
Cervical spondylosis: Cervical spondylosis refers to the degeneration joints in the neck region. The condition results in neck pain that can radiate to arms or shoulder and reduce range of motion.
Cervical stenosis: Cervical stenosis refers to the narrowing of the spinal canal and can cause neck pain radiating to your arms and hands.
Degenerative disc disease: Degenerative disc disease refers to the gradual deterioration of the disc between the vertebrae and is caused due to aging.
Patient with neck pain can have symptoms that are localized to the neck or radiate to the head, shoulders, arms, or upper back.
The first step to diagnose neck pain is to perform a thorough physical examination and carefully consider your medical and family history.
Some of the treatments for Neck Pain include: