Neck pain is a common complaint that can be caused by a variety of different health conditions. It can range from mild to severe, with more severe cases possibly indicating a serious underlying problem.
Your neck and upper back (cervical spine) consist of seven vertebral bones that support your head. These bones are separated by vertebral discs, and are reinforced by a network of muscles and ligaments (connective tissue). A problem with any of these structures, or with nerves in or near your neck, can cause neck pain.
Mild to moderate neck pain can usually be treated at home and improves within a couple of weeks, but it’s important to seek immediate medical attention if you develop severe neck pain suddenly due to an injury, such as after a car accident or a fall. You should also consult a healthcare provider if, in addition to neck pain, you’re also experiencing numbness or loss of strength in your arms or hands, or a shooting pain down your arm.
Your neck is sore. It hurts to move your head. Are you sleeping wrong, is it stress, or a result of climbing that ladder to clean your gutters? Let's get to the bottom of those real pains in your neck. When your neck is sore, you may have trouble moving it, especially to one side. Many people describe this as having a stiff neck. If neck pain involves nerves, such as a muscle spasm pinching on a nerve or a slipped disk pressing on a nerve, you may feel numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arm, hand, or elsewhere. A common cause of neck pain is muscle strain or tension. Usually, everyday activities are to blame. Such activities include bending over a desk for hours hunching in place, having poor posture while watching TV or reading, placing your computer monitor too high or too low, sleeping in an uncomfortable position, or twisting and turning your neck in a jarring manner while exercising. Usually, you can treat minor neck pain at home. Simple posture improvements are a great place to start, sitting straight with shoulders held back, driving with arms on armrests, and avoiding carrying shoulder bags. Take breaks when sitting in front of video displays or holding a telephone. For pain, you might try over-the-counter pain relievers such as Advil or Tylenol. And low level laser therapy can be very effective. Neck Pain treatment can be great for treating or preventing the recurrence of neck pain.
Neck Pain treatment and Medication Options: Recommended treatments for neck pain vary with the cause of your pain. In general, the goals of treatment are to relieve pain and improve function.
Most forms of mild to moderate neck pain respond well to self-care and conservative treatments, usually within two to three weeks. If your pain still isn’t resolved, your doctor may recommend other treatments.
Self-care options that may help resolve neck pain include:
Taking over-the-counter (OTC) pain relieversUsing heat or ice packs, or alternating between bothGentle stretches and neck exercisesRest
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