Those who suffer from neck pain feel discomfort in some areas of the neck. This can be caused by an injury, an infection or simply by an inflammation.
Usually, neck pain is the result of strains and sprains. There are some conditions that lead to lower back pain that also cause neck pain. These usually have something to do with the spine, the supporting tissue or even both. The most common of these causes are ligament, stress and muscle tension. Others can be caused by injuries, arthritis, disc disease, fibromyalgia, and meningitis.
Around 10% of the adult population at any one time is suffering from a stiff neck
Causes of Neck Pain
- Atlantoaxial subluxation – A disorder in which the 1st and 2nd vertebrae are not properly aligned.
- Spondylosis of the cervical spine – This is the result of a degeneration of the intervertebral discs and the vertebrae in the neck, which causes the nerves to exit and become trapped through the vertebra. It can also be caused by the spinal cord being compressed by the narrowing of the spinal canal. This is one of the major causes of neck pain.
- Temporomandibular joint disorders – The problem is found in the temporomandibular joint. This condition usually affects women aged between 20 and 40.
- Spasmodic torticollis – Caused by the contraction of the head muscles, which causes the head to tilt and turn in strange positions.
- Other reasons for neck pain can include: A tear in the arterial mucosa of the neck, a block, or perhaps a tumor in the esophagus, bone infections, and inflammation of the thyroid and esophagus.
- Pain coming out of the neck on the left side sometimes leads to numbness of an arm or even headaches. The neck itself becomes stiff, sensitive, or even both, with pain. Movement can make the pain worse. Sometimes the pain also spreads to the upper back and shoulders and causes headaches. This neck pain and headache is a serious problem if it occurs regularly.
- The numbing of an arm is due to the nerve being compressed. Those affected may also feel a tingling, weakness or numbness in the arms or even in the legs. If the spinal cord is affected and compressed, patients may suffer from an uncontrollable bladder and some intestinal disorders. The symptoms vary depending on the condition.
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Neck Pain Relief Treatment
Doctors’ diagnoses are based on the patient’s symptoms, physical examinations or imaging tests and X-rays.
Usually, doctors use the patient’s description of what they feel to make a diagnosis. They may also base their diagnosis on some risk factors that help to find the cause of the problem or to conduct an examination of the patient. These examinations include an assessment of the nervous system. They may also ask the patient to move the neck to determine the range of motion and whether or not the movement is associated with pain. There are better painkillers, such as CBD oil, for pain relief.
Treatments must be based on what is causing the pain. However, in most cases, drinking analgesics bought from the local pharmacy, such as non-steroidal and anti-inflammatory drugs or analgesics that relieve pain, is recommended. If the pain is not caused by inflammation, paracetamol is recommended over NSAIDs as this is safer for the patient.
