Neck Pain: Causes, Symptoms and Relief
Neck pain: causes, symptoms, and relief
Neck pain symptoms can range from annoying to excruciating. Most neck pain symptoms are nothing to worry about. However, some symptoms may be signs of an issue that a doctor should check out. We’ll help you make sense of when neck pain is cause for concern and when it’s not.
Symptoms and signs of neck pain can include2:
Difficulty moving your neck, or a stiff neck
Muscle tightness or spasms
Sharp pain
General soreness, achy pain
Headache
Pain that increases when holding your head in one position, as in when driving or working at a computer
If your neck pain accompanies an injury, fall, or accident, seek medical attention immediately. It may be the sign of damage that requires medical treatment.
Neck pain can feel much scarier than it actually is. Most neck pain resolves itself on its own with the help of at-home solutions.3 However, if you experience any of the following symptoms, seeing a doctor is in order4:
Pain that persists for days without any improvement
Severe headache
Numbness or tingling
Trouble gripping objects
Pain that spreads down one or more of your arms or legs
Essentially the top of our spine (and our spinal cord), our necks are made up of seven vertebrae that make up what’s called the cervical spine. (That’s why sometimes neck pain is called cervical pain). Acting as cushioning between these vertebrae are discs made out of cartilage. Nerves then extend throughout the neck, while muscles, tendons, and ligaments allow us to swivel our neck to move and support our head. Pain in the neck can be caused by strain or injury to any of these elements that make up the neck.5
Some acute neck pain causes include:6
Poor posture
Sleeping in an awkward position
Repetitive motions
Carrying a heavy bag on your shoulder
Trauma or injury
Non-specific causes
Sometimes emotional distress can cause neck pain, as well. Stress can cause the neck muscles to tense up, which can escalate into neck pain.7
applying heat using heating pads, baths, or warm, moist towels
massaging and manipulating the neck
stretching the neck8
reducing stress9
applying ice to the injured area
practicing good posture when sitting, standing, and walking10
sleeping in a position that supports the neck11
performing exercises to help keep the neck strong12
1 “Neck Pain” Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/neck-pain/symptoms-causes/syc-20375581 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/neck-pain/symptoms-causes/syc-20375581 Accessed Nov 2020
2 “Neck Pain Symptoms” Spine-health. https://www.spine-health.com/conditions/neck-pain/neck-pain-symptoms https://www.spine-health.com/conditions/neck-pain/neck-pain-symptoms Accessed Nov 2020
3 “When to Worry About Neck Pain and When Not To” Pain Science. https://www.painscience.com/articles/when-to-worry-about-neck-pain-and-when-not-to.php https://www.painscience.com/articles/when-to-worry-about-neck-pain-and-when-not-to.php Accessed August 2020
4 “Neck Pain” Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/neck-pain/symptoms-causes/syc-20375581 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/neck-pain/symptoms-causes/syc-20375581 Accessed August 2020
5 “Neck Pain: Possible Causes and How to Treat It” Healthline https://www.healthline.com/health/neck-pain https://www.healthline.com/health/neck-pain Accessed Nov 2020
6 “Neck Pain Causes” Spine-health https://www.spine-health.com/conditions/neck-pain/neck-pain-causes https://www.spine-health.com/conditions/neck-pain/neck-pain-causes Accessed Nov 2020
7 “Association of Depression/Anxiety Symptoms with Neck Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Literature in China” Pain Research and Management. 2018. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6176305/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6176305/ Accessed August 2020
8 “Flexibility Exercises” NHS https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/flexibility-exercises/ https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/flexibility-exercises/ Accessed Nov 2020
9 “7 Ways to Alleviate Pain in Your Neck from Stress” Spine and Orthopedic Center https://www.spineorthocenter.com/7-ways-alleviate-pain-neck-from-stress/#:~:text=Neck%20pain%20is%20a%20common,our%20muscles%20can%20tense%20up https://www.spineorthocenter.com/7-ways-alleviate-pain-neck-from-stress/#:~:text=Neck%20pain%20is%20a%20common,our%20muscles%20can%20tense%20up Accessed Nov 2020
10 “Common Posture Mistakes and Fixes” NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/common-posture-mistakes-and-fixes/ https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/common-posture-mistakes-and-fixes/ Accessed Nov 2020
11 “Say ‘Good Night’ to Neck Pain” Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School. https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/say-good-night-to-neck-pain https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/say-good-night-to-neck-pain Accessed Nov 2020 “Flexibility Exercises” NHS https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/flexibility-exercises/ https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/flexibility-exercises/ Accessed Nov 2020
Pain is rarely just physical nor is it always solved by taking medicine alone. Voltaren is your ally in helping you take more control of your pain journey, from the way you sleep, to what you eat, mental wellbeing and complementary pain relief therapies.
