What May Cause Neck Pain?

Neck pain is a very common condition and it can happen very fast and it can involve any tissue that is in the neck. Here are some common things that cause neck pain;

  1. Neck strain
  2. Neck injury (for example herniated disc)
  3. Degenerative disc disease

Neck pain can be cause by common infection. Like a virus infection in the throat that may lead up to lymph node (this is the glands) that are swelling and can cause neck pain. Neck pain can also be caused by rare infections. For example like tuberculosis of your neck or infection in your spine bone in the neck (osteomyelitis). Another one it meningitis (this cause the neck to become stiff and lead up to neck problem that can cause very bad neck pains).

Neck pain can also come from disease that may injury the neck muscle for example: fibromyalgia or polymyalgia rheumatic. These may also lead up to very uncomfortable position of your neck while you might be sleeping (even with a pillow under your head). Neck pains are often referred to cervical pains.

The most common neck pains are cause by injuries that involves sports, horse riding, motor vehicle accidents etc. You must try and prevent accident like these or you must strengthen your neck to try and avoid neck injuries. To strengthen your neck you can exercise it or people often use neck bracing to help.

What are the symptoms that you might get or that is associated with pain in the neck?

Sometime the neck pain in dull and it does not hurt so bad but in most times it is worsen with movement or the head. Here are symptoms that you have neck pain;

  • Numbness
  • Tingling
  • Tenderness
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Fullness
  • Sharp shooting pains
  • Pulsations
  • Dizziness/ Light headed

More common pains that can be associated with neck pain are – headaches, shoulder pain, facial pain and arm numbness. These can be caused by a nerve that it being pinched in the neck. Everything depends on how bad your pain might be because neck pain can also be accompanied by the upper and/or the lower back pain, like common inflammation of your spine from ankylosing spondylitis.

The neck structure

The neck has seven vertebrae that are part these are foundation of your spine (cervical vertebrae) that are surrounding the spinal canal and cord. Among the vertebras are discs that are very close to the nerves in the neck. In the neck structure is the skin and neck muscles, veins, arteries, thyroid gland, lymph nodes, trachea, larynx, esophagus, parathyroid. If these tissues in the neck are affected by diseases it can cause pain in the neck.

Which doctors treat pain in the neck?

There are so many different doctors that can treat pain in the neck. These doctors are family doctors, internists and general medicine physicians, in addition to rheumatologists, neurologists, orthopedistis, neurosurgeons, emergency physicians, ENT specialists, chiropractors and physiatrists. There are additional health specialists that also treat pain in the neck and they are; message therapists, physical therapists and acupuncturist.

Can neck pain be prevented?


Well the only way to really prevent pain in the neck is to avoid injuries to your neck. This will help to minimise the risk to injure your neck in sports. Athletes that are participate in collision sports will be able to prevent neck injuries with the right equipment, occasional bracing for the neck and strengthening exercises for the neck.