Neck Pain Causes, Precautions and Treatment

There are many things that can irritate or strain the nerves in the neck and cause neck pain, which could trigger a headache, includes improper posture, neck strain, injury, or medical conditions like a pinched nerve or herniated cervical disk, many factors can constitute neck pain or strain including injuries, strains, and certain medical conditions.

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Some common causes of neck pain include:

• • Stiff neck muscles
  • Use of regular mobile phones taking almost many hours of day
  • Computer or laptop usage – Many software professional have experienced this
  • Improper Poor Posture – Sitting in poor posture can cause pressure and damage to nerves
  • Improper Sleeping positions – Lack of proper sleeping aids
  • Any injury happened around neck or shoulder
  • Herniated disc and Pinched nerve problems

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1. Neck & Head Pains due to herniated cervical disc and pinched nerve:

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A Herniated cervical disc occurs when one of the soft discs between one of the seven vertebrae in your neck becomes damaged and bulges out of your spinal column. If this presses on a nerve, you can feel pain in your neck and head.

A Pinched nerve occurs when a nerve in your neck is irritated or compressed. With so many sensory nerve fibers in the spinal cord in your neck, a pinched nerve here can result in a number of symptoms which includes : Stiff neck, throbbing headache in the back of your head , headache caused by moving your neck, Other symptoms can include Shoulder pain along with muscle weakness and numbness or tingling sensations.

2. Neck Pains due to Headache:

Some types of headaches can contribute to neck pain, which may be caused by issues with certain muscles or nerves, the source of a tension headache is often traced back to a buildup of stress, anxiety, lack of sleep, these conditions can result in tightened muscles at the back of your neck and the base of your skull, A tension headache is often described as mild to moderate pain that feels like a band tightening around your head

3. Neck Pain due to Migraine:

Migraine is often associated with moderate to severe, throbbing pain in the head or neck, this can cause neck pain and other migraine symptoms, like nausea and increased sensitivity to sound or light, Some of the most common triggers for migraine headaches includes stress, hormone fluctuations, skipping meals, changes in weather.

4. Neck Pain due to Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) disorders

TMJ disorders affect the jaw and the muscles and ligaments that surround it, Although it can be difficult to determine the specific cause of TMJ disorders, they may be due to a combination of factors like genetics, jaw injury, arthritis of the jaw, grinding teeth, jaw clenching, TMJ can affect the jaw bone and muscles around the jaw joint. This can be worsened by chewing gum, eating ice, and eating crunchy or chewy foods. This may lead to pain and swelling in the surrounding tissues, including the neck, It may also cause other symptoms, like jaw popping, ear pain, and tooth sensitivity.

5. Neck Pain due to Wry Neck (Torticollis)

Anyone can develop wry neck after a muscle or nervous system injury. However, most of the time, the cause of wry neck is unknown. This is referred to as idiopathic torticollis. Types of torticollis

• Temporary torticollis:  This type of wry neck usually disappears after one or two days. It can be due to: swollen lymph nodes, an ear infection, a cold, an injury to your head and neck that causes swelling
• Fixed torticollis: Fixed torticollis is also called acute torticollis or permanent torticollis. It’s usually due to a problem with the muscular or bone structure.
• Muscular torticollis: This is the most common type of fixed torticollis. It results from scarring or tight muscles on one side of the neck.
• Klippel – Feil Syndrome: This is a rare, congenital form of wry neck. It occurs when the bones in your baby’s neck form incorrectly, notably due to two neck vertebrae being fused together. Children born with this condition may have difficulty with hearing and vision.

Treating a Pinched nerve in your neck

Doctor may recommend one or a combination of the following treatments for a pinched nerve in your neck:

• • Cervical collar. This is a soft, padded ring that limits motion. It allows the neck muscles to relax.
  • Physical therapy. Following a specific set of guided, physical therapy exercises can strengthen neck muscles, improve range of motion, and relieve pain.
  • Oral medication. Prescription and OTC medications your doctor might recommend to ease pain and reduce inflammation include aspirin, naproxen, ibuprofen, and corticosteroids.
  • Injections. Steroid injections are used to lessen swelling and relieve pain for a long enough period for the nerve to recover.

Surgery is an option if these less invasive treatments don’t work.

Treating a Herniated Cervical Disc

Surgery for a herniated disc is necessary for only a small number of people. In some cases, a doctor may recommend more conservative treatments instead OTC pain medications, like naproxen or ibuprofen

• • Prescription pain medications, like narcotics including oxycodone-acetaminophen
  • Muscle relaxers
  • Cortisone injections
  • Certain anticonvulsants, like gabapentin
  • Physical therapy

To prevent headaches related to neck pain, there are things you can do to avoid a stiff neck at home. Consider the following:

• • Practice good posture. When standing or sitting, your shoulders should be in a straight line over your hips with your ears directly over your shoulders. Forward head posture, which is common when using electronics, could be a culprit.
  • Adjust your sleep position. Try to sleep with your head and neck aligned with your body. Some chiropractors recommend sleeping on your back with a pillow under your thighs to flatten your spinal muscles.
  • Customize your workspace. Adjust your chair so your knees are a bit lower than your hips. Place your computer monitor at eye level.
  • Take breaks. Whether you’re working at your computer for long periods of time or driving long distances, frequently stand up and move. Stretch your shoulders and neck.
  • If you smoke, consider quitting. Among other problems it can cause, smoking can your risk of developing neck pain.
  • Watch how you carry your stuff. Don’t use an over-the-shoulder strap to carry heavy bags. This goes for purses, briefcases, and computer bags, too.

Treatments for Wry neck

Currently, there’s no way to prevent wry neck. however, getting treatment quickly can keep it from becoming worse, one can improve congenital forms of wry neck by stretching the neck muscles, surgery can sometimes correct the problem, doctor can treat acquired wry neck according to the cause if it’s known, treatments for wry neck include applying heat, Massage therapy, physical therapy or chiropractic care, traction, stretching exercises, neck braces.

Doctor may recommend surgery, such as fusing abnormal vertebrae, lengthening neck muscles, cutting nerves or muscles, using deep brain stimulation to interrupt nerve signals (used only in the most severe cases of cervical dystonia)

Medications can be helpful, they can include muscle relaxants, medications used to treat the tremors of Parkinson’s disease, botulinum toxin injections repeated every few months

Diagnosing the proper root cause and taking appropriate treatment will prevent from neck pain, daily exercise and healthy life style will keep away many human disorders like sleeplessness, neck, shoulder & body pains and keeps good health and happy life.