Most of us have suffered from neck pain at some point in our lives. What evades us, however, are the myriad causes that bring about the pain.
1. Muscle and ligament stress
The most common type of neck pain is non-specific pain, also referred to as ‘simple’ or ‘mechanical’ neck pain. The precise causes of this are unknown, but often attributed to muscle stress triggered by excessive pressure exerted on the neck. Over time, the muscles and ligaments in the neck become tired, which leads to neck pain.
2. Poor posture
Aside from muscle stress, neck pain is also widely attributed to bad posture. Spending long hours bent over a keyboard or sitting or sleeping without proper neck support can build up stress in, and weaken the neck muscles, causing pain in the neck.
3. Degenerative conditions
- Chronic degeneration
The degeneration of the cervical (neck) bones can cause persistent pain in the neck; this is a common occurrence in older people. Everyone experiences degeneration to a certain degree, most without significant pain. Unfortunately some people do encounter pain caused by this. When degeneration affects the cervical spine, it is termed cervical spondylosis.
- Cervical radiculopathy
This arises when a nerve is damaged in the cervical areas surrounding the spinal cord in the neck, and may cause numbness, prickling sensations as well as pain or weakness in the affected arm. This is usually the result of a ruptured spinal disc.
4. Traumatic experiences
Being involved in a car accident can result in whiplash injuries – this type of injury occurs when the sheer force of impact jerks the head forward and then backward, causing undue and sudden stress on the neck muscles. Even when treated with dedicated physiotherapy sessions, whiplash injuries usually take months to heal.
In addition to all the above, there are many other conditions that, though rare, can cause neck pain. Some of these include bone disorders, infections, cancers, serious injuries to the spine, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Patients experiencing neck pain for any significant amount of time should always consult a medical doctor to diagnose the cause, rule out any dangerous and urgent conditions, and to be treated effectively.
