Neck pain can have many causes, from muscle strain to serious conditions like spinal stenosis. It’s important to seek medical attention for an accurate diagnosis and treatment. MRI and CT scans are commonly used for diagnosis. Neck pain accompanied by other symptoms like fever and headaches could indicate a serious health problem.
Cervical pain is a pain in the neck and millions of people seek help from healthcare professionals each year for this very common ailment. There can be many different reasons for neck pain, and the cause can be as minor as a muscle strain or as serious as a stricture. It is important for people experiencing any type of neck pain to be evaluated by a doctor, as serious damage can be done if a serious underlying cause is not treated.
Any activity that places a significant amount of pressure on the neck can cause neck pain. For example, many people complain of neck pain immediately upon waking in the morning, which may be due to sleeping in positions that fail to adequately support the neck. Common complaints can also come after sitting in the same position for an extended period of time as poor posture while sitting and standing can lead to neck pain.
Often, this condition occurs as a result of an injury. Muscle strains are a common neck injury and are usually the result of overstretching. A strain is caused by an injury to a muscle or tendon. Car accidents, falls, and sports activities, which can lead to severe jolts in the neck, are some common ways to gain strain. In addition to neck pain, an individual with straining can also experience neck stiffness, tenderness, and spasms.
Another common cause of neck pain is general wear and tear, which can occur from overuse and as a direct result of aging. Arthritis can be an age-related condition that can cause pain in the neck, and in many cases, bone spurs will form in the spaces affected by the arthritis. The formation of these tiny bony bumps can make pain worse by putting extra pressure on the connecting nerves, which can also cause difficulty moving the neck.
Spinal stenosis can also cause this condition. If neck pain is caused by some sort of stenosis, it generally means that there is a narrowing in one or more parts of the spine. The narrowing typically appears in the neck and lower back. Other symptoms of this condition may include numbness and weakness in the neck, back, arms and legs. If the condition is very severe, some individuals may also have problems with walking and maintaining balance.
A patient presenting with neck related symptoms to a doctor will be referred for diagnostic testing for an accurate diagnosis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans are commonly used to diagnose neck problems. It’s important for people not to self-diagnose neck pain, as this type of pain could indicate a serious health problem. Neck pain accompanied by fever, chills, nausea, and headaches could all be symptoms of meningitis. Although not very common, neck pain can also be caused by tumors, which makes seeking prompt medical attention all the more important.
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