Neck pain causes are associated with the seven interlocking vertebrae of the neck. Neck pain is a very common medical condition and comes from disorders and diseases of tissues in the neck. It ranges from mild to severe pain leading to acute or chronic conditions.
There are a number of neck pain causes which can be avoided by taking appropriate measures. However some conditions are unavoidable and need to be taken care of through proper medical treatment. The five common neck pain causes can lead to chronic or acute pain in the neck area due to different factors.
One of the most common neck pain causes is the muscle strain which occurs because of a number of reasons. Sitting in a hunched position on the desk or during driving can trigger neck muscle strain. Even if such posture is maintained in a routine manner can cause overuse of neck muscles and chronic pain can develop. This type of neck pain can also be associated with headaches, muscle spasm and restriction in head movements.
Some of the common causes of neck pain deal with problems in neck’s vertebrae which can reduce the amount of space available for the nerves to branch out. This can lead to conditions like stiffened disks, herniated disks and bone spurs. These conditions can cause cushioning disks, protrusions or bony growths which can press on nerves leading to spinal weakness and pain in the arms.
Neck pain causes associated with car accidents can lead to strain on neck muscles and ligaments in the neck to stretch and tear. This happens when the car is hit from behind while it is slowing down or at a halt. The situation causes the head to be thrown backwards with a jerk which leads to neck injuries. Such injuries get worse with movement and causes stiffness in the neck. This can also lead to dizziness, headaches, nerve pain, muscle spasm and shoulder pain.
Degenerative Disc Disease
Neck pain causes due to ageing are hard to cure. This happens when a space created between the vertebrae starts decreasing. Wear and tear of the cervical discs are common in older people. Like other joints in the body osteoarthritis in the neck is bound to occur. Bone spurs follows this degeneration of the spine.
Cervical Spinal Stenosis
Pressure on the spinal cord can lead to narrowing of the canal in which the spinal cord lies. Neck pain causes because of this condition can transfer to arms or legs also causing weakness in the body. People suffering from cervical spinal stenosis are hard to diagnose because of few symptoms to notice.
Neck pain causes are diagnosed based on patient history and physical examination. X-rays, CT scans or MRI scans may be required to determine the exact cause of neck pain. Neck pains can be serious if not taken care of at an early stage. They can also result into chronic headaches and stiffness that can hinder the daily activities of life significantly.