You can have neck pain anywhere from the bottom of your head to the top of your shoulders. It can spread to the upper back or arms. Injuries, painting a ceiling, sleeping with your neck twisted, staying in one position for too long, and many other activities can cause neck pain.
Most neck pain gets better with home care. Your doctor may recommend medicine to relieve pain or relax your muscles. He or she may suggest exercise and physical therapy to increase flexibility and relieve stress. You may need to wear a special (cervical) collar to support your neck for a day or two.
Neck pain is pain anywhere from the bottom of your head to the top of your shoulders. It can spread to your upper back or arms. It may limit how much you can move your head and neck.
Most neck pain gets better within several weeks with treatment that includes taking steps to relieve pain, modifying activities, and doing exercises or manual therapy. Neck pain caused by an injury such as a severe whiplash may take longer but usually improves in 6 to 12 months.
Neck pain may become long-lasting (chronic) when it occurs in combination with other health conditions, such as conditions associated with increasing age. These include narrowing of the spinal canal (cervical spinal stenosis), arthritis of the neck (cervical spondylosis), or herniated disc. In some cases, chronic neck pain can be caused by repeated and prolonged movements, such as long hours working at a computer.
Chronic neck pain can make it hard to cope with daily life. Common side effects of chronic pain include fatigue, depression, and anxiety.
You may feel a knot, stiffness, or severe pain in your neck. The pain may be worse when you move. It may spread to your shoulders, upper back, or arms. You may get a headache. You may not be able to move or turn your head and neck easily.
If there is pressure on a spinal nerve root, you might have pain that shoots down your arm. You may also have numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arm. You may also have a burning feeling when you are touched on the skin of the arm or hand. There might also be pain that feels like a shock and extends into your arm or hand.
If your neck pain is long-lasting (chronic), you may have trouble coping with daily life. Common side effects of chronic pain include fatigue, depression, and anxiety.
The type of treatment you need depends on the cause of your neck pain. Most neck pain caused by activities can be treated at home.
For neck pain that occurs suddenly:
Ask your doctor if you can take an anti-inflammatory medicine for pain.
For chronic neck pain, your doctor may prescribe medicine to relax your neck muscles, relieve pain, or help you sleep.
Surgery is rarely done to treat neck pain.
Manual therapy (or bodywork) is sometimes used for neck pain. Manual therapy includes massage, mobilization, and manipulation of the muscles, bones, and joints.
Before you try manual therapy for neck pain, think about the following:
Do your research. Not all manual therapy is the same. And there isn't a good way to tell what will be helpful and what won't. If you decide to try it, talk to a couple of different manual therapy providers before you choose and get treated by one.
You can avoid neck pain caused by stress or muscle strain with some new habits.
Here are some things to try:
Your doctor will ask questions about your symptoms and do a physical exam. He or she may also ask about any previous treatment you've had, as well as any injuries, illnesses, or activities that may be causing your neck pain.
During the physical exam, your doctor will check how well you can move your neck. He or she will also look for tenderness or numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arms or hands.
If your pain started after an injury, or if it doesn't improve after a few weeks, your doctor may want to do more tests. Imaging tests, such as an X-ray, an MRI scan, or a CT scan, can show the neck muscles and tissues. These tests may be done to check the neck bones, spinal discs, spinal nerve roots, and spinal cord. You may have blood tests to check for an illness or infection.
Medicines can relieve neck pain and reduce inflammation of the soft tissues. Pain relief will allow you to move your neck gently, so you can begin easy exercises and start to heal.
Nonprescription pain relievers include:
Prescription pain relievers include:
Health care professionals who often diagnose the cause of neck pain include:
If your neck pain is severe or long-lasting, health professionals who can treat you include:
You can also get care from:
There is no strong evidence that either heat or ice will help your neck pain. But it won't hurt to try them.
Use it on a low or medium setting for 15 to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours.
Do this in place of one session with the heating pad.
You can buy ones that last up to 8 hours.
Use it for 10 to 15 minutes every 2 to 3 hours.
Surgery is rarely needed for neck pain. It may be an option when:
Surgeries include:
Risk factors for neck pain that you cannot control include:
Risk factors that you can control include:
Complementary medicine treatments are sometimes used to relieve neck pain and restore neck mobility. They include:
Find out about the safety of any complementary product or practice you want to try. Most mind and body practices—such as acupuncture, massage, and yoga—are safe when used under the care of a well-trained professional. Choose an instructor or practitioner as carefully as you would choose a doctor.
Talk with your doctor about any complementary health practice that you would like to try or are already using. Your doctor can help you manage your health better if he or she knows about all of your health practices.
Neck pain can be caused by activities that strain the neck. Slouching, painting a ceiling, or sleeping with your neck twisted are some things that can cause neck pain. These kinds of activities can lead to neck strain, a sprain, or a spasm of the neck muscles.
Neck pain can also be caused by an injury. A fall from a ladder or whiplash from a car accident can cause neck pain. Some less common medical problems can also lead to neck pain, such as:
Sometimes neck pain may not have a clear cause.
Neck pain is pain that can occur anywhere in your neck, from the bottom of your head to the top of your shoulders. It can spread to your upper back or arms. It may limit how much you can move your head and neck.
Neck pain is common, especially in people older than 50.
Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:
Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:
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