Have you ever woken up with a stiff neck from sleeping in an odd position? It can make the rest of your day difficult as you try to do your normal tasks like looking over your shoulder to change lanes while driving or even holding your head up while at work. Muscle stiffness can usually resolve on its own with some gentle stretches, but there are other kinds of neck pain that don’t go away so easily.

The neck is a complex part of the body. The vertebrae, muscles, ligaments, and other tissues must work together to perform various functions. It has the critical role of supporting the head and enabling it to move in many directions. If any of the parts of the neck are not functioning at their best, neck pain can be the result.

What Are Some Causes of Neck Pain?

Neck pain can by caused by a wide variety of issues with the neck. Thankfully, some of the most serious ones like tumors are rare. Listed below are eight common causes of neck pain:

1. Muscle Tension – muscle tension can slowly build over time. People often ignore the early signs of tense muscles until the pain is more noticeable and incapacitating. Daily gentle stretching of not just the neck but the whole body can help prevent a build-up of muscle tension. Getting a massage can also help. But keep in mind that if you have any kind of injury to your neck, vigorous stretching or massage could aggravate it.
2. Whiplash – whiplash is most known for being an injury that people experience when they have been in a car accident. The sudden stopping of the vehicle or the force from being rear-ended causes a person’s head to whip forward and backward or side to side. This can damage muscles, ligaments, and spinal discs. Whiplash can occur even at speeds as low as 5 mph, and it can occur in other situations, like when riding an amusement park ride or when tripping and falling.
3. Sprains or strains – ligament sprains and muscle strains in the neck happen when the neck is extended beyond its normal range of flexibility or when the neck tries to resist a force that is too strong for it (such as holding the head steady during a collision on the sports field). Whiplash can also cause sprains and strains.
4. Osteoarthritis – osteoarthritis most often occurs in the hands, hips, knees, and spine. Osteoarthritis of the neck has a specific name: cervical spondylosis. When you experience pain in the neck from osteoarthritis, you may wake up feeling stiff and the pain increases as the day goes on. The cartilage between the vertebrae has begun to wear down, or it’s possible that bone spurs have begun to form.

To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and neck pain, download our free e-book by clicking the image below.

1. Bulging or herniated disc – in addition to cartilage between the vertebrae, there are also spinal discs that cushion your movement and act as shock absorbers. The discs have a jelly-like substance in the center that can bulge or herniate through the outer rings of the disc.  Herniated discs often cause tingling or numbness in the arms or hands because they are putting pressure on the nerves that branch out from the spine.
2. Fibromyalgia – fibromyalgia is a pain-processing disorder in which the patient experiences pain and tender points throughout the body. Even a normal, non-painful touch can feel painful to someone with fibromyalgia. The neck and the base of the skull are often areas that experience pain with this condition.
3. Spinal stenosis – this occurs when the spinal column narrows, putting pressure on the spinal cord and nerve branches. Chronic inflammation from various health conditions is one thing that can cause this to happen.
4. Spinal misalignments – the upper vertebrae in the neck are very mobile. In fact, the top two vertebrae, known as the atlas and the axis, provide for most of the mobility that your head can do. However, because these vertebrae are so mobile, they can also easily become misaligned. This can result in pain and discomfort, as well as the development of other health conditions.

A Natural Treatment for Neck Pain

People with neck pain often try to tough it out and may rely on over-the-counter painkillers and an ice pack or heating pad to get through their discomfort. But finding the source of the neck pain is important for preventing it from happening in the future. A treatment option that has been successful for various kinds of neck pain is upper cervical chiropractic care.

Upper cervical chiropractic is a specialization within the chiropractic profession. We specialize in the alignment of the top two vertebrae, the atlas and the axis. The adjustment techniques that we use are known for being especially gentle and long-lasting. How can that be possible?

The atlas and axis vertebrae enjoy a wide range of motion, but this means that they can become misaligned more easily than other vertebrae. At Precision Spine Specialists, when we examine a patient, we take careful measurements and using advanced imaging to determine the exact degree of misalignment. To correct it, we apply gentle pressure at a specific angle to encourage the vertebrae to return to their proper alignment. There is no forceful twisting as is sometimes used by regular chiropractors. Our adjustments stay in place longer, and enable your body to be in a better circumstance for ongoing healing and freedom from neck pain.  

References:

https://www.healthline.com/symptom/neck-pain

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Hall, call our Brentwood office at 615-488-7891 or just click the button below.

If you are outside of the local area, you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com