What Causes Neck Pain?

There’s a figure of speech that names something difficult or irritating as “a pain in the neck.” That comparison isn’t much of a stretch, as neck pain is one of the most irritating and difficult types of pain to experience. The causes of neck pain can be varied, and fortunately, there are varied ways of alleviating neck pain.
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This article will take a look at the various causes of neck pain, ways to prevent neck pain from occurring, and ways that existing neck pain can be treated.

Causes of Neck Pain

The main causes of neck pain include poor posture or sedentary lifestyles, injury or bad sleeping postures.
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Poor Posture

Having poor posture can put a strain on the muscles, vertebrae, and nerves in and around the neck. And because the spinal column is the centre of the musculoskeletal and nervous system, if the posture is poor, the muscles, nerves, and vertebrae can become strained and injured.
The potential for poor posture is most common when sitting at a desk, spending a lot of time on smart phones/tablets, carrying babies or young children frequently, regular use of games consoles or when sleeping in an awkward position.
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Injury

Neck pain can be caused by external injuries, such as falls and whiplash like injuries. A lot of patients however find they just wake up with the pain or turn their head and report the sensation that “something just went”. Any trauma to your neck or head should always be reported to the chiropractor during your appointments.
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Pinched Nerve

Pinched nerves can occur as a result of excessive pressure on the nerves around the neck, most often due to factors such as disc bulges, arthritis, joint irritations and muscle spasms.  Diagnosing the cause of nerve irritation through a thorough examination can help us guide you in treatment and exercise to help.  In some cases where the nerve function is reduced significantly we may need to refer you to your GP for further investigation.
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Treatment of Existing Neck Pain

The best course of treatment for new or persistent neck pain is to seek help from a chiropractor. A chiropractor may pursue several avenues to help ease your pain. They may perform an adjustment, which is a manipulation of the spinal column, alongside soft tissues techniques to help relieve pressure and tension. Since more than one treatment may be required to combat severe or long-lasting neck pain. Additionally, the chiropractor will prescribe various stretches or exercises you can do to keep neck and shoulder muscles loose and strengthening routines to recondition muscles, thereby helping to keep pain at bay.
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Ways to Prevent Neck Pain

A big factor in preventing neck pain is preventing poor posture. If sitting at a computer desk all day follow these tips for better alignment.

• Sit upright in a chair with your low back supported, most office chairs have lumbar support but a small pillow or rolled up towel in the small of your back can help if not.
• The chair should be high enough so that your knees are slightly lower than your hips.
• Keep your spine tall and your shoulders rolled back gently to avoid slouching.
• The screen should be at eye level, raise it up with a stand or a box. If needed use a wireless mouse and keyboard.
• The wrists and forearms should rest on the desk so your shoulders can sink down and relax.
• The golden rule - get up and move often, if only for a few seconds every 20 minutes. Not only your neck, but every joint in your body will thank you in the long run.

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Exercise or regular physical activity can help keep your joints and muscles healthy. It helps to reverse the negative effects on the body of sedentary work or lifestyle.

When sleeping, it’s important to keep your head at the same level as the rest of you e.g. if sleeping on your back don’t use 2 or 3 big pillows that push you head towards your chest.
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If you are intentional with your posture and exercise alongside occasional visits to the chiropractor, neck pain should not be a problem that you are regularly afflicted with. If you would like to find out more about our chiropractic services, please give us a call on 01604 754456, book online or head over to our contact page.