5 Common Causes of Your Neck Pain

Neck pain is common.

It is characterized by pain that may begin in the neck region, but also it may radiate down one or both arms. Neck pain may be sourced to a variety of diseases, disorders, and injuries involving the neck’s nerves, ligaments, joints, bones, and muscles. If you live or work in the greater Howell or Novi, MI area and are experiencing neck pain, the team of medical professionals at Rehabilitation Physicians can offer you relief from pain that disrupts your daily life and simple pleasures.

The spinal column’s neck area is known as the cervical spine, which includes seven bones/vertebrae – typically referenced as C1-C7. The bones are separated by small intervertebral discs permitting the spine to not only move with great flexibility but also offering a remarkable ability to absorb the shock created by the body’s natural movements.

5 Common Causes of Neck Pain

When the spine in the neck area is under pressure, it can become quite painful because nearly all nerves connecting the brain and the body have to pass through the neck. Neck pain may be caused by years of standing or sitting with a poor posture or –

Arthritis

According to the Arthritis Foundation, the condition of arthritis impacts nearly 60 million adults in the United States. It is also the leading cause of disability in the country. The symptoms can vary but include the following –

• Swelling – which indicates inflammation.
• Stiffness – the timing and intensity.

Disc or Intervertebral Degeneration

The discs separating the spine’s vertebrae can break down from injury or simply wear and tear. This disc degeneration typically results from several and often a combination of environmental and genetic factors. 

Cervical/Spinal Stenosis

Stenosis is a medical condition that refers to a narrowing of the spinal canal, ultimately creating pressure along the spinal cord and root nerves. Stenosis typically happens over time and may impact more than one area along the spine.

Trauma or Injury

Trauma and injury are also common causes of neck pain. Motor vehicle accidents or contact sports may result in a neck sprain, muscle tear, ligament rupture, broken vertebrae, or whiplash.

Muscle Strain

Overuse of the neck and its muscles – like hunching over a laptop/smartphone for too many hours – may trigger a strain. Even reading in bed has the potential to cause painful strained neck muscles. 

Call for Neck Pain Relief Today

Want additional information regarding relief from newly onset or chronic neck pain? If you work//live in the Howell or Novi, MI areas, contact the neck pain specialists at Rehabilitation Physicians. Give them a call at (248) 893-3200 or use the convenient online contact form.