Cervical Pain

Neck pain can last from days to years, depending on the cause. Common causes include osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, herniated disc, pinched nerve, mental and physical stress and strain, poor posture, tumors and other health conditions.

Neck pain is pain in or around the spine beneath your head, known as the cervical spine. Neck pain is a common symptom of many different injuries and medical conditions.

You might have axial neck pain (felt mostly in the neck) or radicular neck pain (pain shoots into other areas such as the shoulders or arms). It can be acute (lasting from days to up to 6 weeks) or chronic (lasts longer than 3 months to years).

Neck pain can interfere with daily activities and reduce your quality of life if left untreated.

Your neck is flexible and supports the weight of your head, so it can be vulnerable to injuries and conditions that cause pain and restrict motion.

Neck pain causes include:

• Muscle strains. Overuse, such as too many hours hunched over your computer or smartphone, often triggers muscle strains. Even minor things, such as reading in bed or gritting your teeth, can strain neck muscles.
• Worn joints. Just like the other joints in your body, your neck joints tend to wear down with age. Osteoarthritis causes the cushions (cartilage) between your bones (vertebrae) to deteriorate. Your body then forms bone spurs that affect joint motion and cause pain.
• Nerve compression. Herniated disks or bone spurs in the vertebrae of your neck can press on the nerves branching out from the spinal cord.
• Injuries. Rear-end auto collisions often result in whiplash injury, which occurs when the head is jerked backward and then forward, straining the soft tissues of the neck.
• Diseases. Certain diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, meningitis or cancer, can cause neck pain.