Types Of Neck Injury And Pain

spinal stenosis

To begin with, any neck pain should be seen to immediately. Any damage or strain that can herald a potential neck injury will eventually cause injury to some other part of your body, most often because we will overcompensate for the original pain and strain or damage something else. Too often, busy people simply ignore the pain, pop a few aspirin and go on with their lives.

Neck pain can be a symptom of several different kinds of neck injury possibilities. The only way to truly determine what is causing it, as well as gaining any kind of neck pain relief, is to be examined by your physician. A physical examination, as well as x-rays, ultrasounds and even an MRI may be needed to determine the exact cause of the pain. Once the tests are done, you will more likely be diagnosed with any of the following neck injuries.

Types of Neck Injuries

• Crick in the Neck: The term crick or kink is used to describe the morning pain associated with sleeping in an awkward position. It can also occur from working for too long in an immobile position, as well as sudden, sharp movements of the neck during sports or accidents. This is not a true medical diagnosis, even though the reason behind it may be. Arthritis, muscle spasms and even a spinal disc condition may be the root cause of this kind of neck pain.

• Muscle Strain: Strains usually occur as an injury to the muscles along the spine. While it may manifest in the neck, the actual injury may be in the lower back instead. The symptoms of this condition will often include muscle spasms, reduced flexibility and pain.

• Neck Sprain: Sprains are caused by injuries to the ligaments. This can be caused by falls or sudden twists that can overload or stress the joints. Symptoms of a neck sprain can include swelling, reduction in flexibility and pain. If you believe that this may be the cause of your neck pain, see your doctor immediately because your spine and neck will need to be immobilized to prevent further injury.

• Pinched Nerve in Neck: This condition is one of the most difficult to effectively diagnose. Assessing nerve pain is not always straightforward, because the actual damage could be further along the nerves than the area where pain is felt, especially when dealing with nerves so close to the spine. See your doctor immediately if you experience any numbness, intermittent tingling or radiating pain along your neck and spine.

• Whiplash Injury: Whiplash associated disorders is a set of symptoms that occur following any incident where the head is thrown forward, backward, or side-to-side, especially in car accidents. The hyperextension that happens during whiplash conditions can also cause damage to joints, nerves, spinal discs and the spinal cord itself. The neck should be immobilized to prevent further injury, and you should be seen by a doctor immediately after the incident so that your true injuries can be quickly assessed.

• Herniated Discs: Recurrent neck and back pain may be a sign that you have a herniated disc. This happens when the soft material covering a spinal disc is damaged, worn, or pushed out. This is often associated with continuous heavy lifting when your body is not aligned properly, and has symptoms of muscle weakness, numbness or a tingling sensation that radiates from the neck through the arms.

• Aging: Simply growing older often causes unexplained neck pain that may be due to arthritis, cervical dislocation, or spinal stenosis. As we age, our bones grow thicker in some places and weaker in others. The bones that support the neck are prone to growing thinner and weaker, while those at the base of the spine can thicken and place pressure along the spinal nerve, causing neck and back pain intermittently.

The main thing to remember about any neck injury or pain is to see your doctor immediately, as soon as you experience any pain, tingling, or pressure from your neck to your spine. Anything affecting the spinal area can be a serious health risk if treatment is delayed. Some conditions can degenerate quickly, so immediate attention is best under all circumstances.