Did you know that neck pain is the 4th leading cause of disability? Neck pain can make sleeping or doing daily tasks difficult.

Neck pain usually occurs after a muscles strain or damage to the bones in the cervical spine. However, the risk factors for certain neck conditions vary on the neck problem.

Keep reading on to learn about common neck problems and their causes.

Trauma to the Neck

The most common cause of a neck injury is from trauma to the neck. Trauma to the neck may injure the soft tissues, muscles, or vertebra of the neck.

Neck trauma can be caused by car or motor vehicle accidents, falls, or sport-related injuries. These traumatic events may cause a broken neck, neck sprain, or whiplash.

Acute Neck Problems

Acute neck pain is the most common type of neck pain. Strains and sprains typically cause it to the neck muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Acute neck pain usually heals reasonably quickly and heals within a few days or weeks.

Typically a neck sprain or strain is caused by overusing or overextending your neck muscles. For example, poor posture, sleeping in overextended or bad angles, or twisted wrong can put someone at risk for acute neck pain.

Repetitive motions of the neck can also cause acute neck pain from overusing the tendons and ligaments in the neck. Certain sports such as dance and swimming where athletes constantly turn their heads to one side can increase the risk for acute neck pain and injury.

Chronic Neck Problems

When neck pain lasts over a long time or if it keeps coming back several times within months, it’s considered to be chronic neck pain. Old age increases the risk of developing chronic neck pain.

Typically chronic neck pain is caused by cervical spondylosis. Cervical spondylosis is from cervical spine degeneration from wear and tear over time.

Cervical degenerative disc disease occurs with old age. Slowly over time, all discs in the spine lose hydration, and there is less of a cushion in between the spine’s vertebrate.

When the cervical discs degenerate enough, they can cause herniated discs, pinched nerves, or osteoarthritis. One of the most common causes of chronic neck pain is cervical osteoarthritis.

A herniated cervical disc occurs when the protective outer layer of intervertebral discs can tear when this happens, the inner layer can leak and cause inflammation and pain.

Prevention and Treatment

Unfortunately, there is not much you can do to lower your risk factors for many causes of neck pain.

Sometimes neck pain is not able to be prevented, such as traumatic events or old age. However, making sure you always wear your seatbelt and proper protective sports equipment can help reduce the seriousness of an injury.

When lifting heaving objects, make sure you use proper body mechanics and avoid overusing your neck muscles. In addition, you can work on improving your posture to help with some neck pain problems.

If you are experiencing neck pain, finding a neck specialist doctor may be beneficial. They can help you develop a treatment plan and help you recover if you are suffering from neck problems.

Finding The Best Neck Surgeon and Doctor

Neck problems can be uncomfortable and affect your daily life. They may hinder you from doing activities that you love. Neck problems may make doing daily tasks harder as well.

If you are struggling with neck pain, do not wait any longer. Instead, seek out a neck specialist at Howell Allen Clinic today.