For example, a strained ligament or “pinched” nerve can lead to neck pain.
Most of the time, these neck pain causes are easily treated.
It offers a few lifestyle changes that may reduce the muscle strain to your neck.
Verywell / Hugo Lin
A neck strain is a pulled muscle in the neck, or similar injury to a tendon.
These two types of neck injuries share symptoms and are generally treated similarly.
Imaging tests are really only used to rule out alternative diagnoses.
Most neck strains or sprains will heal in a matter of days or weeks.
After an injury or surgery, special exercises can help to strengthen the spine.
This means that compression of spinal nerve roots may occur.
Typically, treatment with NSAIDs, ice, heat therapy, and physical therapy are recommended initially.
Steroid injections can also offer short-term relief.
Cervical osteoarthritis often accompanies cervical degenerative disc disease.
Symptoms of cervical osteoarthritis include neck stiffness and achy pain that is often localized to one spot.
Less commonly, the pain may spread to the shoulder or back of the head.
The neck pain from cervical osteoarthritis tends to improve with rest.
How do I know if neck pain is serious?
Seek immediate medical attention if this occurs and if you have neck pain due to an injury.
Sometimes, a cervical facet injection is performed.
This is a procedure where a healthcare provider injects a steroid and/or a numbing agent into the facet joint.
Any relief of pain can then help to establish the diagnosis.
Tears in the tough outer fibers of the disc, called annular tears, may lead to a herniation.
Annular tears may be brought on by either repeated or sudden, forceful stress to the spinal joint.
A herniated disc can often be diagnosed by a medical history and physical examination.
To confirm a diagnosis, your healthcare provider may recommend an MRI test.
Whiplash injuries are graded, based on the symptoms and signs they cause.
Grade 4 strains are the most serious of all and require immediate medical attention.
The treatment of whiplash depends on the grade of the injury and associated neck damage.
That said, in most cases, a combination of treatments is used.
Summary
A variety of conditions and injuries can cause neck pain.
Generally speaking,rest, icing the neck, and over-the-counter pain medicationare recommended.
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