What Are the Causes of Different Types of Neck Pain

Is your neck, a “pain in the neck?” You’re not alone, nearly 75% of the worldwide population suffers from neck pain. While neck pain is most commonly linked to muscle injury, there are many other causes.

In this article, we’ll cover eight causes for different types of neck pain. Keep reading.

1. Injury

Whiplash is a common neck injury that occurs when your body is jolted in one direction but your neck moves in the opposite. This can be due to a fall.

If you think you may have suffered a neck injury, seek medical attention immediately. The damage can be as significant as ligament tears or nerve damage. It’s also crucial to get a slip and fall lawyer to handle your personal injury.

2. Posture

Your head weighs ten pounds. Every inch downwards that your head faces increases the weight on your neck by 200%. That’s 50-60 pounds of weight on your neck!

The strain of our workdays filled with texting, scrolling, and typing is a constant strain, which is multiplied when having poor posture during activities like cooking, cleaning, and exercising. Neck strain from poor posture is one of the most common types of neck pain.

3. Referred Pain 

Sometimes your neck pain is not actually coming from your neck. This is a sign of a more serious health condition.

Autoimmune conditions cause chronic muscle and joint inflammation that concentrates pain in the neck. The pain can also come from a tumor or inflammation of another organ.

If you feel your neck pain only when exerting pressure on a specific body part, you might have referred neck pain. Get checked by a doctor immediately.

4. Headache 

Neck pain can cause headaches and vice versa. Your headache may arise from poor sleep, anxiety, and stress. This pain in your head can radiate down to your neck.

5. Muscle Spasm 

Has your neck ever been so stiff you can’t turn it? If yes, then your pain could be from a muscle spasm. A muscle spasm is the sudden tightening of the neck muscles that results in extreme discomfort and reduced mobility.

If you suffer from different types of neck pain, you are more likely to also experience muscle spasms.

6. Muscle Strains

Overuse from exercise, labor, and even grinding your teeth at night strains your neck muscles! This kind of pain can be overcome with posture training, massage, and physical therapy.

More serious causes of muscle strains can be the result of spinal degeneration, facet joint dysfunction, or fracture of the vertebrae.

7. Joint Damage

Bone spurs, extra bony growths, form as a result of joint degeneration. Joint degeneration can occur naturally with age, diseases like osteoarthritis, and overexertion of joints.

8. Nerve Damage

Neck pain accompanied by numbness or tingling requires immediate attention. This can be a sign of nerve damage. This kind of pain is called radicular pain and can occur from herniated disks and bone spurs pressing on nerves.

Treating Different Types of Neck Pain

As you can see, there are many causes for different types of neck pain. Don’t try and diagnose yourself. It’s important to speak with your doctor to investigate the source of your pain and create an appropriate treatment plan.

There you can discuss the different kinds of neck pain and how to manage yours. For more health tips, continue reading our blog!