Neck Pain! Possible Causes and Cures

Neck pain can be debilitating. It feels as though it's connected to every movement because, well, it is. We expect the neck to hold up this heavy bowling ball, to respond to every twitch and turn, and more recently we've started asking it to assume strange positions as we stare at our screens all day. So why are we always so surprised when it starts to hurt? Fortunately, there are some great ways to treat it, too. Let’s explore possible causes and cures for neck pain.

Common Causes of Neck Pain

There are a lot of small, moving parts in and around the human neck — and as mentioned, we ask a lot of those small parts. Because of that, it’s easy for one or more of them to get pulled, twisted, or end up out of alignment. Then suddenly we're in pain and aren’t quite sure what we did to cause it or how to make it stop. 

The most common causes of neck pain include:

• Overuse
• Bad posture
• An injury (like whiplash or from a contact sport)

With these neck pain causes, some over-the-counter pain medication, a heating pad, ice, or a good massage may reduce or even eliminate the problem. It’s usually not a serious issue, and the pain will be gone in a few hours to a few days. However, that’s not always the case. There are some times when neck pain indicates something more serious is going on. In those cases, it’s essential to work with a medical professional. 

When to See a Doctor

If neck pain comes on suddenly and restricts movement, seeing a doctor may be the right idea. That’s also true of chronic neck pain that’s getting worse or accompanied by numbness, tingling, or headaches. Additionally, it may be critical to seek medical advice for any neck pain that’s causing vision issues, dizziness, and similar kinds of concerns. Those may indicate a more severe or significant medical issue.

For example, it was daily chronic neck pain that came on suddenly and caused me headaches that pushed me to see a doctor and I was subsequently diagnosed with an autoimmune condition. So this isn't something to take lightly.

How to Treat Minor Neck Pain

For minor neck pain, over-the-counter medications such as pain relievers and anti-inflammatories are often the first line of defense. People also choose options like heating pads or ice to reduce discomfort. 

Heating or icing the neck may reduce swelling of the muscles or tendons, which may also lower the effective pain level. Stretches, massages, and resting with the neck in a comfortable position may all help, as well.

Significant Neck Pain May Not Be Treatable at Home

For those with significant or chronic neck pain, at-home treatments may not be a realistic option. Instead, it may be necessary for a medical professional to diagnose the issue and create a treatment plan. Diagnostics often start with X-rays but may progress to an MRI or other tests.

If damaged vertebrae cause neck pain, for example, a doctor may determine that surgically fusing them together could reduce pain. There are also non-surgical options for neck pain, which may include injections, chiropractic services, and prescription medications, as well as specific exercises. But keep in mind that neck pain isn't always caused by problems with the bones such as with pinched nerves. It can also be from other causes lie in my case where it turned out to be an autoimmune condition. This is why the doctor should take a systemic approach and also seek outside help if the cause doesn't turn up with imaging. 

The first step is to determine the cause to make sure the treatment is the right one for the actual problem. 

Trying to treat neck pain without knowing the cause may be frustrating because the treatments are frequently unsuccessful. If over-the-counter methods don’t work or the pain is severe or chronic working with a medical professional is the right choice for reducing neck pain and getting back a good quality of life. 

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