What is the nature of persistent neck pain?Neck pain is often related to specific movements and can be quite intense. The pain may be limited to a particular location of the cervical spine or it may radiate down into the shoulders and arms. Neck pain is often caused by a hardening of the muscle tissue in the neck. This may lead those suffering the pain to alter their posture in some way to alleviate the pain. Regrettably, this often makes the pain worse. Persistent neck pain also commonly leads to severe headaches that can extend from the nape of the neck over the back of the head to the forehead. Depending on the intensity and localization of the nerve irritation involved, sensory disturbances such as tingling, numbness, and dizziness may also occur. Additional symptoms include auditory disturbances, difficulty swallowing and pain in the face, chest, arms and neck.
What are the causes of neck pain?
The cause of neck pain in younger patients is usually muscle tension as a result of improper posture or excessive strain. A painful blocking of the vertebrae can be triggered by something as common as an unfavorable sleeping position. Accident and sports-related injuries to structures in the cervical spine can also lead to neck pain. Older patients usually suffer from a chronic form of neck pain that is caused by wear or disease-related changes to the intervertebral joints or discs in the cervical spine. More causes of neck pain include vertebral deformations, inflammation, osteoporosis, tumors and metastases.
What forms of treatment are used for neck pain?
Neck pain is generally treated with painkilling, anti-inflammatory and muscle-relaxing medications. These are intended to break the vicious cycle of muscle tension leading to pain and pain leading to an improper posture and even greater muscle tension. Treatment is often accompanied by various forms of physical therapy (e.g. heat applications, electrotherapy, massage) to relax the muscles. Acupuncture and chirotherapy may also be effective in some cases. Very high levels of pain can be treated with special forms of palliative care at a palliative care clinic.
If acute forms of paralysis arise or if the pain is extreme and does not respond to conservative treatment methods, it may be necessary to perform surgery to fuse the corresponding segments of the cervical spine.
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