5 Things You Need to Know About Cervical Neck Pain

1. Pain in the Neck

The neck is comprised of multiple structures including seven vertebrae, nerves, discs and muscles. Any of these can be injured causing cervical neck pain. This pain may start out as a dull or intense shooting pain. Your neck feels stiff and it hurts to turn your head or move it up or down. Cervical neck pain can travel to your shoulders, arms and down to your back and legs in some cases. Other symptoms are dizziness, numbness, difficulty swallowing and swollen glands.

2. A Slipped Disc

Cervical neck pain can be caused by muscle strain. Repetitive motions and overuse strain the back of the neck. As you age, the joints in the neck begin to wear down causing pain. The discs in the neck also wear with age and become stiff. The spinal discs can bulge out pinching a nerve. This is a herniated disc. You'll feel a tingling and weakness in the limbs. Arthritis, degenerative disc disease, whiplash or pressure on the spinal cord are other causes of cervical neck pain.

3. Tell me Where it Hurts

To diagnose neck pain, your doctor will ask about the type of pain, its location, how long it's been going on, how the injury occurred and what (if anything) has alleviated the pain. Tests such as CAT scans, MRIs, an x-ray of the neck and spinal cord and a bone scan are other diagnostic tools.

4. Relax the Pain Away

You can treat your cervical neck pain at home by using ibuprofen or acetaminophen for the pain. Apply muscle relaxer creams that contain menthol and camphor. Rest your neck whenever possible, but don't overdo it or your neck can stiffen up even more. Alternate between ice and heat treatments. Treatments that require your doctor or another medical professional are physical therapy, ultrasound massage and surgery. Surgery is unusual unless there is spinal cord compression. Traction gently stretches your neck using weights and pulleys. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a treatment that places electrodes near the injury and shoots small electrical impulses to the area. Your doctor can do this or if prescribed and covered by your insurance, you can do this treatment at home.

5. Sit up Straight

Some steps you can take to prevent cervical neck pain in the future are watching your posture. Gravity works with you rather than against when you center your head over your spine. Get away from your desk and the computer at break time and stretch often. Sleep on your back to keep the spine properly aligned or purchase pillows that support your sleep style.