Main Causes of Neck Pain

Suffering through neck pain is never fun, but knowing what causes the ailment is the first step in prevention. Neck pain can caused by anything from an auto accident to a football hit to a medical condition like meningitis. 

Injury

Anyone who has been in a car, sports or biking accident and experienced whiplash is likely to be the victim of stiffness and neck pain. Moving one's head from side to side in a violent manner or having a jarring contact with another person or object is likely to result in debilitating pain. If involved in an accident, always be sure to reach out to a neck pain San Mateo for proper guidance.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a medical condition that occurs in older age and is the result of damage to the joints. This type of arthritis makes it difficult to move the joints because of stiffness. 

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Unlike osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that is often hereditary. This disorder is known for causing sever pain in the joints and can result in difficulty moving and walking. It often results in pain in the upper half of the neck.

Pinched Nerve

The causes of a pinched nerve can range from arthritis to a herniated disk to a sports related injury. Because it can be the result of many different conditions, it is important that a pinched nerve be examined by a specialist. Pinched nerves can result in neck stiffness that can be felt all the way down to a person's arms and legs.

Fibromyalgia

Although rare, fibromyalgia is a condition that is connected with achy muscles and joints. If the muscles contract inwards, it can result in a stiff neck that is painful an difficult to turn from side to side. Luckily, people who suffer from fibromyalgia are able to control it through everything from lifestyle changes to stress management to prescription medications.

Meningitis

Meningitis is an infection of the fluid that is between the brain and spinal cord. Contracting meningitis is a serious and life threatening infection that needs to be treated by a doctor immediately. Suffering from a stiff neck, fever and headache are all symptoms of meningitis. 

Complications From Chronic Neck Pain

Chronic pain seems to be an epidemic throughout the world. Studies show that nearly 1.5 billion people around the world suffer from chronic pain. Of those pain suffers, about 100 million are Americans. Chronic pain is pain that persists without going away. Chronic pain generally lasts for months or even years. One type of pain that seems to be really common among individuals coping with chronic pain is neck pain. Neck pain in San Mateo can result from an injury or from someone placing strain on their body. It can also develop as a result of another painful condition that exists in a person’s spine.

When to Get Treatment for Neck Pain Having full control over one’s neck is central to having a good quality of life. Without the ability to turn one’s head from side to side because of pain, many people find staying at home a better option. Getting rest is a great way to ensure people with Neck Pain San Mateo recover, but when people significantly reduce their activity levels because they are in pain, then they need to seek medical attention.

Neck Pain Complications Even after adjusting their lifestyle, many people still fail to get the medical attention they need to alleviate their pain. Unfortunately, this can lead to complications, particularly, cervical spondylolysis. Cervical spondylolysis is the medical term used to describe worn discs in a person’s spinal cord. Many people experience this condition as a result of aging. Most of the time, it’s referred to as spurs on the spine. People who develop the condition could ultimately suffer from pinched nerve endings, which can lead to challenges walking, weak arms and legs, and numbness in a person’s arms or legs.

It is always prudent for anyone suffering from chronic neck pain to visit their medical professional. Doctors have the ability to prescribe pain medications and therapeutic treatment options that help neck pain suffers cope with the pain. Conversely, if a person fails to get the treatment they need, it could make matters worse by increasing their chances of developing cervical spondylolysis. Allowing neck pain to persist jeopardizes one’s quality of life; therefore, getting treatment is the best option for many.

Factors That Contribute to Severe Neck Pain in San Mateo

Several factors can contribute to severe neck pain in San Mateo. People who are prime for these symptoms often unintentionally make they’re situation worst when they experience these factors. Posture Poor posture can lead to severe neck pain. For example, people who jut their head and shoulders forward place stress on their lower neck. This can lead to degenerative disc illnesses and can force the muscles in the upper back to work harder to balance the head, neck and shoulders against gravity. People often display poor posture when reading, driving or using a computer. Intense concentration on these activities might cause a person to jut his or her head forward.

Movement Sudden movements, lifting heavy objects and attempting to reach objects in high places also can contribute to neck pain. Sometimes even one quick movement can injure the neck, and so can lifting an object that is too heavy. Lifestyle Factors Certain lifestyle factors make some individuals susceptible to chronic neck pain. These factors include exercising infrequently or not at all. Improper exercise techniques also might contribute to neck pain in Campbell. Heavy weight gain also contributes to neck pain, as does overexertion in physical activities.

Emotional Triggers People who are stressed or depressed might find themselves experiencing severe neck and/or back pain. This is because a person’s mind and body works together and can’t be separated. For example, someone who’s stressed or anxious might feel muscle tension in the neck and shoulder area, and a depressed person’s pain might increase during the depressed period. Fatigue and Insomnia For many people, lack of sleep cause pain in the neck area. An alarming trouble with this factor is that both can be a symptom of the other. In other words, people who don’t get enough sleep might find that they experience pain in various parts of the body, especially the neck shoulder and back. Conversely, neck pain might make it difficult for a person to sleep and further exacerbate the problem.

Environmental Factors For some people, the environment can be a trigger for their neck pain. For example, extremely hot and humid climates can trigger asthma. A person experiencing an asthma attack might tighten the neck and chest muscles in an attempt to get air to the lungs. This tightening process places stress on the neck muscles, causing the person to experience severe neck pain in Paolo Alto.

Back and neck pain can disrupt a person's life tremendously. Some people try various home methods, such as stretching exercises and applying gels and creams. For long term relief, some neck pain suffers visit specialists with offices in in San Mateo, Campbell and Palo Alto. There they can get various treatments for their ailments, including prescription pain relievers, muscle relaxants and antidepressants.

3 Temporary, At-Home Remedies for Neck Pain

Suffering from neck pain is something that nobody wants to go through, but that most people will endure at some point in their lives for one reason or another. Whether caused by a sports injury, car accident, or anything in between, neck pain San Mateo professional, such as a doctor or chiropractor. In the meantime, however, there are some steps one can take for temporary relief from neck pain at home.

Over-the-Counter Painkillers

One quick remedy that can help to relieve neck pain is that of taking over-the-counter painkillers as recommended. For those who aren't seeing any relief from store-bought aspirin or other basic painkillers, the good news is that there are plenty of over-the-counter painkillers that are of higher strength and that can be great for dealing with neck pain, at least as a temporary solution.

For short-term relief, it's recommended that one speak to a doctor or nurse and ask for a recommendation regarding the best over-the-counter pain medication for them.

Alternating Heat and Cold

Another home remedy that can help when it comes to dealing with neck pain is that of alternating the application of heat and cold onto the affected area. This can help to reduce inflammation (especially for pain caused by trauma) and thus reduce pain.

Specifically, alternating between heat and cold on the area for 20 minutes at a time is generally the best method. When applying cold to the affected area, it's a good idea to wrap an ice pack in a towel and be careful not to leave the cold pack on for too long, as frostbite could occur.

Gentle Stretches and Exercise

Finally, there are some simple and gentle exercises and stretches that can also be completed and that may help to reduce neck pain. However, these should be done only upon recommendation from a doctor and should never be completed when pain is severe or when the specific extent of the injury is not yet known. Otherwise, one runs the risk of further aggravating the injury and making the pain worse.

These are just a few simple yet generally effective home remedies that those experiencing neck pain may want to keep in mind. By doing so and by seeing a doctor as soon as possible, they can relieve their pain and ensure a quick recovery from the injury.

The Most Common Causes of Neck Pain

Many people suffer from neck pain from time to time. However, when neck pain is ongoing or becomes so intense that one has a hard time completing everyday tasks, it's time to see a doctor.

That's the first step to coming up with a treatment option that will help to relieve the pain. In order to do this, however, most doctors will start by considering a few of the most common causes of neck pain.

Poor Spinal Support

For those who experience the worst of their neck pain when they first wake up in the morning, it's important to consider that one's mattress or pillows could be the culprit. A mattress that isn't offering enough spinal support (or even one that's too firm) can lead to neck pain, as can a pillow that is too firm or soft. This is an especially important option to consider for those who have not replaced their mattress or pillow in at least a decade. It might be time to consider upgrading to something with memory foam, which offers a great amount of support.

Too Much Time at the Computer

Another increasingly common cause of Neck Pain San Mateo , is that of spending way too much time hunched in front of a computer screen. These days, however, many people have desk jobs that require them at work at their computers for eight hours or more per day. For those who work desk jobs, then, it's important to take regular breaks, preferably once per hour. Furthermore, investing in a desk chair with better lumbar support may also help take care of the problem.

A Cervical or Lumbar Spine Problem

If environmental problems aren't the cause of a person's neck pain, then a physical condition must be considered. A doctor will likely need to take X-rays in order to determine what the exact problem is, whether is be a herniated disc that's causing pain in the neck, a case of scoliosis, or anything in between. Many people make the mistaken assumption that neck pain has to be related to a neck problem, but back problems can just as easily cause that pain as well. Nobody likes living with neck pain, which is why getting help from a qualified and experienced doctor is so important. In the meantime, however, it may be worthwhile to assess one's environment and be on the lookout for common culprits.

Spinal Decompression: A New Treatment for Neck Pain

Chronic neck pain often frustrates patients due to the limited options available. Pain medication may work, but it has side effects that can make it hard to think and can cause other physical problems. Surgery is sometimes an option, but it's risky and may not provide relief. Chiropractic treatment can help, but sometimes, it doesn't fully relieve the pain either. 

What is there to do? 

A new treatment, known as spinal decompression, has provided great results for many people. Like chiropractic treatment, it doesn't involve surgery, pain medication, injections, or harmful side effects. It, however, goes beyond conservative chiropractic treatments in providing relief.

The basic premise behind spinal decompression treatment is that the chronic pain is caused by the excessive compression of the discs in the neck and back rather than their misalignment. Therefore, the treatment is aimed at relieving this pressure. This new focus is what allows it to provide relief even where traditional chiropractic treatments fail. 

Spinal decompression typically requires several sessions, but patients report improvement before they are all complete. This shows that it's working, but it's important to get all of the recommended treatments for full relief. Most patients report that even severe pain drops to little or none after they finish their series of decompression treatments. 

While this is a great new treatment option, it's important to note that not all patients require it. Therefore, spinal decompression clinics often offer other types of treatment as well. Most commonly, standard chiropractic treatment will be an option, and it is used for cases that are caused by problems other than spinal compression. 

Since excess weight is often a contributing factor to spinal compression and other back-related difficulties, a clinic for treating neck pain San Mateo also offers advanced weight-loss methods as well as pain treatments. Losing weight lessens the downward pull on the body, and therefore, reduces the pressure that causes spinal compression. Of course, weight loss also makes things easier on the back and neck muscles as well as helping to improve overall mobility. 

When a patient comes to a spinal decompression clinic for neck pain treatment, the first step will be a physical evaluation. This will determine which treatments will work best for the patient's specific case and allow the doctors to determine details such as how many sessions will be needed. Once this is done, treatments will be scheduled and the patient will be on the road to a pain-free life.

Understanding Neck Pain

The neck is a very sensitive part of the body and is one which should be taken care of at all costs. There are many ways in which an individual may damage their neck and this could be due to bad body posture, overworking the muscles through vigorous exercises, and also via genetic factors such as arthritis. It is also true that a neck pain in San Mateo can also lead to other problems within the body. 

This can affect the shoulders, the hands and the head and can have a negative effect on the person’s overall health, as well as on their lifestyle. It is therefore important that everyone keep their neck and back bones in good working order. Neck pain in San Mateo is an issue that can be resolved at a specialist who focuses on the neck and spinal cord injuries. To prevent long term damage, anyone experiencing pain in their neck should consider visiting a specialist.

Types of Neck Pain

There are two main types of neck pain that people may suffer from: chronic and acute neck pain. Acute neck pain usually takes place suddenly and happens after an accident takes place that involves the spine. Car wrecks, injuries from sports accidents, and other accidents that jolt the body suddenly cause neck injuries. These types of neck pain usually heals quickly, but some can have a lasting impact on the body. Chronic neck pain is different in style and is usually the result of a form of arthritis that may be genetic. This type of neck pain can stay with the individual for a long time and may involve years of discomfort.

Visiting a Local Specialist Improves Health Outcomes

Visiting a specialist will lead to more positive outcomes than visiting a general family practitioner. Neck specialists have specialized training that allow them to analyze the cause of the problem, and they check other parts of the body that may be damaged as a result of the neck injury. 

This may include the nerves, the discs and the vertebrae of the spine, as well as the soft tissue and the muscles. Specialists carry out physical examinations and ask questions to ensure they fully understand the extent of the injury before providing patients with treatment options. Most generalist do not have access to the tools and techniques neck specialists utilize. People with a neck injury should not delay seeking medical attention. The more they delay treatment, the more likely it is that they will make matters worse.