The Different Types of Neck Pain That Are Diagnosed by Doctors Today

You roll out of the bed, and you can barely turn your head. You think that you may have slept wrong because your neck is killing you.

What you’re most likely experiencing is muscle pain. It’s an ache that comes from simple physical or emotional stress. Taking pain medication should help with the inflammation a bit.

Muscle pain is only one of the many types of neck pain that you can experience throughout your life. There are other kinds that are more severe than a simple case of muscle spasms.

Check out this guide to familiarize yourself with the different neck aches and pains that exist today.

Muscle Pain

This is probably the most common type of neck pain there is. Your neck is comprised of varying different muscles. If you overextend one, it will cause tiny tears to form.

As you can imagine, these tears will make the torn muscle a bit weaker. The worse the injury, the more inflammation and swelling you’ll have to deal with.

If you don’t seek out neck pain treatment, the muscle injury can develop into tight lumps that the medical industry refers to as trigger points. They’re sensitive to the touch, and as you can imagine, unpleasant to deal with.

Headache

Heavy amounts of muscle tension don’t only affect the neck. It can hinder your overall health and wellbeing by causing painful headaches.

Aches of this nature are usually dull and come hand in hand with neck cramps and stiffness. If you move your head from side to side, it will most likely make the pain in your head worse.

The only thing you can do to ease your suffering is to stay as still as you can until the headache subsides. You may be able to reduce some of the inflammation with ibuprofen.

Muscle Spasm

Muscle spasms are sudden jolts of pain throughout the neck area. When it happens, your neck will become stiff, and moving it in any direction will prove to be a challenge.

The annoying thing about spasms is that you could be in optimal health and still experience one. There’s not a specific cause for them. They can sprout off from an injury, or you may have some nerve issues that you didn’t know about.

It could be a simple matter of stress. If you do some deep breathing exercises and take a moment to relax, your pain might melt away along with your anxieties.

Referred Pain

Referred pain is any type of pain that starts in one area of your body, but shows up in another. An issue with your heart or some other vital organ in your body could result in a throbbing pain in your neck.

Due to the nature of referred pain, it can be hard to pin down a cause. This is why you should always go to the doctor when you’re having neck troubles. It could be a simple case of you sleeping the wrong way, or something much more sinister might be going on.

Nerve Pain

There are several nerve roots that extend throughout your spine. If one of them is pinched or becomes inflamed, it can cause terrible pain and discomfort.

Depending on the significance of the damage, you could be in constant pain, or some days may be better than others. Your discomfort could come in the form of a burning sensation, or it might be more of a pins and needles effect.

Nine times out of ten, the pain won’t stay in your neck and spine. It can shoot off to your legs or arms.

You’ll find that the pain gets worse as you move around. Sometimes specific movements can render you immobile. Topical medications might be able to increase your range of movement. In extreme cases, your doctor may suggest that you get an injection.

Facet Joint Pain

Facet joints are areas throughout your spine where two of your vertebrae meet. There’s cartilage between these two bones that prevents them from rubbing against each other.

In the case of arthritic degradation, however, the cartilage begins to wear down. When there’s no cushion left, the result will be a sharp ache.

If you put pressure on your neck, it will make the pain even worse. After a while, it’s possible that the aching will spread to the upper parts of your back and shoulders.

Bone Pain

Bone pain is an ache that extends from your cervical vertebrae. It’s important to note that this condition is pretty uncommon. Most neck pain comes from the soft tissue in your cervical spine.

Not the bone itself.

If you are experiencing bone pain, you’ll need to see a doctor ASAP! The problem could point to a serious health issue.

Radicular Pain

Radicular pain happens when the nerves in your cervical spine flair up. A number of things can cause it, but usually, it’s the result of a herniated disk or bone spurs. The ache will extend out of the spinal area and into your shoulders and hands.

The pain will start as a sudden shock and increase in intensity when you move a certain way. Most of the time, radicular pain occurs on one side of your body, but it can spread out to both sides.

Understanding the Different Types of Neck Pain

Is it hard for you to tilt your head when you wake up in the morning? You may have slept wrong, or the ache could be the result of one of the many types of neck pain.

A lot of times, the ache will go away with over-the-counter medications and rest. In more severe situations, however, you’ll need to consult the experts. There’s a chance that your pain might have stemmed from a more serious issue.

Get relief for your neck ache today, and visit the Health & Fitness section of our blog for more articles like this one.