What About My Neck Pain?

Neck pain is a common issue in adults, mainly if you work in front of a computer for many hours, drive or carry out any other kind of activity where you might inadvertently hunch for long periods of time.

The neck is right where the spine begins from the top. You can’t understand neck issues without knowing the anatomy of the spine. Thirty-three vertebrae form the spinal column. These divide into five regions: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum, and coccyx. The cervical region is also what we know as the neck; this region connects the skull with the upper back. In this location, the cervical region is part of the central nervous system, and it is responsible for protecting the spinal cord, which has the essential role of sending brain signals to the body.

The spine has three curves; one of these is in the cervical region, which is known for its flexibility. It supports the head and allows it to move. Considering all of these functions, the neck is formed by many cartilages, tendons, and muscles surrounding the bones and the spinal cord. When these tissues are affected, we may experience neck pain and stiffness.

As abovementioned, the most common cause of neck pain is holding a bad posture for long periods. In this case, we highly recommend working towards improving our posture, especially when sitting down. Some exercises and a good yoga practice aimed at this may be helpful. Other preventing measures include having a pillow that can hold the neck while sleeping, having a chair and a desk that are high enough to help you maintain a good posture to avoid the unconscious need of slouching to look at the screen. 

To ease the soreness, applying ice, then heat, and regularly doing some stretching exercises are some tips that can be highly beneficial in tackling neck pain if done well.

However, a bad posture might not always be the cause of neck pain. In some cases, the reason behind it is related to an existing underlying condition. Therefore, it’s necessary to pay attention to the occurrence or persistence of some symptoms:

• Severe pain and stiffness that can last for many days.
• Symptoms extend to other body parts such as arms, hands, and legs.
• There are a tingling sensation and lack of feeling in the affected area.

Similarly, a wrong neck twist or movement caused by an accident, an incorrect exercise, or any other aggressive motion of the neck can cause an injury. This kind of injury is known as whiplash, and it might also affect the spinal cord. Make sure to consult your orthopedic doctor if you experiment one. 

Orthopedic Corner | Leon Mead MD Orthopedic Doctor | 730 Goodlette Road North, Suite 201  Naples Florida 34102 | Phone: (239) 262-1119