Your neck is an elaborate functional structure that consists of muscles, ligaments, blood vessels, bones, nerves, and other soft tissues. The neck provides the necessary support for your skull and allows it to move in different directions. However, the high flexibility of various neck structures makes it susceptible to Katy neck pain or discomfort. Although neck pain is prevalent among American adults, it often affects Americans of all ages. According to the CDC, more than 15% of adult Americans experience neck pain lasting at least the whole day every year.
If you have neck pain, you may experience a long-lasting ache, a burning sensation, shooting pains that radiate from the neck to your upper back and shoulders, headache, inability to move your neck and head, or tingling sensations in the arms or shoulders.
Subsequently, below are the potential reasons you may have neck pain.
- Aging
Naturally, the cervical spine and the rest of your spinal column gradually degenerate as you age.
As a result, the different structures of your cervical spine, the spinal column in the neck region, become weak and may cause pain.
Aging may cause neck discomfort due to the rapture of cervical spine discs, neck arthritis, or spinal narrowing.
- Muscle strains
For example, if you take an extended period hunched over as you operate a smartphone or computer, that can lead to the straining of muscles in your neck. Therefore, you will encounter neck pain and discomfort.
You may also be at high risk of straining your neck muscles when you are obese or overweight and have weak core strength because of poor spinal column alignment.
- Chronic stress
During long-term stress, your body collects tension in your neck and shoulder muscles.
Generally, the neck and shoulder muscles become tenser with high-stress levels, leading to pain and discomfort. Sometimes, you may also have stress or tension headaches.
- Physical injury or trauma
Common causes of neck injuries may include significant height fall, trauma caused by sports, road accidents, or violent assault.
Physical trauma or injuries in your neck may damage different structures, including cervical spine discs, nerves, their roots, tendons, ligaments, and muscles.
A neck strain may happen due to a whiplash injury, characterized by a quick and forceful back-and-forth neck movement.
- Head and neck tumors
A growth in your head or neck can strain adjacent nerves and other soft tissues, leading to pain and discomfort.
You may also have cervical bone spurs (osteophytes), bony overgrowths occurring in the cervical spine because of aging, or spinal joint instability. Often, most cervical bone spurs do not always generate neck pain. Still, your neck may become stiff and painful.
Other health problems that may cause neck pain and discomfort include neck or head cancer and meningitis. For instance, if the pain and discomfort in your neck persist, there is a possibility that you have neck or head cancer. The pain may be accompanied by an inflammation or a lump that refuses to heal.
Contact One Life Chiropractic in Katy today to schedule an appointment with a neck pain specialist and learn more about the available treatment options.