The Five Most Common Causes of Neck Pain

Neck pain is common, and almost everyone experiences it at least once in their lifetime. This pain can be mild to severe and intermittent to chronic. The intensity and duration may depend on the initial cause(s) of the pain and/or how much treatment is received and how quickly.

Understanding how neck problems can develop is a good starting point for preventing it in the first place. These are the five most common causes of neck pain:

1) Soft tissue injury/trauma: "Soft tissue injury" refers to damage to the muscles, tendons and ligaments. The neck is laden with vulnerable soft tissue. This tissue is easily injured when the head is jarred suddenly, such as in a car crash (whiplash). It can also occur when playing sports, falling down stairs or other kinds of accidents.

Soft tissue damage due to injury can be difficult to prevent, since it's unpredictable and can happen almost anytime, anywhere. You can decrease your risk of this type of injury by maintaining good posture, wearing proper protective gear when playing sports, and always being aware of your surroundings. Regular exercise, particularly exercise that strengthens your core muscles and upper body, can also help prevent neck soft tissue injury.

2) Degenerative disc disease: The name may be a bit misleading, since disc degeneration is a normal part of the aging process. With this condition, the discs in the spine may become inflamed and lead to neck pain.

In most cases the condition does not cause chronic pain. Flare-ups can be treated with ibuprofen or natural care, such as chiropractic or acupuncture. Cases which are more severe or lead to chronic pain are sometimes treated surgically.

3) Herniated disc: A disc in this condition pushes out of its normal covering. The disc may even rupture. Herniated or ruptured discs can be mildly to severely painful. Treatment usually involves activity modification, exercises and ibuprofen for pain. More serious cases that don't respond to mild treatments may require steroid treatment or surgery.

4) Pinched nerves (Radiculopathy): The spinal cord is comprised of a number of nerves. These nerves can become compressed due to injury or other spine conditions (like disc degeneration). It can also occur simply from poor posture while walking, standing, sitting or sleeping.

Manipulation by a chiropractor can be effective at loosening tight areas. Other treatments like acupuncture and laser therapy may also be beneficial. Pain can be treated with ibuprofen when needed.

5) Bone injuries: A broken collarbone or spinal fracture can cause pain in the neck. Broken bones can occur even with seemingly innocuous injuries and need immediate treatment. If you experience neck pain after some type of injury or fall, even a small one, seek medical attention.

Meningitis, or inflammation of the meninges, can cause pain in the neck. Meningitis is uncommon, but is a serious condition that can lead to death if not treated quickly. If you have trouble bending your neck forward or twisting it sideways as normal, you should seek medical attention. You should be especially wary if you experience neck pain with flu-like symptoms, such as headache or fever, or if you've been exposed to someone with meningitis.

The treatment depends on the type of pain you are experiencing. You may find neck pain relief at home by applying heat (a warm compress) or cold (an ice pack).

You can also find some relief by taking ibuprofen. However, this is not a treatment, but simply a method for temporarily reducing pain. Visit a medical professional who can determine and treat the source of the problem.