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This article was written by Crispin Jones on behalf of Provailen, suppliers of neck pain relief and joint pain relief.
We all suffer from neck pain at some point in our lives, whether from sleeping awkwardly to having a poor posture; however for many of us neck pain lasts much longer than a few days.
Causes of Neck Pain
It can be hard to find neck pain relief when you are unsure of its trigger. The most common causes for neck pain include:
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- Non-specific neck pain – the cause of this type of neck pain isn’t always clear, but the most common causes include minor strains, sprains to muscles or ligaments in your neck, poor posture or from sitting at a desk for too long (this can cause you to sit with a ‘bent-forward’ posture).
- Whiplash – a jolt to your neck from a car crash can cause neck pain.
- Acute torticollis – often called ‘wry neck’, torticollis occurs when your head becomes twisted to one side and is painful to move back straight. The trigger of this condition is often unknown, but it has been linked to minor strain or sprain to a muscle or ligament in your neck or even exposure to the cold. Torticollis usually only lasts a few days and mends itself without treatment.
- Degeneration (wear and tear) – it is common for your spinal bones and the discs between your vertebrae to experience degeneration (wear and tear), especially by the time you reach 50. The amount of ‘wear and tear’ varies from person to person and does not always result in neck pain.
- Cervical radiculopathy – this occurs when the root of a nerve is pressed on or becomes damaged as it comes out from spinal cord in the neck region. Alongside neck pain, you may also experience loss of feeling, pins and needles, pain and weakness in parts of your arm. This is often triggered by wear and tear or a prolapsed disc.
- Other more serious/rarer causes – rheumatoid arthritis, bone disorders, infections, cancers and serious injuries to your vertebrae, spinal cord or nerves in the neck.
Treatments
Most neck pain relief treatments involve the use of anti-inflammatories. However, if you are more interested in offering your neck an alternative form of joint pain relief, then the following treatments can help, especially if it is non-specific neck pain.
- Exercise– exercising your neck and keeping active can help to alleviate pain. It may be painful at first – so you may need to rest for a day between each session – but the more you gently exercise your neck, the less this pain will become. Every few hours gently move your neck in each direction and ensure that your neck does not stiffen up. In addition, try to carry on with your normal activities, but do not push yourself too far.
- Medicine– depending on the trigger for your neck pain, will depend on the type of medicine you are given: – paracetamol – taking two 500mg tablets, four times a day is often sufficient at providing neck pain relief
– anti-inflammatory painkillers – these can be used alongside paracetamol as they include ibuprofen (non-prescription). Prescription type anti-inflammatories often contain diclofenac or naproxen. Now you need to be careful with anti-inflammatories as they are not suitable for everyone. If you suffer from stomach ulcers, asthma, high blood pressure, kidney failure or heart failure, you may not be able to take them
– strong painkillers – codeine is a safe alternative if you cannot take anti-inflammatory painkillers. Just make sure you drink plenty of fluids as it can cause constipation
– muscle relaxants – diazepam is often prescribed for a few days to offer neck pain relief if your neck becomes very tense - Other treatments– – good posture – if you work at a desk all day, ensure that you sit upright and prevent your head from flexing forward and your back stopping
– support pillow – using 1 firm pillow will help you to sleep better and straighten your neck
– physiotherapy – depending on the severity of your neck pain, a physiotherapist may offer you a range of neck pain reliefs including traction, heat, cold or neck manipulation
You do not have to endure neck pain alone. Simply recognise the cause of your neck pain and you can begin experiencing natural neck pain relief all from the comfort of your own home.
However, if you are unsure of the cause of your neck pain, consult with a doctor to ensure it is nothing more serious.
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