If you're bothered by neck pain, you have plenty of company. Doctors estimate that seven out of 10 people will be troubled by such pain at some point in their lives. But if you were to ask each of these people to describe their neck pain, you would probably get seven different stories. By clearly describing your specific neck symptom or combination of symptoms, you can help your doctor determine what's wrong and how to help.
What are the most common types of
neck pain?
Muscle pain. Aching or sore neck and shoulder muscles may
occur in response to overexertion or prolonged physical or emotional stress.
The neck muscles may develop hard knots that are tender to the touch, sometimes
called trigger points.
Muscle spasm:
This is a sudden, powerful tightening of neck muscles. Your
neck may hurt and feel tight or knotted, and it may be impossible to turn your
head. When you wake up with a painful, stiff neck, that's likely a muscle
spasm. Muscle spasms can result from a muscle injury, but they may also occur in
response to a spinal disc or nerve problem, or even emotional stress. However,
there often needs to be a clear cause.
Headache:
Neck-related headache is most often felt in the back of the
head and upper neck and is usually the result of muscle tension or spasm.
Neck-related headache pain is usually dull or aching, rather than sharp; the
neck might feel stiff or tender. Moving your neck makes it worse.
Facet joint pain:
Often described as deep, sharp, or aching, pain in the facet
joints (part of the vertebrae of the neck) typically worsens if you lean your
head toward the affected side, and may radiate to your shoulder or upper back.
Arthritis in the facet joints, as in other locations, may feel worse in the
morning or after a period of inactivity.
Nerve pain:
Irritation or pinching of the roots of the spinal nerves
causes pain that may be sharp, fleeting, severe, or accompanied by pins and
needles. Depending on the nerve involved, the pain may shoot down the arm or
even into the hand.
Referred pain:
Referred pain is pain in one part of the body that is
triggered by a problem in another part of the body. For example, neck pain that
worsens with exertion may indicate a heart problem, while neck pain that occurs
when you eat may stem from a problem in the esophagus.
Bone pain:
Pain and tenderness in the cervical vertebrae are far less
common than neck pain from the soft tissues. Bone pain needs medical attention
because it may signal a more serious health problem. There are many things you
and your doctor can do to manage and relieve your pain, including a combination
of self-help techniques and over-the-counter pain medications
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