.png)
Everyone wants to live a good, pain-free life. But there's one part of the body that is often overlooked by us. That would be our neck. Our neck is not only keeping our head upright, but it is also helping us out with breathing, swallowing, and looking up. But what do you know about neck pain or neck injuries? Can they lead to anything serious? How big of a problem are neck injuries?
Whether you have been dealing with chronic issues or just took a hard fall on the field playing soccer, it's important to know about your neck pain and how you can best treat what's happening.
Our Manhattan pain management center cares about your well-being and wants to help you be able to live a healthy, happy life. And by taking control of your musculoskeletal health, you'll be on the right path to maintaining a healthy neck for years to come.
The pain may radiate to other parts of the body
It may seem strange that neck pain can cause headaches, but it makes sense when you think about how your body works. The muscles in your neck support your head and spine. If they become tight or strained, they will pull on the joints that connect them to each other, causing pain throughout the entire region (and sometimes beyond).
The reason for this is that neck pain can cause inflammation of the tissues surrounding your spinal cord and brainstem, which leads to irritation and swelling. Sooner or later, your neck will get worse and radiate into your arms and shoulders or down into your back, leading to other problems if not treated in time.
So if you're experiencing neck pain, seek medical attention from a pain specialist as soon as possible to be able to treat your pain effectively and prevent further problems from occurring.
It can make you lose sleep
Your neck is one of the main areas of your body that supports your head while you sleep. If it's not doing its job properly, then it's likely that you won't get much rest during the night.
You may find that you aren't able to get comfortable when you lie down and that this affects your sleep. This will only make things worse and cause stiffness or more pain in the morning.
It can cause constant discomfort
Neck pain can be caused by many things, from accidents to muscle strain. Whatever the cause, neck pain can be extremely painful and uncomfortable. It can affect your entire body; the longer you have it, the worse it gets. Even the simplest movements can lead to discomfort and pain. As a result, you'll find yourself avoiding certain activities and positions that might cause discomfort.
Soon, you'll be in constant discomfort. You'll feel stiff and sore in the morning and throughout the day. In fact, you may even wake up feeling stiffer than when you went to sleep.
If you've had chronic neck pain for a long time, you may be used to the discomfort and have learned how to deal with it. But eventually, the constant strain on your muscles will cause them to weaken and become less flexible over time — leading to even greater discomfort.
You're always in pain
Many people will ignore their neck pain at first, but it can quickly become a serious condition that requires medical attention. If you have chronic neck pain, it's important to seek help from a medical professional.
Chronic pain doesn't just come and go — it stays with you for days or weeks on end until treatment is provided. The longer the pain lasts, the harder it can be treated because there's so much damage already done to your body.
It's important to seek out treatment for chronic neck pain as soon as possible, so you don't have to suffer for months or years before you find relief from your symptoms.
You can't move around freely anymore
The neck is a very important part of the body. It supports your head, allows you to look up and down and side to side, and allows you to move your head in all directions.
When you have neck pain, you may feel stiff and sore, and your mobility becomes limited. That means you have trouble performing simple tasks such as turning your head from side to side or even sitting up straight. This can make it difficult to take care of yourself and live an active lifestyle.
And if you've been suffering from chronic neck pain for years now, then there's a good chance that other parts of your body have become weak as well because they're not being used.
It can make you weak and fatigued
Chronic neck pain can cause muscle weakness and fatigue due to reduced blood flow, which reduces oxygen supply to muscles and nerves. This makes it difficult for them to perform their functions, resulting in weakness and fatigue.
Your daily tasks will become difficult
Neck pain is a common complaint and can have serious consequences if left untreated. Nerves that control the body's movements and sensations run through the neck, so a pinched nerve or swollen disc can trigger symptoms throughout the body.
If you have chronic neck pain, then your days will be ruled by it. Your neck pain may prevent you from doing the things that you want to do or need to do, like brushing your teeth or getting dressed in the morning. You may even find yourself avoiding social situations out of embarrassment at how much pain you're experiencing.
It can affect your concentration
Neck pain can make it difficult to concentrate on work or other activities. This means that you may have trouble doing things like reading, typing or driving if you have constant neck pain.
Research has shown that people who have chronic neck pain have trouble concentrating, recalling information, and thinking clearly compared with people who don't have chronic pain. This is called cognitive impairment or cognitive decline, which means that there are changes in how well you think or remember things compared with before your condition started.
You'll feel less productive at work
Your job may suffer, and the loss of productivity is another major problem associated with chronic neck pain. It will be difficult to concentrate on work tasks that require focus and accuracy — especially if you're doing them while sitting at a computer monitor or desk all day long if you're experiencing discomfort in your upper back. You may find yourself taking longer breaks than necessary to deal with your pain instead of getting back to work on time.
The good news is that there are many treatment options available that can help you get back to living your life again. If you're suffering from chronic neck pain, seek out non-invasive treatment options from a medical professional so you can quickly recover and live a productive life.
Your lifestyle is restricted
Chronic neck pain is a serious condition that can affect you in many ways. Being in constant pain can make your life miserable. It hinders your ability to live life as normally as possible. It can keep you from working, sleeping, or even eating. You may find yourself feeling frustrated and angry because your neck pain prevents you from doing activities you enjoy doing.
You may feel that your life is on hold until the pain goes away. Unfortunately, as time goes on, it becomes harder and harder to do the things you used to enjoy. This will only add another layer of stress on top of everything else going on in your life, making it difficult for you to cope with an already stressful situation. It's also common for people with chronic neck pain to spend a lot more time resting than they used to before they developed this condition.
You'll be looking for ways to relieve the pain
When you have chronic neck pain, you get used to feeling sore all over your body, even when there's nothing wrong with your back or spine. You may find yourself rubbing your neck every time something hurts or applying heat packs on top of ice packs just so you can get some temporary relief from the discomfort of having swollen areas around the neck area that are tender all the time.
But don't settle for short-term relief! Everyone is different and there are a lot of great resources out there when it comes to neck pain. Help is available, especially if you seek it out early.
There are many things you can do to help relieve your neck pain and improve your quality of life. The first thing you should do is get checked out by a medical professional who specializes in musculoskeletal disorders. They will be able to diagnose any underlying conditions that may be contributing to your chronic neck pain and develop a treatment plan that best suits your condition.
Treatments are focused on helping relieve the pain, supporting the muscles and joints that control movement, and making any necessary adjustments so you can resume normal activity. Exercises that improve posture and decrease stress on tissues that have lost flexibility also may be recommended.
If you're looking for chronic neck pain treatment, our Manhattan pain management center is here to help. We will provide you with a personalized treatment plan to alleviate pain, improve mobility and restore function. We offer a wide range of treatments, including non-invasive and non-drug options to provide long-term relief. Our team also has experience treating various chronic pain conditions. Please call us or book an appointment if you would like to discuss your options with one of our specialists today.