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Have a tight neck? Aching back? Cracking knuckles? If so, you're not alone. Neck pain is one of those things that's hard to describe but easy to recognize when it's there. It can range anywhere from being a minor annoyance to feeling like someone's squeezing the life out of you. If the pain persists and continues to get worse, it can affect your daily life, leading to further concerns.
When it comes to chronic neck pain, some individuals also experience tension headaches or arm and hand pain. Chronic neck pain is one of the most common health conditions to affect Americans. In fact, many people are affected by this ongoing pain on a regular basis and struggle to find the source of it.
This blog discusses some of the reasons that can cause chronic neck pain, which might require medical attention from a Manhattan pain management specialist. In addition to treating the cause of neck pain, avoiding body mechanics that trigger muscle spasms can help prevent further complications.
Poor Posture
Neck pain is often caused by muscle tension and tightness, which can be caused by poor posture. For example, if you're sitting in an office chair with a rounded back all day, this will put stress on your neck muscles and cause them to tighten up.
Poor posture is one of the most common causes of chronic neck pain. You might not realize it, but the way you sit, stand, walk and sleep can affect how much tension is in your neck.
The muscles of your upper back and neck are responsible for holding up your head. They also support the weight of your arms and shoulders as you move through each day.
If these muscles become tense or fatigued, they can cause pain or discomfort in your upper back, shoulders, and neck. Tension in this area can lead to headaches, shoulder pain, and stiffness — even headaches.
Sports-Related Injuries
Sports-related injuries are one of the most common causes of chronic neck pain. Sports such as tennis or golf can put stress on the neck muscles, causing them to become strained during play.
The constant use of these muscles can lead to aches and pains that sometimes last for weeks after an injury occurs. If you have chronic neck pain from an accident or sports injury, it's important to see a health professional right away so they can properly diagnose and treat your condition.
Muscle Imbalances
Muscle imbalances happen when certain muscle groups are stronger than others or weaker than others due to an injury or overuse — like sitting at a desk all day without stretching regularly. These imbalances can lead to chronic neck pain and headaches if not corrected through physical therapy treatment or other methods such as chiropractic care and massage therapy.
Stress
Stress is another common cause of chronic neck pain. The stress that we experience during our everyday lives can cause our muscles to tense up, leading to knots and tightness in our necks.
When you're stressed out, your body releases hormones that make you tense up, including cortisol and adrenaline. This can lead to muscle tension in your neck area as well as headaches, which can both contribute to chronic neck pain over time.
Muscle Strain
One of the most common causes of chronic neck pain is muscle strain. When your muscles are strained, they are in pain because they have been pulled or torn. As a result, the muscle becomes inflamed and begins to swell, which can cause significant pain and stiffness. This can happen suddenly or develop over time with repeated use of the muscle.
A muscle strain may occur in any muscle in your body, but it is most common in muscles that are used frequently or forcefully, such as your neck muscles. It may occur when you lift something heavy or twist your neck too much. It can also happen during sports activities if you hit or tackle someone too hard or fall down onto the hard ground with outstretched arms and legs.
If you have been experiencing chronic neck pain for longer than a few days, it's likely that you have strained one or more muscles in your neck area. It is important to seek medical attention to determine the cause of your pain and provide you with treatment options.
Arthritis
Arthritis can also contribute to chronic neck pain. It is a degenerative condition that affects joints throughout your body. It can cause joint pain and stiffness as well as swelling. Arthritis often affects older adults, but it's possible for younger people to develop arthritis as well (especially if they have an autoimmune disorder).
If you have arthritis in your spine, this can cause pinched nerves and inflammation of the muscles surrounding the joint, which may lead to chronic pain in your neck and upper back.
Pinched Nerve
A pinched nerve in your neck can cause shooting pain that radiates from one side of your neck to the other side of your face or down into your arms and hands. This type of pain is usually caused by an injury or overuse. The most common cause of pinched nerves in the neck is whiplash.
A pinched nerve occurs when a nerve is compressed or squeezed by some type of trauma (either physical or chemical). The result is irritation and inflammation of the nerve, which leads to pain and tingling, numbness or weakness in the affected area of your body.
Chronic Neck Pain Treatment
Causes of chronic neck pain can be vast, and if you are suffering in this way, it is highly advised that you see a pain specialist. There is plenty of evidence-based treatments that can help alleviate your constant pain, as well as work towards addressing the causes.
The majority of cases can be treated with non-invasive methods, such as:
• Physical therapy to strengthen and stretch muscles around the spine
• Exercise program to maintain good posture and keep muscles strong
• Chiropractic care improves mobility and reduces stress on the muscles around your spine.
• Medical massage treatment has been shown to reduce stress levels and promote healing of injuries faster.
All Of Pain is Here to Help
If you're suffering from constant neck pain, it's likely because there is something that's causing it. Fortunately, there are many effective treatments available. If you would like to learn more about your treatment options, visit our Manhattan pain management center. We can answer any questions you have about managing your pain. Our pain specialists can provide accurate diagnosis of your condition and a treatment plan that is right for you.