There’s a reason why Pain in the Neck is such an apt expression — having a literal pain in the neck can affect your life in surprising ways, ways that you only become aware of when you’re in the thick of it.
You’re certainly alone in this — on a global scale, neck pain affects a whopping 203 million people, and this number is expected to jump to 269 million by 2050.
If you’re struggling with impactful neck pain, a great first step is to figure out what’s behind the problem. The best way to do that is to sit down with one of the team here at Johnston Pain Management for a comprehensive evaluation of your neck pain.
In the meantime, however, you can read up on some of the more common culprits behind neck pain.
There’s a very good reason why your risk for neck pain increases with age — there’s increasing wear-and-tear in your neck.
Your cervical spine is comprised of seven small vertebrae, which are separated by intervertebral discs. As you age, these discs can lose moisture and become more brittle and flatten out, a condition known as degenerative disc disease (DDD). This condition occurs far more often in areas of your spine that move a lot, such as your neck and lower back.
DDD is a natural part of the aging process and can be found in about 90% of people by the age of 60.
While DDD doesn’t necessarily lead to symptoms, it does place you at more risk for common drivers of neck pain, including herniated discs and nerve entrapment issues. The hallmarks of this type of neck pain include localized pain, as well as pain and other symptoms (numbness and tingling, more often than not) down into one of your arms.
Each segment of your spine contains tiny joints called facet joints. Like any other joint in your body, the cartilage in these facet joints can wear down with time, allowing more friction between the bones. Facet joint arthritis often leads to the growth of bone spurs, which only exacerbates the discomfort.
If you start the day with nagging neck pain, you might want to examine your sleeping habits. For example, if you use a pillow that raises your head at an odd angle, this can stress the connective tissues and lead to achiness.
Ideally, you want your spine to be in a neutral position, from head to pelvis, at night. So, you should have a pillow that supports your neck but doesn’t lift it. As well, your mattress should be firm. And sleep position matters — aim for sleeping on your back or side, not your stomach.
If your neck pain strikes while you’re working, it’s a good bet you have poor sitting posture. Just because it’s called a laptop doesn't mean you should use it that way — it’s a good practice to keep all screens at eye level. And when you’re seated, you should:
Practicing good posture while you’re asleep and awake can go a long way toward alleviating neck pain.
Whether the underlying cause of your neck pain is on the list above or not, we want to assure you that we offer treatments that can make quick work of neck pain.
We have a comprehensive pain management arsenal that includes:
To determine which combination is best for your neck pain, we invite you to see us. To get that ball rolling, please schedule a consultation at one of our three conveniently located clinics in Jacksonville, Hampstead, and New Bern, North Carolina.
