The top seven bones of your spine form the neck, which includes a network of nerves, bones, joints, and muscles. It supports and mobilizes the head, but can sometimes become painful. Due to the sensitive nature of neck tissues, issues can cause pain in the shoulder, head, arm, and legs.
Symptoms of Neck Pain: Common symptoms include pain and stiffness in the middle or sides of the neck, potentially extending from the shoulder to the upper chest. You may experience arm weakness, muscle tightness and spasms, reduced head mobility, or tension headaches. Nerve pinching can cause numbness, tingling, or a pins-and-needles sensation in the neck or arm. Clicking or grating noises during head movement are common and not usually a concern. However, dizziness and blackouts due to vertebral artery pinching require medical attention.
Causes of Neck Pain: The neck’s flexibility and head support make it prone to injuries and conditions that limit motion and cause pain. Overuse, poor posture, and teeth grinding can strain neck muscles. Aging can lead to osteoarthritis, wearing down vertebrae and discs. Inflammation can cause bone spurs, which, along with herniated discs, can restrict joint motion and compress nerves. Trauma from accidents or falls, and diseases like autoimmune disorders, meningitis, or cancer, can also cause neck pain.
Diagnosis of Neck Pain: Doctors diagnose neck pain through medical history, physical examination, and diagnostic imaging. Physical exams assess motion range, pain location, and nerve and muscle function. Often, this is sufficient for a diagnosis. Imaging like X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs may be used to investigate degenerative changes and visualize bones, muscles, nerves, ligaments, and cartilage, especially if a serious condition is suspected.
Treatments for Neck Pain: Most mild to moderate neck pain is treated without surgery. Pain relief medications, muscle relaxants, and certain antidepressants can help. Physiotherapy can correct posture, improve alignment, and strengthen neck muscles. Cold or hot compresses and electrical stimulation may also provide relief. Under a therapist’s supervision, weights, pulleys, or air bladders can gently stretch the neck and alleviate nerve pain. A soft collar may support the neck and reduce pressure on sensitive areas, but should be used as recommended and not for more than three hours at a time. Doctors might inject corticosteroids or anesthetics near nerve roots, joint spaces, or neck muscles to relieve pain. Surgery, rarely needed, may be considered for nerve root or spinal cord compression, with minimally invasive endoscopic procedures preferred for their lower infection risk and better preservation of essential structures.
