Can neck pain be a sign of something serious?

Neck pain. A very common symptom of most Americans with up to 70% of all Americans will experience or have, that will interfere with and restrict their daily activities. Although neck pains or a sore neck can often go away after a day or a few, whether it’s due to prolonged straining of the neck (continuously looking up or down) or a sore muscle, neck pain is often a simple annoyance but when is it a cause for concern. While most when encountering neck pain may just nap or rest their head for a bit and it’ll vanish after a day or two certain individuals could require medical attention. 

Thankfully only a few encounter the need for medical assistance with doctors only associating the neck pains with an illness for 10% of individuals experiencing these pains. 

Often neck pain is a result of a car accident or rear-end accident. As a car accident injury chiropractor, we help those with such pain.

So what causes neck pains and when is it a cause for concern?

What is it?

The several bones, ligaments, and muscles inside the neck allow your neck to provide your head with support and motion. Abnormalities, inflammation, or any injuries can bring your neck pain and stiffness. Many people commonly run into neck pain and it could be from something as ordinary as poor posture, or overuse of the neck without any added support. Neck pain can at times also be caused as a result of any injuries from a fall, contact sports, or whiplash. Whiplash is an injury where your neck is rocked backward, then immediately forward in incredibly rapid succession. 

Although neck pain is usually not a cause for concern at all, at times it may require a doctor’s attention as it may indicate a serious injury or condition. Something to keep in mind is if you encounter mild neck pain for more than a week, very severe pains, or neck pain accompanied by other symptoms, you should look for medical attention as soon as you can.

Common Causes

These causes are not for concern and if you are certain that one of these is the reason for your sudden neck pains then there isn’t much for concern. 

A possible reason for mild neck pain could be a high amount of tension or strain on the neck’s muscles. 

Tension and strain to your neck’s muscles are common and can be caused by a variety of everyday bad habits such as:

• Poor posture
• Working at a desk for an extended period without changing positions
• Sleeping with your neck in a poor position
• Jerking your neck rapidly while exercising

A common and hard to avoid cause of neck pain is injury. The neck is particularly vulnerable to injuries and far more vulnerable than other, more fatty parts of the body. Necks are very susceptible to damages from falls, car accidents, and sports, where the muscles and ligaments of the neck are forced to move outside of their safe range of motion. 

If any neck bones (cervical vertebrae) are fractured or broken then the spinal cord could also be damaged. 

Heart Attack

While heart attacks are significantly rarer than ordinary falls or sports injuries, these are still somewhat common and not out of the usual for older adults and seniors. Neck pain can just be a symptom of a heart attack, but it can also be a symptom that presents itself with multiple others. These other symptoms include:

• Shortness of breath
• Nausea
• Sweating
• Pain in the arm or jaw
• Vomiting

If your neck hurts along with or begins a chain of these other symptoms of a heart attack, call an ambulance or let someone drive you to the emergency room immediately. 

Searching for a car accident injury chiropractor? Choose Dr. Francis!

Related content: https://optimalperformancechiro.com/10-rehabilitation-exercises-after-auto-injury/