Neck Pain: When Should You Worry and What Should You Do?

Two out of three people will experience significant neck pain at some point in their lives. Keep in mind, however, that most cases of neck pain do not require prompt medical attention. This is because much of the triggers of neck pain stem from factors that are within your control.

What Causes Neck Pain?
How do you sit at your desk? Are you slouched over? Do you crane your neck to look at your keyboard? Perhaps your posture is awkward as you tend garden in your backyard.

Many times, we’re not aware that even the simplest of movements can cause neck pain. When the pain lasts a day or two, or even a few weeks, it’s considered acute, and you can usually provide your own care. During this period, it’s best to continue with your normal activities and refrain from any excessive exercise or exertion. To get neck pain relief, you could take over-the-counter medicines such as Aleve, Tylenol or Advil. You can also alternate hot and cold on the affected area to reduce inflammation. Try this for 20 minutes at a time, up to a few times a day. You can also try creams that are designed to reduce muscle pain, such as Icy Hot or Bengay.

When Should I Worry About Neck Pain?
Seek prompt medical attention if you experience loss of bladder or bowel functioning, loss of feeling in your extremities, shooting pain, or pain that’s a result of a motor vehicle accident or fall. Your doctor may order an X-ray or MRI to check for structural damage to your muscles or bones that may be causing your neck pain.

When the pain lasts more than a month, it could become chronic neck pain, and you should begin to take action to find the root cause.

Does Old Age Play a Role in My Pain?
If you think an injury or fall is a pain in the neck, you won’t like the pain that can result from age. It is, of course, a fact of life that as we age, so does our tissue. This means that the 50-pound bag of soil we were once able to lift with ease is suddenly a potentially harmful undertaking. With age also comes the loss of cushion between our vertebrae, which can cause irritation and thus, neck pain. And our joints can eventually wear down, which can lead to stiffness.

What are My Neck Pain Treatment Options?
The good news about neck pain is that there are a variety of treatment modalities you can try in order to see what works best for you.

For mild to moderate pain that lasts a few days to a few weeks, try:

• Over-the-counter pills and creams
• Hot and cold therapy
• Gentle stretching
• Rest (remember that prolonged rest can actually hurt more than it can help. But brief periods of rest throughout the day can help).
• Acupuncture
• Massage

For pain that just won’t seem to go away and lasts more than a month, your doctor may suggest:

• Physical therapy
• Injections of steroids or local anesthetics into the muscles and/or spine
• Prescription pain medication such as muscle relaxants or antidepressants
• Traction – this form of neck pain treatment stretches your neck and keeps it immobilized through the use of weights and pulleys.
• A soft collar that helps take some of the pressure off your neck and adds support as you heal
• Surgery – this is by far the last resort. In most cases of neck pain, it is not necessary, but in cases where there is root or spinal cord compression, it may be an option.

How Can I Prevent Neck Pain?
Our lifestyles make it nearly impossible to avoid neck pain. But there are certainly things we can all do to reduce the chances of experiencing pain. Some of these include:

• Regular stretching. Arm circles, shoulder shrugs, side stretches – all of these things help loosen the muscles surrounding the neck.

• Check your posture. Make sure you’re not slouched over your desk. Even your keyboard and mouse can lead to neck pain if you’re not careful. Make sure your wrists aren’t too far above your waist while you type. They should be closer to your hips than your chest.

• If you type a lot, make sure you’re looking in front of you at your documents, rather than to either side of you, and keep your monitor at eye level.

Dr. Guarino is the Director of Pain Management at Washington University in St. Louis.  You can find out more about him and his book at www.painstrategy.com.

See Related Articles
Read Neck Pain Relief Through Combination of Pain Treatments for more information about treating neck pain.

Discover other chronic pain therapies in Managing Chronic Pain Through Pain Diaries and Positive Thought.