What Is Neck Pain?
Neck pain (also called cervicalgia) is any time your neck hurts. It’s a common problem with lots of causes.
Your neck has a tough job. It holds up the same weight as a bowling ball all day long. It can be a delicate balance. Things like sleeping wrong and bad posture can cause neck pain, as more than one-quarter of American adults can tell you. It isn’t usually a symptom of a more serious health problem.
Types of Neck Pain
Different types of neck pain include:
- Axial pain, or the kind you mainly feel in your neck
- Radicular pain, which migrates to other areas like your shoulders or arms
- Muscle spasm, or abrupt pain or tension in your neck muscles
- Whiplash, or neck strain that happens after a sudden force or movement
Neck Pain Symptoms
If your neck hurts, you may notice other symptoms, including:
- Pain that gets worse when you hold your head a certain way while working on a computer, driving, or doing other tasks
- Muscle tightness or spasms
- Trouble moving your neck or head
- Headache
Neck Pain and Headache
Sometimes, you may get a headache along with neck pain. There are several possible causes of this, such as:
- Migraine. Known for headaches, migraine can also cause neck pain.
- Headaches. Sinus, tension, and cervicogenic headaches usually bring head pain but often affect the neck, too.
- Bad posture. Poor posture can lead to head and neck aches.
- Injuries. Trauma, like whiplash, can result in head and neck pain, sometimes with serious damage to the skull, spine, or nerves.
- Concussion. This type of mild brain injury commonly causes headaches and neck pain.
- Meningitis. An infection of the brain’s lining causes head and neck pain, often with stiffness and fever.
- Pinched nerve. Arthritis or spinal issues can compress nerves, leading to head and neck pain.
- Herniated disk. A damaged spinal disk may press on nerves, causing head and neck pain.
- Brain bleeding. Brain bleeding can cause serious head and neck pain, possibly with seizures or loss of consciousness.
Neck Pain and Dizziness
If you have both dizziness and neck pain, it could be the result of these conditions:
- Cervical vertigo. Also called cervicogenic dizziness, this condition happens with certain neck conditions or a cervical spine injury.
- Multiple sclerosis (MS). Inflammation in the brain and spine can cause neck pain, dizziness, and other symptoms.
- Migraine. Often linked with headaches, migraine can also cause dizziness.
- Poor sleep. Tiredness from a lack of quality sleep, especially in poor sleeping positions, can lead to neck pain and dizziness.
- Flu. In serious cases, the flu can cause sudden dizziness and neck stiffness.
Neck Pain and Nausea
Health conditions such as cervical vertigo and meningitis can cause neck pain and nausea. Talk to your doctor to figure out the root cause of these symptoms.
Neck Pain Causes
Many things can cause your neck to hurt:
- Poor posture
- Repetitive motion
- Bad sleep habits
- Gritting your teeth
- Carrying a heavy shoulder bag or purse
- Pinched nerves
- Sports injuries or other injuries
- Car accidents involving whiplash
- Arthritis
- Infection
- Tumors
- A fractured or collapsed vertebra, which can be related to osteoporosis
- A slipped (herniated) disk
- Fibromyalgia
- Narrowed spaces within your spine (spinal stenosis)
Can Neck Pain Be a Sign of Something Serious?
Yes, neck pain could be a symptom of a serious health condition such as traumatic injury or stroke. Contact your doctor if neck pain disrupts work or daily life, and get help right away if it:
- Follows an accident
- Includes loss of bowel or bladder control
- Doesn't go away whether moving or still
- Comes with headache, dizziness, nausea, or vomiting
- Appears along with chills, fever, or unexplained weight loss
- Causes numbness or tingling in your arms, shoulders, or legs
- Leads to leg weakness or coordination issues in your arms or legs
- Doesn’t improve with over-the-counter medications
- Lasts more than a week
How Is Neck Pain Diagnosed?
To diagnose what's causing your neck pain, your doctor may ask:
- When did the pain start?
- Have you been injured?
- Do you have numbness or weakness in your arms or hands?
- Does moving your neck in a certain way make things better or worse?
- Does coughing or sneezing make the pain worse?
Your doctor has many tools to figure out what’s wrong. They could order X-rays, an MRI, a CT scan, an EMG (electromyography), or blood tests.
Neck Pain Treatment
Treatments could include medications called muscle relaxants, physical therapy, a padded neck collar, or traction.
In rare situations, you may need shots of cortisone or even surgery.
With treatment, your neck will usually stop hurting in a few days. Use medicines like acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen to ease pain. Put an ice pack on your neck for the first 2 to 3 days to help lower swelling. After that, use moist heat, like a hot shower or a heating pad, to help it heal. There are also exercises you can do at home (or in front of your computer at work) to gently stretch your neck muscles.
You can also visit a chiropractor or get a neck massage for short-term relief.
How Can You Prevent Neck Pain?
Fix your posture to fix your neck pain. Sit or stand with your shoulders directly over your hips and your head straight. Adjust your chair or desktop so your computer monitor is at eye level. Take frequent breaks.
Don’t tuck your phone between your ear and shoulder. Use a speakerphone or headset instead.
Try not to carry heavy bags with shoulder straps.
Try a different pillow if you’re waking up with neck pain from sleeping. Some people find that a relatively flat one, or one with built-in neck support, works best. Sleeping on your back or side, not your belly, also allows your neck muscles and ligaments to get the rest they need.
Neck Pain Exercises
Here are a few exercises you can try to ease a sore neck. Be sure to hold each position for a few seconds and repeat several times on each side:
- Neck stretch. Keeping the rest of your body still, push your chin forward and backward, gently stretching your throat and neck muscles.
- Neck turn. Turn your head to the right and left, keeping your chin neutral.
- Side neck tilt. Looking straight ahead, tilt your head to each shoulder, keeping your shoulders steady.
- Down neck tilt. Slowly tilt your head down and then back to a neutral position.
Takeaways
Neck pain, or cervicalgia, happens with discomfort in the neck. Causes range from poor posture and poor sleep to injuries like whiplash. Types of neck pain include axial pain, radicular pain, muscle spasms, and tension from strain. In some cases, neck pain may signal serious conditions, such as nerve compression, infection, or trauma, requiring medical attention. Treatment options include physical therapy, medications, ice, heat, and specific exercises.
