Neck and Back Pain

There are more than a hundred reasons for back and neck pain. Many of them occur in combinations, and there's certainly a lot of overlap in symptoms. Consequently back and neck pain can be difficult to diagnose.

The aim of this article is not to precisely identify the exact cause of your back and neck pain. The goal is to give you some general information about causes and symptoms so you can discuss possibilities with your doctor.

The following list describes the basic types, causes, and symptoms of back and neck pain.

Claudication - This term is often used to describe leg pain. But it can cause pain in the neck and back too. It results from a deficiency of blood to the muscles due to sclerosis (narrowing of the arteries) or injury. Claudication is most likely to occur after exercise, and it can be a symptom of circulatory problems that could lead to a heart attack or stroke.

Degenerative disc disease - There is some disagreement among medical professionals about a definition for this condition, and even about the term itself. Everyone agrees however, that discs in your neck and back can degenerate due to age or injury. As discs degenerate, they cause tissues and nerves around them to become inflamed. This causes pain, numbness and tingling in the neck and back. Because nerve pathways are involved, these feelings can radiate away from the spinal column and down into the arms and legs.

Facet arthritis - "Facet" refers to the facet joints on the back of the spinal column. Facet joints connect the vertebrae that make up the spine. Like all other joints of the body, they are subject to arthritis. When arthritis strikes the facet joints in the neck and back, pain results. Back and neck pain from this condition is usually worse after resting or sleeping. It's also usually obvious if you bend sideways or backward: you'll feel pain on the same side as the arthritic facet joint. It can cause pain all the way down the back and even down to the knees, but it doesn't generally produce tingling or numbness.

Herniated disk - This occurs when a disc in the neck or back shifts position, putting pressure on the nerves of the spine. Pain, numbness, tingling and a "pins and needles" sensation are common. Signals along the nerve pathways may be interrupted or obstructed. Sometimes you'll feel an "electric shock" sensation: a sudden jolt that feels like electricity along a nerve path. When the herniated disc is in the neck, the shock wave radiates down into the arms. When it is in the back, the shock wave travels down to the legs.

Muscle strains and pulls - These often come from overuse and over extension, but may also result from sudden trauma (as in a fall or an auto accident). They tend to produce an ache rather than the sharp pains that are more common with spinal conditions--although at times the pain of a pull or a tear can also be severe.

Narrowing of the disc space - This means the space between the discs in the back and neck have shortened, resulting in less of a cushion between the vertebrae. This can cause pain when you bend forward and upright, lift things, twist, etc.

Osteoarthritis - This condition is also known as OA. It's the chronic breakdown of cartilage in the joints. It is the most common form of arthritis, usually occurring after middle age. As the cartilage wears away, the joints become inflamed and painful.

Radicular pain - This occurs when there's a nerve problem in the back or neck that causes pain to radiate into the lower or upper extremities. This pain may be accompanied by muscle weakness, numbness and tingling and loss of specific reflexes.

Referred pain - Once again, this is pain that usually involves nerve pathways. In this instance, the problem or condition originates in one area, but the pain is felt somewhere else.

Sciatica - Pain that results from wear or injury to the sciatic nerve, which is a large nerve pathway from the back to the lower extremities. It can be caused by bad posture, occupations that require hours of sitting in one place, or of course, trauma or injury from a fall or an accident.

Scoliosis - This condition is popularly known as "curvature of the spine." When the vertebrae are misaligned, nerves can become exposed and/or damaged. An incorrectly aligned spine can also cause other parts of the body to try to compensate for the structural imbalance, resulting in abnormal wear or strain on muscles, nerves, and bones elsewhere.

Spinal Stenosis - the spinal canal narrows and compresses the spinal cord and nerves, resulting in back and neck pain. This condition can be present from birth, but it's usually caused by advancing age or osteoarthritis.

Spondylolisthesis - This is a condition in which one vertebra slips forward in relation to the vertebra below it. You can feel pain in the area where the disc is out of position, or the pain may radiate to the buttocks or legs. Numbness, tingling, or weakness are also possible. You may also experience an inability to control urine or stool, or to initiate a urine stream, indicating that the slippage may be pushing on the spinal cord itself. This situation demands immediate professional medical attention.

Spondylolysis - This is a defect can lead to small stress fractures in the vertebrae that can weaken the bones. It's common in athletes, especially American pro football linemen who constantly "butt heads" with opponents, putting downward, shocking pressure on the spine. Pain usually starts in the lower back and feels similar to a muscle strain. Neck and back pain is tends to grow worse with exercise or activity.

Whiplash - This is a non-medical term describing an injury to the soft tissues of your neck, caused by a whiplike motion that stretches the neck's muscles, tendons and ligaments past their limits. It's typical in auto accidents and sports collisions. Whiplash causes swelling, tenderness, muscle spasms and pain in the neck and upper back.