Neck Pain

Neck pain can be acute or chronic. Most people will have acute neck pain sometime throughout their lifetime. Acute neck pain is usually not very serious and it only last for a short period of time. Normally, you will only have pain for about an hour or two or it might last up to a few weeks and then go away. Chronic pain will last for several weeks or it may not go away until you get treatment.

One of the main causes of acute neck pain includes using poor posture. Sitting hunched over when using a computer or doing paper work is a leading cause of this type of neck pain. However, stretching and walking around regularly and using good posture when sitting or standing will help to reduce this type of pain.

Below are some of the symptoms associated with neck pain:

• A dull aching feeling
• Numbness
• Swelling in the glands
• Sharp shooting pain
• Tenderness
• Trouble swallowing
• Lightheadedness or dizzy feeling
• Tingling feeling
• Stiffness
• Pain in the shoulder or back

Some of the leading causes of chronic neck pain are usually the result of an injury or some type of disease. Some of these are listed below:

• Whiplash
• Pinched nerve
• Herniated disc
• Muscle strains
• Degenerative disc disease
• Osteoarthritis

In order for your doctor to determine the cause of your neck pain, he or she will need to ask you a few questions. They will need to know when the pain started, how long it has been a problem, what you were doing when it began and so on. The more information you can provide the faster and easier it will be for them to make a diagnosis.

Once the diagnosis is made your health care physician will be able to determine which type of treatment will be the most beneficial. In some cases, rest and the use of a heating pad or cold pack will help to eliminate the pain. In more serious cases you may need.