What Causes Neck Pain & How Can You Get Neck Pain Relief

The Biggest Reasons Behind Neck Pain

Neck pain is an issue that affects around 30% of the U.S. population each year. That’s nearly a third of the population in the United States, or about 115 million people per year. In addition, many people are starting to work from home as well given the current state of our country, and we have seen an additional increase in neck pain at Head 2 Toe due to this. With neck pain being so prevalent, it is no surprise that many people turn to the internet to try and figure out why they’re having neck pain, what the pain in their neck could mean, and whether or not this is a serious issue or not. All of these are valid concerns, and concerns that we will address in this article. At Head 2 Toe we are dedicated to helping people understand their pain, get out of pain, and stay out of pain so you can live the life you want to the fullest.

Neck pain can present in various different ways, and the type of pain you feel in your neck can tell us a lot about what may be causing your neck pain. Commonly for neck pain, people will typically feel some dull or achy pain anywhere in the back of the neck. At times the back of the neck can feel tight as well, like the muscles are constantly working or pulling. Other people with neck pain may experience some sharp pain or stabbing pain, usually felt at the base of the neck and can be more aggravated with movement of the neck. And lastly people can even experience a burning, pins and needles, or shooting pain which can be felt anywhere in the neck, and at times radiate down into the shoulder, upper arm, or even the hand.

Now all these different types of pain tell us more of the story, and indicate certain structures that may be involved in your pain or causes of the pain as well. We’re going to break down the 3 most common types of pain associated with neck pain, what may be causing it, and some other symptoms that could be associated with them as well.

  1. The first, and likely most common pain associated with the neck is dull and achy pain, and this pain can be felt anywhere in the neck and typically is going to be caused by tight muscles in the upper back, chest, and neck. Dull and achy pain is usually synonymous with muscle or joint pain, and the most common muscles that are a culprit in this situation are going to be the upper trapezius muscle, the levator scapula muscle, and the posterior paracervical muscles such as the splenius capitus. When these muscles become chronically tight either due to bad posture, a muscle injury, or stress, the muscles can then send pain signals to the brain basically telling you that something needs to change. The joints of the spine, called facet joints, can also cause similar pain and are almost always associated with the muscle pain, and a great reason to see us at Head 2 Toe to address all of these issues at once, and help you understand why you’re having pain.
  2. Sharp or stabbing pain felt in the neck usually signifies some sort of ligamentous injury to the neck, or can be a strain of a muscle in the neck as well. The muscles listed above are some of the most common that can be subject to a strain. A muscle strain is when the muscle is overstretched or over-stimulated, and there can be a small to large tear in the muscle depending on the severity of the strain. Sometimes, these muscle strains can come from whiplash injuries that are very common with motor vehicle accidents, or from sports injuries as well. Even if a muscle has been strained in the past, it may cause you issues down the road if you never received proper treatment and rehab for that area/injury. The ligaments of the spine can be the culprit as well, and those rubber band like structures in the spine or around the spine can be injured for similar reasons, and then cause sharp pain. Both of these issues are typically worse with movement as well.
  3. Burning, shooting, or even pins and needles type pain can indicate nerve pain, and nerve pain in the neck can arise from various different sources. If there has been a severe injury to the neck, such as a car accident or other trauma, the disc can be injured and cause shooting pain, numbness, or pins and needles type pain down into the shoulder, arm, or even hand. The disc can also cause local pain in the neck as well, which can be dull and achy similar to muscle and joint pain. The joints of the spine can also place pressure on the nerves exiting the spine due to misalignments and degeneration of the spine, and this can cause burning pain or shooting pain as well. Tight muscles can also place pressure on nerves in the neck area, and due to the various causes of this type of pain and its significance, is it very important to see a Chiropractor for these issues right away.

As you can see, the types of neck pain and the causes are wide ranging and variable, and that is why it is so important to see a professional for evaluation and treatment of these types of conditions. Neck pain is a very treatable condition, and here at Head 2 Toe we use a variety of techniques and treatment protocols to help you not only get out of pain, but stay out of pain. We use a 3-step method to help our patients with any condition, which is:

  1. Reduce inflammation and get you out of pain through specific soft tissue work and mild Chiropractic adjustments
  2. Teach proper biomechanics and posture through targeted rehab exercises and range of motion exercises
  3. Reinforce the proper biomechanics and posture re-corrections through strengthening exercises and lifestyle modifications that will help you understand your body better and stay out of pain

Neck pain is preventable, and through the treatment and education we give you at Head 2 Toe we can help you understand why your neck pain occurred in the first place, get you out of pain, and teach you how to stay out of pain and how to prevent pain in the future. Our unique treatment methodology has helped numerous people with neck pain and various other conditions to live a pain-free life, and we want to help you do the same. We get fast and long-lasting results because we care about you and your story, and know exactly how to treat your neck pain in a way that no other Chiropractic or Physical therapy office is doing right now. Through our specific soft tissue work and adjustments, corrective exercise and biomechanical analysis, as well as our unique rehab and strengthening exercises, you will get the best well-rounded care there is and we will be there on your healing journey every step of the way. If you are dealing with neck pain, either new or long lasting, give us a call here at Head 2 Toe and we will get you out of pain and allow you to live life the way you deserve to.