Chiropractor Houston Tx | Usual Causes Of Neck Pain

Most people will experience neck pain at some point in their lives. Usually, it's not serious, but that doesn't mean it's not painful. Here are some of the common causes of neck pain; once we're done discussing those, we'll go over what you should do about them.

Muscle Strains -

Muscle strains are a common cause of neck pain. Muscle strain is brought about by overuse of the muscle; in the case of the neck muscles, this might mean hunching over a steering wheel for too many hours. Activities such as driving for extended periods can cause neck muscles to become fatigued, which leads to strain. If you frequently engage in activities that cause the overuse of your neck muscles, the resultant pain can become chronic. Neck muscles are sensitive; even gritting your teeth or reading in bed can strain them.

Worn-out Joints -

Like all joints, your neck joints degenerate with aging, which can lead to cervical osteoarthritis. This condition causes stiffness and pain in the neck.

Disc Disorders -

Also with aging, the cushioning discs between vertebrae become stiff and dry, which narrows the spaces in the spinal column where the nerves emerge. It is also possible for the discs in the neck to herniate, which means that the inner gelatinous cartilage material found in the disc starts to protrude through the disc's cartilage shell. Other tissues and bony growths known as spurs can put pressure on the nerves as they come out of the spinal cord. All of this can lead to major nerve irritation and pain.

Neck Injuries -

Rear-end collisions frequently result in whiplash, which happens when the head is jerked forward and then back. The soft tissues of the neck are thus stretched beyond their limits-and that doesn't feel so good.

When to See a Doctor -

The good news is that most often, there are things you can do yourself, without seeing a doctor, to make your neck feel better. If you've strained the muscles in your neck, they will usually get better on their own in just a few days. Icing, twenty minutes on and twenty minutes off, will help ease the pain. I also recommend topical muscle creams.

If the pain persists for a week or two, it's probably time to go to your doctor. If you've had any type of head or neck trauma, such as whiplash, you should go to a doctor right away. If you have shooting pain-pain that radiates to your shoulder, through your shoulder blades and/or down your arm-that could indicate irritated nerves, and pain from this could go on for months, so a doctor is probably a good idea.

The one thing I recommend for everyone to prevent neck pain as much as to heal it, is setting up regular visits with a chiropractor. Chiropractic care helps to prevent disc and joint degeneration and takes pressure off of nerves; right there, you're taking important steps toward the prevention of future pain and the underlying problems that pain indicates.