Individuals suffer with neck pain usually as a result of a sprain or strain. The neck is very susceptible to various wear and tear injuries such as whiplash, especially with age, according to Merck. Neck pain may shoot up the body and cause headaches as well as shoot down and cause arm pain.
Facts
The neck consists of the spinal cord, which is the long tube-like structure that starts at the end of the brain stem and ends at the bottom of the spinal column. The spinal cord consists of nerves that are located between the vertebrae that connect to other nerves throughout the body.
The section of the spinal nerve that is nearest to the spinal cord can be compressed when the spine is injured. This compression results in pain. The neck also consists of muscles and ligaments that support the spine and may be overstretched. Muscle and ligament strains are the most common causes of neck pain; other causes include meningitis, arthritis, ruptured or herniated disks, and lower-back pain that shoots up the spine and results in neck pain.
Types
Neck pain may be caused by a variety of disorders, such as infection, thyroid or esophagus inflammation, blockage or tumor of the esophagus, and a tear in the neck artery's lining. However, according to Merck, there are four main categories of disorders that cause only neck pain: spasmodic torticollis, atlantoaxial subluxation, temporomandibular joint disorders and cervical spondylosis.
Spasmodic Torticollis
Spasmodic torticollis is the contraction of neck muscles that results in an abnormal head position. The cause is mainly unknown, according to Merck. However, certain drugs, such as antipsychotics, may aggravate the disorder. Symptoms include painful contractions and spasms that cause jerky movements of the head. Individuals between the ages of 20 and 60 are the ones most likely to suffer from this disorder.
Atlantoaxial Subluxation
Atlantoaxial subluxation is the misalignment of the first two vertebrae. Causes include a serious and traumatic injury and rheumatoid arthritis. vague neck pain, as a result of spinal compressions. These compressions are rarely fatal, according to Merck.
Temporomandibular Joint Disorders
Temporomandibular joint disorders are issues that occur in the joint of the jawbone, according to Merck. Women are more commonly affected than men. The causes include muscle tension, internal joint disarrangement (the abnormal placement of the disk inside the joint), arthritis ankylosis (fusion of joint bones), and hypermobility (the loosening of the jaw joint). The primary symptom is stiffness in the neck around the jaw.
Cervical Spondylosis
Cervical spondylosis is the degeneration of the vertebrae and the disks between them, according to Merck. This degeneration results in certain nerves being exposed and pinched and the cause of the disorder is usually osteoarthritis. Symptoms include pain around the structures of the neck, in the upper back and in the shoulders.
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