What Are the Different Types of Neck Pain?

Various kinds of neck pain might impact adjacent tissues such as muscles or nerves. Every one of them has a unique cause and potential treatment.

Neurological or muscular injuries can cause neck pain. Yet, it could also originate from areas of your body close to your neck.

Continue reading to find out about the various kinds of neck discomfort, how to treat them, and when to contact a doctor for a diagnosis or additional care.

Types of neck pain

These are the various forms of neck pain.

Nerve neck pain

Cervical radiculopathy is another term for nerve discomfort in the neck.

It is brought on by the pressure of a slipped or bulging disc on a nerve. This may occur following an injury or when your joint tissue ages and becomes less strong.

Usually, on the same side that your neck hurts, your arm will also hurt or tingle.

Muscle and ligament injury neck pain

The most prevalent cause of neck pain resulting from an injury to a muscle or ligament is whiplash.

When your neck is abruptly jerked back and forth, whiplash occurs. Because of the intense motion involved, this may cause injuries to the muscles and ligaments. Whiplash injuries are frequently sustained in collisions in cars or sports.

Common whiplash symptoms include:

pain
headaches
dizziness
stiffness

Muscle spasm neck pain

A neck muscle spasm occurs when one or more muscles tense without you having to flex or contract them; this is frequently caused by pressure or tension on the neck, stress, or dehydration.

Muscle spasms typically cause abrupt, severe pain. When you move your neck, it may get worse or irritate.

Facet joint neck pain

Facet joint neck discomfort arises from injury or irritation to your cervical facet joints, which are cartilage and fluid-filled joints located between your vertebrae. Degeneration of the spine is frequently the cause of this kind of discomfort.

When you move your head or neck and put tension on the joint, the dull, agonising pain that you often experience with facet joint neck pain intensifies.

Referred neck pain

Referred neck pain is a type of neck discomfort that originates from another part of your body. The following are a few typical sources of transferred neck pain:

earaches
heart or chest pain
upper GI tract pain
headaches
mastoid infections

Bone neck pain

When a neck bone is impacted, it might cause bone-in-neck pain. Conditions including arthritis, spinal stenosis, or trauma can all contribute to this.

Achy, deep-seated bone discomfort frequently worsens substantially at night. Numbness or tingling feelings can also be brought on by cervical stenosis pain.

How are the types of neck pain treated?

These are the various ways that neck pain can be treated.

Home remedies

The following are some at-home treatments for neck and muscle pain:

using heating pads
taking a warm shower
extending yourself or performing gentle workouts like yoga

The following are some at-home treatments for neck discomfort caused by nerves or bones:

resting your neck
adjusting your posture while sleeping or sitting

Medications

The majority of neck pains can be relieved by the following over-the-counter or prescription drugs:

muscle relaxers
acetaminophen (Tylenol)
ibuprofen (Advil)

Medical treatments

For severe or persistent neck discomfort, medical interventions may involve:

physical therapy recommended by a physician and carried out by a physical therapist, such as traction therapy for discomfort in the muscles and nerves
putting on a gentle cervical collar, generally just temporarily
antibiotics for infection-related pain
admission to the hospital for serious ailments
surgery to remove tumours or malignant tissue, cure damaged tissue, and mend deteriorated discs

When to contact a doctor

Seeking medical assistance is advised if you have:

intense burning or stinging neck pain
loss of vision
ringing in your ears (tinnitus)
symptoms that don’t improve
inability to fall asleep (insomnia)
mood changes
extreme tiredness
decreased range of motion
nausea
chest pain
fevers or chills
head pain
dizziness
memory loss

How do doctors diagnose the types of neck pain?

A physical examination will probably be conducted by a doctor to assess your range of motion and symptoms. If necessary, they could place an order for:

blood tests
myelograms
nerve conduction tests
imaging tests, like computed tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),

FAQs

How do you know if neck pain is muscular or not?

You could find it difficult to move your neck, especially to one side, if it is uncomfortable. This is frequently described as having a stiff neck. You may experience numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arm, hand, or other areas if your neck discomfort is caused by nerves, such as when a muscle spasm pinches on a nerve or when a slipped disc presses on a nerve.

Can sitting too much cause neck pain?

In randomised crossover research, participants in good health experienced greater axioscapular muscle activation and neck pain as a result of prolonged slumped sitting during computer tasks. Apply Ergon.