Neck Pain

Causes of neck pain 

Mechanical – This type of neck pain is often associated with prolonged poor posture, improper lifting, repetitive motions or injury to the neck muscles and joints. Mechanical neck pain tends to respond quickly and favourably to physical treatment. 

Worthy of a special mention is a common type of mechanical neck pain, known as the wry neck. Symptoms may encompass:

1. Pain and stiffness appear suddenly without trauma
2. Stiffness and limited range of motion in the neck
3. Tilted head tilted to one side and chin to other with related muscle spasm

One important, distinguishing feature is that there are no pins and needles, or loss of sensation down the arms. Also, there should be no fever, headaches, blurred vision, imbalance, etc., as these indicate other medical conditions.

Degenerative – Conditions such as osteoarthritis, commonly known as wear-and-tear or degenerative joint disease, can cause neck pain as the spinal architecture wears down over time;

Nerve-related – Cervical radiculopathy (colloquially known as a pinched nerves), herniated discs, spinal stenosis, or other conditions that compress or irritate the nerves in the neck can cause neck pain with nerve symptoms, such as weakness, numbness and tingling down the arms, hands and fingers;

Others – Infections such as meningitis, medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis can cause or contribute to neck pain. We are always careful in our assessment and make medical referrals as appropriate.