Do you get neck or back pain? No, I don’t mean your child throwing a tantrum, or your boss yelling at you. Neck and back pain is a widespread issue, especially during the chilly winters. The vertebrae in your neck run from the top of your head to the bottom of your torso. The cervical discs act as shock absorbers between the bones in the neck.
Your neck’s bones, ligaments, and muscles support your head and allow it to move. Neck pain or stiffness can be caused by any abnormalities, inflammation, or injury. Many people suffer from neck pain or stiffness on a regular basis. It’s often caused by poor posture or overuse. Neck pain can sometimes be caused by a fall or injury during sports or even during winters.
Signs and Symptoms
Neck pain, for the most part, isn’t a serious problem that can be resolved in a matter of days. Neck pain, on the other hand, can sometimes indicate a serious injury or illness that necessitates medical attention. Seek medical help from a rheumatologist right away if you have neck pain that lasts more than a week, is severe, or is accompanied by other symptoms. Common symptoms are mild to excruciating pain that moves from the spine to neck, interference in daily activities like bending, dressing, wearing shoes etc. However, neck and back pain may be acute or chronic.
- Acute- Pain lasting for less than 4 weeks
- Subacute- Pain lasting from 4 to 12 weeks
- Chronic- Pain lasting from 3 months or more
Causes of Neck and Back Pain
The exact cause of neck and back pain is not yet known. However, in many situations, following can be the causes of neck and back pain:
Lifting Heavy Weight
Lifting heavy weight can lead to neck and back pain. In majority of the cases, lifting weight in an improper posture or with a poor lifting technique can cause such pain. Back rounding is a common issue, and it can cause your hips to be at an awkward angle, putting stress on the ligaments around your spine. It’s critical to keep your shoulders stable and your pelvis engaged to avoid overextending your back.
Trauma and Injury
Back pain can be caused by a variety of factors, including accidents, strains, and injuries. Spondylolisthesis and cervical radiculopathy are two types of back injuries. Both conditions have distinct symptoms, causes, and treatments.
- Spondylolisthesis– Spondylolisthesis can be caused by a variety of factors. A vertebra may be defective from birth, or it may be broken as a result of trauma or a stress fracture. Infection or disease can also cause vertebrae to break down.
- Radiculopathy- Damage to the nerve roots can occur as a result of pressure from material from a ruptured disc, degenerative changes in bones, arthritis, or other injuries that put pressure on the nerve roots in cervical radiculopathy. Normal degenerative changes in the discs can put pressure on nerve roots in older people. Cervical radiculopathy is most commonly caused by a ruptured disc in younger people. The nerve root is then compressed by the disc material, causing pain.
Effects of Aging
Old age is definitely for the strong ones! So many medical issues are associated with old age such as bone problems, troubled sleeping and even neck and back pains. The discs between the vertebrae wear away and shrink as we get older, causing pain and stiffness as the bones rub against one another.
Furthermore, the space around our spinal cord shrinks with age. This condition, known as spinal stenosis, causes pain by putting pressure on the spinal cord and nerves. Osteoporosis, or a loss of bone mass, can make the vertebrae more susceptible to fractures. Spinal arthritis occurs when the facet joints where each vertebra meets the vertebrae above and below begin to degenerate.
Infections
A spinal cord abscess is a relatively uncommon type of infection in the spine. In your body, this infection develops on its own. It can lead to severe spinal dysfunction and back pain, as well as fevers, if left untreated. Although these are infections of the spine, similar symptoms can be caused by other infections as well. Back pain can also be caused by infections in the kidneys or pelvic inflammatory disease.
When to Visit a Doctor
Neck pain is treated differently depending on the cause. Rest, heat or cold applications, traction, soft-collar traction, physical therapy (ultrasound, massage, manipulation), local cortisone or anesthetic injections, topical anesthetic creams, topical pain-relief patches, muscle relaxants, over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs, and surgical procedures are some of the treatment options.
Neck pain relief products, such as neck pillows for sleep and hot pads, and self-care measures for treatment, such as Jacuzzi treatment, neck pain relief exercises and stretches, and neck pain relief products, such as neck pain relief exercises and stretches, can be very beneficial for relief of some forms of neck pain.
Depending on the specific neck problem and previous treatment experiences, there are a variety of treatment options. Acupuncture is an alternative treatment that has been used to relieve chronic neck pain. It is vital to visit a professional if you have neck and back pain immediately to find the root cause. You can visit a qualified physiotherapist to get authentic medical advice.
FAQs
1. What relieves neck and back pain?
Using over-the-counter painkillers, such as ibuprofen can help relieve neck and back pain.
2. Can COVID-19 cause neck and back pain?
Yes, people who are suffering from COVID-19 can have neck and back pain due to muscular aches as a result of the body’s inflammatory response.
3. What is the best treatment for neck and back pain?
Over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen can help treat neck and back pain. However, consult a specialist to get authentic advise and long term results.
Book an appointment now, to answer all your queries. You can book an appointment with the top physiotherapists in Pakistan through Marham by calling at Marham helpline: 0311-1222398 or by online booking facility through the website or Marham mobile app.
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