Neck pain can range from annoying to debilitating. If it becomes chronic, it can affect a person’s quality of life, limiting one’s mobility and ability to do even the most basic functions like sleeping and chewing.
Fortunately, neck pain is treatable. Some clinics now specialize in neck pain treatment and critical areas through chiropractic. But you can also benefit from knowing the possible causes of the problem:
1. Hypertension
Many experts call hypertension as a silent disease. Usually, the symptoms appear when the patient is already in a health crisis. For example, they can already be prone to a stroke or diagnosed with other comorbidities like cardiovascular disorders.
For some, though, hypertension symptoms can be acute neck pain. It occurs when the blood pressure in the head increases, also causing pressure in the nearby areas, such as the neck and jaw.
If the pain in the neck happens along with other issues like vision disturbance, headache, chest pain, and irregular heartbeat, you need to consult the doctor right away. If you or someone in the family has a history of hypertension, see your GP regularly.
2. Fall
Neck pain is a common symptom for whiplash injury because of the sudden back-and-forth movement of the head. It can strain the neck’s ligaments and tendons. Depending on the severity, it can take a long time to heal.
Studies already showed that whiplash is a common effect of a vehicle crash even if it’s a minor accident. However, it’s not the only cause. Another is a fall.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), falls are now the second cause of unintentional injuries globally. Each year, over 35 million of these incidents are severe and need hospital admission. Older adults are the most vulnerable population.
3. Text Neck
If you’ve been texting or using your mobile device all day, then that could be the culprit of your neck pain. A 2019 study cited a correlation between neck pain and mobile phone use, especially among young adults. It also associated the severity of the pain to the duration of device use and age.
This problem is already common that experts dub it “text neck,” although it is somewhat a misnomer since texting isn’t the only reason people use their devices.
Why does this happen, though? The reason is bad posture. The ideal posture follows the curvature of the spine, one of which is in the neck (cervical region). Therefore, the head should be above your shoulders. If you use your devices, you bring your neck down, causing misalignment. You also slouch, and that can strain the back.
4. Sleeping Position
Maintaining proper posture is essential to minimize or avoid neck pain—that goes even when you sleep. Two things can influence and cause discomfort: your pillow and sleeping position.
A bulky and hard pillow can raise your head high and prevent it from moving correctly while snoozing. To maintain the alignment of the spine, the best choice is a thin one that allows your body to lie flat. However, the ideal pillow can also depend on your preferred sleeping position.
According to Harvard Health, sleeping on your side or the back is the gentlest on the neck. To snooze on your side, you need a pillow that will place your head higher than your body.
Meanwhile, lying on your stomach (prone position) can hurt the spine since you need to arch your back while turning the head to the side.
Neck pain is uncomfortable, but knowing the possible reasons can help you find the right solutions. Know, though, that if it persists, it demands medical attention.
