5 Common Causes of Neck Pain

When we call something a “Pain in the neck,” we’re describing an undesirable situation, which also perfectly describes a literal pain in your neck.

On a global scale, neck pain affects about 203 million people and experts predict this number will jump to 269 million people by 2050.

If you’re part of this large group and you’re dealing with neck pain, a great first step is to figure out what’s behind the discomfort. To help, the team at Michigan Avenue Primary Care reviews some of the more common issues that can lead to both acute and chronic neck pain.

1. Neck strains and whiplash

Some of the more common issues we see here are acute problems, such as neck strains and whiplash. 

You can strain your neck over time or strain it by lifting something heavy or even sleeping with your head in an awkward position. This can leave you with a painful neck, which can flare when you move your head around.

Whiplash is another driver of neck pain and occurs when your head is rocked back and forth, which can strain the connective tissues in your neck and compress the vertebrae in your cervical spine. Most cases of whiplash stem from car accidents in which you’re rear-ended, but it can also occur playing sports.

2. Degenerative disc disease 

Your cervical spine is made up of 7 vertebrae that are separated by 6 discs. As you age, your discs can lose moisture and become more brittle and flat, placing you at risk for neck pain.

Called degenerative disc disease, this condition affects about 30% of people by the age of 35 and 90% of people by the age of 60.

As the discs degenerate in your neck, they can herniate and irritate surrounding spinal nerve roots, leading to neck pain and pain that radiates down into one of your arms.

3. Arthritis

Like all other moving parts in your body, your neck can succumb to wear-and-tear in the form of cervical spondylosis, which is the medical term for neck arthritis. 

This type of neck pain is usually progressive and can flare with activity. In addition to the neck pain, you might also experience stiffness and a crackling sound when you turn your head.

4. Poor posture

If you constantly have your head tilted down to look at a phone, or you take the laptop literally and work on it in your lap, you’re not doing your neck any favors. 

Called tech neck, this form of neck pain is becoming increasingly common and can be resolved by keeping your tech and screens at eye level, which keeps your head up.

5. Stress

Stress can manifest itself physically, and many people find that there’s a good deal of tension in their necks and shoulders.

The best way to figure out what’s behind your neck pain is to come see us for an evaluation, which will put you a step closer to relief. Once we identify the underlying problem, we can work quickly to get you back to pain-free movement.

For expert diagnosis and care for neck pain, we invite you to contact us at our Chicago, Illinois, clinic, which is located in The Loop. You can also visit our urgent care center during operating hours, M-F, 8 am to 4 pm.