NECK PAIN

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

We are all susceptible to it. Sitting at the computer, drivingin our cars, sleeping at night … it can hit at any moment.

Yes,it's called NECK PAIN, but there could be more to that possiblydebilitating discomfort. The occurrence of acute neck pain caneventually lead to chronic neck pain if not treated, causingmajor problems down the road. Neck pain can cause permanent damage especially if not treatedcorrectly and in a timely manner. Around 10% of Americans dealwith some kind of neck pain each year, according to The AmericanCollege of Rheumatology. Pain in the neck can come about mostcommonly from an injury, a strain, or even just plain aging. Acute neck pain can be treated in faster ways, but thousands ofpeople also deal with persistent neck pain. For example, acuteneck pain can happen when one sleeps awkwardly. If a painoccurs in the neck for a longer period of time though, itshouldn't be shrugged off. When untreated, issues in the spineand bones connected to the neck can arise and prove to causefuture problems. People who work behind a computer all day long, or get into acar accident and experience whiplash are more susceptible toneck pain.

However, an accident in the car or in some other vehicle cancause severe whiplash. Whiplash is a leading cause of neck painand the painful symptoms that come from such an accident"generally develop 24 to 48 hours after the injury," accordingto the American College of Rheumatology. A herniated disc is a common cause of neck discomfort,especially after a whiplash injury. Heavy lifting andsport-related activities are also causes of this. When a nerveroot is being pinched in the neck by a bulging disc, pain canoccur. The first seven vertebrae in a human's body, known as thecervical spine, are very much related directly to this type ofneck pain since a disc is between each vertebra. The spinal cordcan become irritated once the bulge has become a persistentproblem. The jelly-like material in a disc can rupture throughand cause a problem such as a bulge or a herniation. The reason someone gets a herniated disc is because the bulgehas advanced in the spinal region and caused some wear and tear.The tearing over time can go far beyond pain. A person canexperience a variety of problems when this occurs, includingnumbness in their arms, or even a weakness in the functioningabilities of their hands. This can lead to possible long-termneck pain if not treated correctly. A life with neck pain is not a comfortable one, so anindividual should take the necessary steps to care for theirneck. There are steps we can all take to make sure we don'texperience such discomforts. People experiencing pain in their neck should contact theirlocal chiropractor for more informationSitting behind a computer all day long can negatively impact aperson's body. The neck gets overused, especially if a personis tense and stressed out while working. The nervous tension andthe potential poor posture of someone working at a computer allday long, can definitely lead to pain in the neck area.

Driving a car with poor posture can also lead to neck pain;however, an accident in the car or in some other vehicle cancause severe whiplash. Whiplash is a leading cause of neck painand the painful symptoms that come from such an accident"generally develop 24 to 48 hours after the injury," accordingto the American College of Rheumatology. A herniated disc is a common cause of neck discomfort,especially after a whiplash injury.




Heavy lifting andsport-related activities are also causes of this. When a nerveroot is being pinched in the neck by a bulging disc, pain canoccur. The first seven vertebrae in a human's body, known as thecervical spine, are very much related directly to this type ofneck pain since a disc is between each vertebra. The spinal cordcan become irritated once the bulge has become a persistentproblem. The jelly-like material in a disc can rupture throughand cause a problem such as a bulge or a herniation. The reason someone gets a herniated disc is because the bulgehas advanced in the spinal region and caused some wear and tear.The tearing over time can go far beyond pain. A person canexperience a variety of problems when this occurs, includingnumbness in their arms, or even a weakness in the functioningabilities of their hands. This can lead to possible long-termneck pain if not treated correctly. A life with neck pain is not a comfortable one, so anindividual should take the necessary steps to care for theirneck. There are steps we can all take to make sure we don'texperience such discomforts. People experiencing pain in their neck should contact theirlocal chiropractor for more information