Condition Guide - Neck Pain

Guide to Neck Pain

Neck pain is also known as cervicalgia. The neck part of your spine is called the cervical spine, and headaches that arise from this area are called cervicogenic.
Most neck pain is not serious and can be treated effectively with physical therapy
Long term neck pain can affect quality of life and lead to depression
About 10-20% of people will suffer from neck pain at some point
Neck pain is more common in women

The 7 vertebrae that make up the neck are called c1-c7, known as the cervical spine.
The cervical spine is moved and stabilised by ligaments, muscles and tendons
Most neck pain occurs when one of these soft tissues becomes strained or sprained from overuse or overextension
This type of neck pain normally heals within a week or two, like most minor strains and sprains
The joints of the neck generally consist of two facet joints with a vertebral disc in between.
The facet joints allow motion forwards, backwards and twisting, while the disc provides cushioning
Nerve roots extend from the spinal cord, through holes in the vertebrae called foramina on the left and right hand sides

Axial neck pain is felt mainly in the neck
Radicular neck pain shoots into the arms and shoulders
Referred Pain is when the pain is caused by another problem, for example a jaw injury causing neck pain
Myelopathic Pain is caused by compression of the spinal cord in the neck. Symptoms can often be felt elsewhere in the body, making it easy to misdiagnose
Neck pain can be chronic (lasting months or more) or acute (comes and goes quickly)

Neck pain might feel like:

It might also involve other symptoms such as:

Causes vary for acute and chronic neck pain
Acute neck pain is typically caused by:
- Poor posture, especially desk work or spending a long time looking at a smartphone
- Sleeping in an awkward position
- Repetitive motions such as dancing, or bobbing your head throughout a long concert
- Trauma, for example an awkward fall, whiplash or sporting injury
Chronic neck pain is generally caused by a deeper underlying condition such as:
- Cervical degenerative disc disease
- Cervical osteoarthritis
- Cervical herniated disc
- Infections, including meningitis
- Myofascial pain syndrome
- Fibromyalgia

Most neck pain is caused by a strain or sprain of soft tissues in the neck, for example by sleeping in a strange position

Your physical therapist will diagnose your neck pain by:
- Observation – looking visually at the alignment of your neck, head and body
- Palpation (feeling the affected area)
- Testing the range of motion of your neck
- Reflexes – testing the reflexes of your arms to test whether the neck nerves are sending appropriate signals
- Muscle force – testing muscle and gripping power
- Other sensations – asking about any other sensations you are feeling such as tingling or hot/cold
In more extreme circumstances a physical therapist may request an X-ray, CT scan or MRI to get to the root of your problem