There is hardly a middle-aged person who has never had a neck pain at some point in his life. Some patients say that the pain is only with head movement, while others talk about a constant pain that lasts all day.
Extremely important vessels and nerves, primarily the spinal cord and carotid artery, pass through our neck. Apart from that, it carries out the task of carrying a very heavy load (approximately 2.5-3.5 kg) like our head. We don’t even realize it, but our neck joints are one of the hardest working joints, so they wear out pretty early.
Causes of neck pain
– The most common cause of neck pain is fatigue. Pains due to spasm of the neck muscles occur in anxious people who have an intense work tempo, cannot rest as much as necessary, especially at the desk or in front of the computer. In fact, we all rest our muscles during the day without realizing it. By crossing our legs, we rest our feet by resting our elbows on the edge of the seat, our arms, and our trunk muscles by leaning our backs back. On the other hand, it is very difficult, almost impossible for a person working at a desk or steering wheel to rest his neck muscles.
– People with migraine or tension-type headache may experience headaches and radiating back and neck pain. With the passing of the attack, the neck pain also goes away.
– High blood pressure can cause neck pain.
– It is important that pain in the neck or neck occurs after a fall or traffic accident. Sudden braking in the car, front or rear impacts can cause pain with severe contraction of the neck muscles. If the pain does not go away gradually over days, it is necessary to see a doctor.
– Aging and calcification of the neck bones over time can cause neck and nape pain. These patients feel a painful restriction when they turn their head to the right or left. Loud noises come from their necks.
– In neck hernia, the discs between the vertebrae can press on the nerves and cause neck pain. These pains radiate to the back and shoulders and can be quite severe. It is important to have numbness and tingling complaints in the arm and fingers. If your pain is very severe, you should see a specialist (preferably neurosurgeon) if the numbness does not go away on its own within a few weeks. Your doctor will determine the location and degree of the hernia, if necessary, by performing an MRI examination when necessary.
– Some drugs (eg antidepressant drugs and cholesterol drugs) can cause neck pain.
My neck hurts, what should I do?
– Try to reduce your workload and rest.
– Stay away from stress, make sure you sleep well.
– Rest is very important, but lying in the same position for a long time can increase neck pain.
– You can use simple pain relievers such as Minoset and Parol for a few days.
If your neck pain eases with the above measures, it’s okay. Consult a doctor if there is an extreme limitation in the front and back movements of your head after a week, numbness in the hands and fingers, severe pain in the back and arm.
Ways to avoid neck pain
1. Make sure your computer screen is at eye level.
2. Make sure your head is upright on your spine, not leaning forward as you work.
3. Take frequent breaks while working, get up from sitting position, walk a few steps and sit down again.
4. Do not hold the handset around your neck to talk.
5. Do not lie face down at night.
6. Take care of your pillow, whether it is hard and high or too thin, but thick enough to fill your nape. If you have neck pain, use “Orthopedic neck pillow”…
Healthy and pain-free days…
