Definition
Neck pain is a common problem, affecting many adults at some time in their lives. Neck pain can involve just the neck and shoulders, or it may radiate down an arm. The pain can be dull or feel like an electric shock into your arm. Certain other signs and symptoms, such as numbness or muscle weakness in an arm, can help pinpoint the cause of your neck pain.
Causes
Some causes of neck pain include:
- Carrying a heavy backpack or purse on one shoulder
- Cervical dystonia (spasmodic torticollis)
- Cervical spondylosis
- Cradling your phone between your shoulder and neck
- Emotional stress
- Meralgia paresthetica
- Herniated disk
- Meningitis
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Osteoarthritis
- Poor posture
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Sleeping on your abdomen or with too many or too few pillows
- Spinal stenosis
- Tension headache
- TMJ disorders
- Trauma from accidents or falls
- Whiplash
