By Betty Powell


Generally, many people experience stiff or painful necks that usually get better after several days or some weeks. In most cases, it does not indicate anything serious. However, the pain may persist for several months which could be a sign of a serious medical condition that require to be addressed. For better results, early interventions on neck pain Russellville may be necessary.

The neck or your cervical spine is usually a network of bones, joints, nerves and muscles coordinated by either the brain or the spinal cord. It serves the purpose of strength, nerve communication and facilitating stability. Certain issues contribute to the neck pains that people get. For instance, when your nerve pathway gets irritated, you may get the aches in the shoulders, hands, head, and arms.

Normally, a person might experience painful neck as a result of sleeping in a poor position, bad position causing muscle strains and prolonged use of a computer. On the other hand, stress and anxiety can cause neck muscle tension which may result in a painful condition. Other causes may include tumors, trauma, degenerative diseases, and joint and bone abnormalities.

There are also a wide range of symptoms of this condition. One of the symptom is stiffness that makes it difficult to turn the head. Another symptom is stabbing or sharp pain in a particular spot. Also, a person may feel tenderness or soreness of the general area, or a painful situation radiating down into your arms, shoulders, and fingers or up into your head.

In certain instances, these symptoms could be more complicated. For instance numbness, general weakness and pain spreading to the shoulders, arms and then fingers. This curtails lifting or gripping of objects, difficulty in balancing walking and coordination. Nevertheless, minor pains can be ignored whereas too much of it may hinder the daily duties of a person or even sleeping. In other circumstances, the aches may either short-lived or continuous constantly.

In Russellville AR, painful necks can be diagnosed in various ways. One way is via x-rays. The x-rays may reveal narrow spaces between spinal bones, slipped discs, tumors, diseases such as arthritis, instability of the spinal column, and fractures. Another noninvasive procedure known as magnetic resonance imaging may also provide more details on nerve-related elements, as well as ligament and tendons problems.

Other diagnostic methods are such as CT scan or myelography which is sometimes used instead of magnetic resonance imaging. Also, electro-diagnostic studies may be used in diagnosing painful neck, arms, shoulders as well as tingling and numbness.

The treatment of neck pains includes anti-inflammatory medications. The doctor may also prescribe pain reducing medicine. However, depending on what caused the ache, muscle relaxing medicines and antidepressants may come in handy. Other treatment methods include using ice or heat to relax the painful muscles. Another effective method is exercising that helps stretch muscles for instance after sleeping in the wrong posture. In extreme cases involving complications on the nerves or the spinal cord, surgery may be recommended though all in all the doctor helps one make the best decision on which treatment procedure to seek.




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