Neck Pain Treatment
While less common than lower back pain, there are several cervical spine conditions (i.e. cervical foraminal stenosis, cervical spinal stenosis, osteoarthritis, and cervical degenerative disc disease) that may result in neck pain.
Cervical neck pain is normally acute, lasting six weeks or less. Of course, the recovery period for most forms of this physical ailment is contingent upon on the severity of the injury. Without treatment, it will likely persist and/or return often.
Neck and Jaw Pain Solutions Available at Our Red Deer and Olds AB Clinic
Common Forms of Neck Pain
Neck pain intensity varies quite a bit. It can be mild, but associated with uncomfortable stiffness that you may identify as pain. It can come in the form of off-and-on spasms, which can certainly throw off day to day activities and have a big impact on athletic performance. Then there are the more complicated conditions, resulting from structural changes and damage to muscles and tissue.
Acute neck pain is most often caused by muscle strain or soft tissue damage. That damage may have come from sudden force. A common example of this is whiplash caused by a motor vehicle accident. Alternatively, damage may have come from excessive neck strain. Neck strain can be attributed to a wide variety of daily activities, from something as simple as sleeping the wrong way, not paying attention to proper form in the gym, or while moving that circa 1997 photocopier in the office.
It should be noted that in some instances, when pain is chronic and/or severe and accompanied by other ailments, there may be a deeper underlying problem. If your neck pain is preceded, accompanied, or followed by fever, headache, nausea, extreme fatigue, change in mental state, dizziness, or lack of coordination, seek immediate medical attention. Chronic neck pain may also be associated with underlying medical concerns, including but not exclusive to meningitis or certain forms of cancer. Consult with your physician accordingly.
Common Forms of Jaw Pain
Sometimes, the pain you experience in your neck may have been driven by a condition in your jaw. For instance, temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) is a common ailment known to cause jaw discomfort that also sends pain signals down to the neck. That being said, more often than not jaw pain is caused by the muscular tension driven by bad habits, such as clenching your teeth when stressed.
Other causes of jaw pain include dental issues, so be sure to address this in your next dental check-up.
Beyond the latter, our assessment will help determine the cause of your jaw pain (and potentially connected neck pain) at which point we can prescribe an optimal treatment program.