Neck Pain Causes:

Neck pain injuries are often caused by muscle strains/overuse, nerve compression, old age, whiplash and in some cases may be caused by disease (I.e. rheumatoid arthritis, meningitis).

Overuse & Muscle Strains

When a person spends too many hours using the same muscle(s) - whether from driving too long or sitting at a desk for multi-hour sessions, muscle strains often result. Neck muscles may become fatigued and then be at risk for muscle strain. Repeated use of neck muscles can result in chronic pain - creating a vicious circle where even normal actions aggravate the neck muscles.

Neck Pain Caused by Nerve Compression

• Stiffened Disks: You get older - the disks in your neck and spine become stiff and arid, often compressive nerves and causing you neck pain.
• Herniated Disks: When interior parts of your disk sticks out through the disk's protective covering. Herniated disks may then put pressure on nerves near the spinal column.
• Bone spurs:. Where Arthritis may cause bone growth in the joints in your neck, which then puts pressure on nerves.
  

Aging / Worn Joints

• As you age, your neck joints become worn, which may cause Arthritis in your neck (osteoarthritis).
  

Driving Injuries / Whiplash

• Whiplash is often caused by rear-end collisions. The sudden 'snapping' of your neck (I.e. Head is quickly jerked both forward and backward) over-stretches and traumatizes your neck's soft tissues/muscles.
• For more information on Whiplash, click here.

Diseases

The two most likely diseases to cause neck pain are Rheumatoid Arthritis or Meningitis.

• Rheumatoid Arthritis. With Rheumatoid Arthritis, your neck is usually third in line (After it has already attacked the joints in your hands and feet).
• Meningitis. As an infectious disease, Meningitis swells the lining of the brain and spinal cord. As with Nerve Compression (see above), the pressure caused by Meningitis symptoms inflicts stiffness and pain upon your neck.

If you've had enough of neck pain and you want to feel better, be pain-free, and have the full range of motion and use of your neck, then please call Dr. Tom Etter at the Olathe Office for Etter Chiropractic.

913-829-7246

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