For those of you dealing with neck pain, you’re probably out there looking for solutions to your problems. You’ve tried many different suggested treatment methods, but none of them seem to work.
That’s because you might not be dealing with the type of neck pain that those forms of treatment are for.
In other words, you need to figure out which type of pain you’re dealing with to find the best method of treatment for it.
See below for the different types of neck pain, as well as signs that you might be dealing with that specific type.
Axial
The first type of pain is axial neck pain, which only involves the area and does not move to your arms, fingers, hands, and so on.
With this type, you’ll notice a sharp, throbbing pain within a specific area of the neck. You might experience this after making sudden movements or holding your neck in a certain position for too long (such as sleeping on it wrong).
Typically speaking, axial pain is caused by things such as a bone fracture in your vertebrae, muscle strains, or ligament sprains.
The moment you notice a throbbing pain in your neck that’s caused by specific movements, be sure to reach out to a trusted chiropractor for assistance.
Acute
Unlike axial, acute neck pain can move all around your body. At times, you might feel pain in your shoulders, arms, wrists, hands, or even fingers due to the acute pain you’re experiencing.
Often, acute neck pain is caused by sudden jolts of movement, such as the whiplash you might experience in a car wreck.
Because of the sudden movement, you will feel intense throbbing pain for a few days or weeks at a time.
The good news is that acute typically subsides with time. The bad news is that it can do lifelong damage to your posture if you don’t have a chiropractor or physical therapist oversee the healing process.
Radicular
Many people can tell when they’re experiencing radicular pain. It’s the type that feels as if you’ve struck a nerve in your neck.
Certain movements can cause an immediate (and intense) amount of pain to one specific spot in your neck’s vertebrae. Generally, you’ll only experience it on one side of the body at a time, but it’s possible to have it on both.
Many experts determine that radicular pain results from the gradual decline of your spine, especially those that have bad posture. In time, bad posture will lead to a herniated disc within the vertebrae, thus causing the radicular neck pain that you’re experiencing.
Chronic
Chronic neck pain is when you have consistent pain within your neck, which can move around from area to area. If you feel like you’re suffering from chronic pain, then you’re not alone.
In fact, many adults experience it at one time or another. Without professional chiropractic treatment, the symptoms and pain will only continue to worsen.
Chronic pain is usually the result of an injury. For example, if you were in a car collision that caused a herniated disc in your neck, then you’ll experience chronic neck pain over time.
However, not all injuries and causes are that sudden. Most of the time it’s from year after year of bad posture that’s leads to the gradual decline of your spine.
The only way to fix your posture and get you back to top physical condition is to commit yourself to see a chiropractor.
Referred
If you’ve ever experienced significant pain on another part of your body as a result of your neck pain, then you’re dealing with referred pain.
This occurs when a pinched nerve causes pain elsewhere in the body. For example, you might experience pain going down your spine or spreading to your shoulder as a result of an ongoing injury.
It’s also common to experience added stress among your trap muscles when dealing with a significant neck injury.
The most common referred injuries from neck problems are shoulder pain, added stress on your upper and lower spine, as well as chronic headaches.
Myelopathic
Have you ever felt as if your neck feels shortened or tight? If so, then you might be a victim of myelopathic neck pain.
Myelopathic neck and shoulder pain occur when the spinal cord is constricted and shortened to a degree of discomfort. This can cause immediate headaches and shooting pain that makes you unable to move your neck comfortably, if at all.
Whenever your neck is compressed unnaturally, your entire spine is left to compensate. Without seeking proper treatment, you’ll experience more pain along your spine over time.
Be sure to schedule an initial appointment with a chiropractor to see what you’re going up against. They can design a customized plan to get you back in tip-top shape in no time.
Improve Your Neck Pain With a Trusted Chiropractor
Now that you’ve seen the different types of neck pain that you might be dealing with, it’s important to find a chiropractor to treat those symptoms.
Be sure to see this article for more information on how often you should receive an adjustment from a chiropractor after finding one that you like.
For more inquiries, please begin by filling out this online form to schedule an appointment. We’ll be happy to assist you further!
