Got a pain in the neck? Any part of your neck - muscles, bones, joints, tendons, ligaments or nerves - can cause it. Pain may also come from your shoulder, jaw, head or upper arms.
Muscle strain or tension often causes neck pain. The problem is usually overuse, such as from sitting at a computer for too long. Sometimes you can strain your neck muscles from sleeping in an awkward position or overdoing it during exercise. Falls or accidents, including car accidents, are another common cause of neck pain. Whiplash, a soft tissue injury to the neck, is also called neck sprain or strain.
Treatment depends on the cause, but may include applying ice, taking pain relievers, getting physical therapy or wearing a cervical collar. You rarely need surgery.
- Neck Pain(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/tools/symptom/513.printerview.html
- Neck Swelling(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/tools/symptom/514.printerview.html
- Neck Pain(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/neck-pain/DS00542/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Neck Pain(UpToDate) - http://www.uptodate.com/patients/content/topic.do?topicKey=~z666KL7gItB7D1
- What You Need to Know about Neck Pain(American Physical Therapy Association) - http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&CONTENTID=20434&TEMPLATE=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm
- Computer Use Linked to Neck Pain(02/13/2009, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_80351.html
- Depression, Anxiety Major Factors In Neck Pain(02/13/2009, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_80359.html
- Electrodiagnostic Testing(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00270
- Neck Pain(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/tools/symptom/513.printerview.html
- Neck Swelling(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/tools/symptom/514.printerview.html
- Needle Biopsy(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/needle-biopsy/MY00088/METHOD=print&DSECTION=all
- X-rays, CT Scans and MRIs(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00188
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Metastatic Squamous Neck Cancer with Occult Primary (PDQ): Treatment(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/metastatic-squamous-neck/patient/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.gov/espanol/pdq/tratamiento/escamoso-metastasico-del-cuello/patient
- Spinal Fusion(North American Spine Society) - Links to PDF - http://www.spine.org/Documents/fusion_2006.pdf
- What a Pain in the Neck! Good Habits to Remember to Prevent Neck Pain(American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation) - http://www.aapmr.org/condtreat/pain/necktips.htm
- MedlinePlus: Chiropractic(National Library of Medicine) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/chiropractic.html
- Overview of Neck Pain(American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation) - http://www.aapmr.org/condtreat/pain/neckpain.htm
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Burners(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/brain/head/478.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/brain/head/478.printerview.html
- Cervical Fracture(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00414
- Cervical Radiculopathy(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00332
- Cervical Spine(American Association of Neurological Surgeons) - http://www.neurosurgerytoday.org/what/patient_e/cervical.asp
- Cervical Spondylosis(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/cervical-spondylosis/DS00697/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
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Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy (CSM)(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/brain/disorders/622.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/brain/disorders/622.printerview.html
- Herniated Cervical Disc(North American Spine Society) - Links to PDF - http://www.spine.org/Documents/herniated_cervical_disc_2006.pdf
- Neck Masses(Merck & Co., Inc.) - http://www.merck.com/mmhe/print/sec23/ch276/ch276h.html
- Neck Sprain(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00410
- Repetitive Motion Disorders(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/repetitive_motion/repetitive_motion.htm
- Spasmodic Torticollis(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/spasmodic-torticollis/DS00836/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Whiplash(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/whiplash/whiplash.htm
- Anterior Cervical Fusion(OR-Live) - One hour program - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/NLM/rnh.cfm?id=287
- Cervical Laminoplasty(OR-Live) - One hour program - 9/11/2007 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/nlm-flash/uho_1933/rnh.cfm?id=639
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Cervical Vertebrae Injuries(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Cervical+Vertebrae%22
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Neck Injuries(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Neck+Injuries%22
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Neck Pain(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Neck+Pain%22
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Spinal Injuries(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Spinal+Injuries%22
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Whiplash Injuries(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Whiplash+Injuries%22
- Article: Cause of death in judicial hanging: a review and case... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19306616&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Radiologic case study. Cervical spine trauma: unstable fractures, C2-C7 injuries,... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19292395&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Upper cervical spine injuries in elderly patients. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19283235&tool=MedlinePlus
- Neck Injuries and Disorders -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(neck+pain[majr]+OR+neck+injuries[majr]+OR+cervical+vertebrae/in[majr]+OR+cervical+vertebrae/ab[majr])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Glossary of Orthopaedic Words(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/glossary.cfm
- Find an Orthopaedist(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://www6.aaos.org/about/public/members.cfm
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons - http://www.aaos.org/
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National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/
- Branchial Cleft Remnant(Children's Hospital Boston) - http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site663/mainpageS663P0.html
- Congenital Muscular Torticollis (Wryneck)(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00054
- Cysts and Sinuses of the Head and Neck(Children's Hospital Boston) - http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site2194/mainpageS2194P0.html
- Klippel-Feil Syndrome(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/klippel_feil/klippel_feil.htm
- Head and Neck Cancer - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/headandneckcancer.html
- Bones, Joints and Muscles - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bonesjointsandmuscles.html
- Injuries and Wounds - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/injuriesandwounds.html