Cervical Pain : Causes, Types, Treatment and Symptoms

Cervical pain, or cervicalgia, or neck pain, is a discomfort or soreness in the area of the cervical spine and surrounding structures that can range from mild to severe and usually interferes with your daily activities.

Most Common Cervical Pain Symptoms:

• Pain in the neck region, including the back of the neck.
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Headache originating from the neck
• Stiffness and reduced range of motion
• Difficulty moving or turning the head
• Tingling, numbness, or weakness in the arms, shoulders, or fingers.
• Pain radiating towards the arms, shoulders, and upper back
• Tenderness or soreness of the neck muscles
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Difficulty swallowing or feeling of fullness
• Pain from posture misuse or traumatic injury

Common, Uncommon or Underlying Causes of Cervical Pain

Cervical pain (neck pain) can be caused by a range of factors, ranging from common behaviors to significant medical disorders, and identifying these causes is critical for developing successful treatment and prevention strategies.

Here are some reasons for cervical pain:

• Prolonged tension or stress
• Repetitive movements or overuse injuries, like sport-related injuries, and not focusing on objects at eye level.
• Muscle spasm due to constant improper posture and physical exertion 
• Soft injuries like whiplash from accidents or falls
• Degeneration of the bone, such as cervical spondylosis, disc degeneration, and osteoarthritis
• Sleeping in weird positions
• Prolonged use of computers and smartphones
• Spinal stenosis: Narrowing of the spinal canal, creating pressure
• Cervical radiculopathy: compressed nerve roots from the herniated or slipped discs
• Infections like meningitis in the cervical area
• Inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis of the spine or systemic disease
• Disorders of the jaw joint causing referred cervical pain
• Fibromyalgia leads to widespread pain, including neck
• Autoimmune diseases like ankylosis spondylitis

When to Seek a Specialist for Your Cervical Pain?

If warning signs appear or conservative treatment fails, cervical pain should be promptly evaluated and treated by a specialist such as a neurologist, orthopedic spine specialist, or pain management expert. While less serious but persistent pain should initially be evaluated by a primary care specialist or physiotherapist.

Visit your specialist if these cervical pain symptoms are present:

• If your neck pain persists for more than a week or three following the trauma.
• Pain accompanied by neurologic symptoms like numbness or trouble moving.
• Pain radiates to the arms and legs, accompanied by weakness in the limbs.
• Swollen glands accompanied by unexplained weight loss
• History of cancer or chest pain
• Neck pain associated with difficulty concentrating, dizziness, or unsteadiness
• People with 50 years or age with a history of cancer or autoimmune disorders

Don’t wait for signs to grow severe. Consult our Spine Surgeons today

Diagnostic Approach for Cervical Pain

Specialists assess cervical pain using a systematic method that combines physical exams, diagnostic techniques, and advanced investigations to determine the source and distinguish between muscular pain, nerve root irritation, spinal cord involvement, and systemic or referred causes.

Here are the specialist-approved diagnostic steps:

• Evaluation of pain intensity, distribution, symptom trajectory, previous treatments, and associated neurological tests through a thorough medical history
• Checking the range of neck movements, muscle strength and weakness, and gait assessment for spinal cord dysfunction
• Spurling test for cervical radiculopathy
• Upper limb tension test for radicular symptoms
• Lhermitte sign, Tromner reflex, Babinski sign for cervical myelopathy
• X-rays and MRIs for bone spurs, spinal cords, and nerve roots
• CT myelography to visualize the spinal canal in detail
• Nerve conduction studies and electromyography (EMG) are used to identify nerve function and muscle involvement
• Functional and pain disability assessment to monitor changes in body functions and psychological well-being

Types of Cervical Pain

Specialists classify cervical pain (neck pain) based on its origin, characteristics, and associated symptoms to effectively guide management and determine the best interventions for each patient.

Some common types of Vertigo include:

Commonly classified types of cervical pain include:

• Axial (mechanical) cervical pain
• Radicular cervical pain (Cervical Radiculopathy)
• Myelopathic cervical pain

Classified based on mechanism or features:

• Muscle or ligament injury pain
• Muscle spasm pain
• Facet joint pain
• Referred pain
• Bone Pain

Classified based on symptom pattern:

• Neck pain with mobility issues
• Neck pain with movement coordination difficulties
• Neck pain with cervicogenic headaches
• Neck pain with radiating pain

Based on its severity:

• Acute cervical pain
• Chronic cervical pain

How to Treat Cervical Pain Symptoms?

Cervical pain symptoms can be effectively treated with a variety of self-care, medication, physical therapy, alternative treatments, or, in rare instances, surgery, depending on the underlying cause and severity; early intervention is critical to preventing persistent disability.

For underlying causes, treatments & rehabilitative strategies include:

• Take plenty of rest and avoid physical activities
• Apply heat or an ice pack to avoid inflammation
• Maintain good posture and make ergonomic adjustments
• Perform gentle exercises and stretching
• Certain prescription medications or specialist-assisted injections.
• Tailored physical therapy programs
• Alternatively, opt for acupuncture, chiropractic adjustments, and massage therapy
• Surgeries like removing herniated discs, bone spurs, or fusing vertebrae, when conservative methods fail.

What if Cervical Pain is Left Untreated?

The prevention of severe and perhaps irreversible consequences from untreated cervical pain requires immediate identification and treatment to maintain neurological function and quality of life.

Some possible complications of an untreated Cervical Pain include:

• Progressive pain and disability
• Nerve damage
• Spinal cord compression
• Permanent neurological deficits, like chronic, untreated cervical spondylitis
• Poor mental health involving anxiety and depression, and increased codependency
• Potential surgical emergencies, like loss of bladder and bowel control
• Severe paralysis occurs when ignored for a prolonged time

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