Causes Of Neck Pain Amongst The Youth Of Today

Pain in your neck can arise due a variety of reasons, and age is definitely not one of them. You could be merely 15 years old and suffer from severe neck pain, doctors have warned. But why? Youngsters are not supposed to suffer from muscle pain, are they?

Well, that’s where you are mistaken. In fact, as research has proven, young people are now prone to neck and back pain than others. You may have noticed a sudden but extremely acute pain which may have disappeared in a minute or two. And like most youngsters who could care less, you chose to ignore it.

Understanding your Neck

The back of your neck consists of the cervical spine; apart from that there are the ligaments and muscles that support and surround it. So an injury, or undue pressure to anyone of these could lead to neck pain. You probably will not even understand how or what is causing the pain, it might be something as minor as posture or something as serious as spondylitis.

Causes of Neck Pain Amongst Youngsters

There could be any number of causes behind neck pain-

Bad posture is the leading cause of neck pain amongst youngsters. Our lives now revolve around the world of our phones, television and laptop. As a result, youngsters are constantly sitting with their backs arched, looking down at their phones or personal computers. This posture can be deadly for your neck.

You may have accidentally sprained a ligament or muscle in the neck region. Maybe you moved your head the wrong way, or were engaged in heavy physical activity or involved in a car accident. Any of these could lead to a sprain in your neck muscles. A sprain, however is curable. A few days of rest should be sufficient to bring you back to normal life.

Youngsters today are constantly stressed. Studies, work, extracurricular activities and peer pressure adds to the stress on the younger generation. Such stress can cause your muscles to become stiff and remain in the state of a spasm. This may affect your disc joints, causing inflammation and severe pain.

Sudden Onset Torticollis is what happens when your head is twisted to a particular side and becomes very painful and almost impossible to even move it. The pain, usually caused due to sleeping wrong, can be intense but goes away after a few days.

The Different Types of Neck Pain

There is more to neck pain than meets the eye. These are the three most common types of neck pain-

Nonspecific Neck Pain – This is simplest kind of neck pain, and the exact reason behind this is unknown. Hence the name, “nonspecific” neck pain. Usually, it is not a serious neck problem or disease that is contributing to this pain. And full recovery is definitely possible in this case with adequate rest.

Whiplash Neck Sprain – This is due to a sudden jolt to your neck, caused by an accident, car crash etc.

Cervical Radiculopathy – If a nerve root is pressed or compressed or damaged in the neck or cervical region as it is coming out of the spinal cord, it is called Cervical Radiculopathy.

If you thought that there was only one kind of neck pain – the nagging, persistent pain that makes you cringe every-time you move your head, think again! So if you have been facing neck pain, do not ignore it, lest it grows into something much more serious.

Suffering from Neck Pain ? Book your appointment Now at DPMC !

Also, read more about treatment over here – Neck Pain Treatment .