Neck pain happens anywhere from the top of your shoulders to the bottom of your head. This condition could even spread as far down your upper back and arms. Neck discomfort hinders your ability to move your head and your range of mobility in that area of the body. Neck pain is generally common, especially for individuals over 50 years of age.
What causes neck pains aside from stress, pressure, and muscle strain in your neck? Here is a shortlist of conditions that can give you neck strains, spasms, or sprains:
- Bad posture
- Slouching
- Bad sleeping positions
- Overexertion from sports
- Activities that cause pressure to your neck and shoulders such as lifting heavy weights, painting overhead for long periods
You may also develop neck pain when you experience an injury from the following:
- Falling from a high place, a ladder, or stairs
- A car accident
- Sporting event or contact sport
- Whiplash event
Here are a few lesser-known causes of neck pain:
- Spinal stenosis
- Infection in the neck
- Rheumatoid arthritis
Neck Pain Symptoms – What Are They?
Neck pain gives you a sensation of stiffness, a knot in the neck area, or severe pain. It also usually comes with a headache. Sometimes, you may not be able to turn your head comfortably, like a stiff neck. When enough pressure or stress is on the spinal nerve root, you may start feeling pain shooting down your arm. You may experience weakness, tingling, or numbness in your arms.
Chronic neck pain can impact your daily routine. You may feel more than just discomfort and pain. Furthermore, it can even cause anxiety, fatigue, and depression. Neck pains are no laughing matter. They may be more severe than you think, and they may need immediate care.
What Risks Are Involved With Neck Pain Surgery?
When your neck pain is chronic and severe, your family physician might recommend surgery to correct the problem. Before agreeing, you must be forewarned on the risks involved in having neck surgery.
Any neck surgery performed comes with possible complications. In addition, those surgeries performed near the spinal cord and spines are predominantly critical.
Some individuals end up with additional impairment and the need for more surgery. Make sure to discuss with your doctor all the risks involved before finally deciding to go with surgery. Here are some possible results you need to be aware of:
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Persistent Pain
Some spinal operations have a high degree of failure. One of the most prevalent complications involved not getting rid of all your pain. In worse case scenarios, it may even be possible to increase the pain’s intensity. When discussed fully, your doctor may be able to tell you your success rate chances.
In some cases, what relief you expected from the surgery may not be what you will get. Some pain is a given after the surgery. However, if you feel chronic pain after an operation, please let your doctor know immediately.
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Infections
Any surgery has a risk of infection. Infection may involve skin incision or more in-depth, including the spinal cord and vertebrae. A superficial infection only consists of the skin, and this is easier to care for than the deeper ones.
When your wound feels hot, swollen, and won’t heal properly, then you might be having an infection. Another indicator involves experiencing fever and chills.
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Complications from anesthesia
The majority of operations require some form of anesthesia, which can dull or inhibit the pain from the procedure. Anesthesia may be either local or general. Local anesthesia covers the only area that needs surgery to numb the skin and surrounding tissue. General anesthesia puts you to deep sleep. Your vital signs monitored, you will be kept asleep during the entire operation.
A small number of people have inherent problems with anesthesia. Make sure that you are not a part of that particular few.
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Thrombophlebitis
There is a danger of getting Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT). This condition consists of having blood clots developing inside the veins. Also, this is a general problem experienced with any surgery and can form in those patients who have not received surgery before or very recently.
Post-surgery, the body works hard to stop the bleeding. In other words, the body’s clotting mechanism at this stage is hyperactive. When the blood is not flowing correctly and stays in the veins, it becomes stagnant and thus begins to clot. Blood clots stop the flow of blood back to the heart. As a result, this causes swelling and pain that may become permanent.
Furthermore, if a part of this clot breaks loose and goes to the lungs, it can get stuck in the tiny vessels. This situation cuts off the blood supply to that part of your lung. In worse cases, the lungs may collapse.
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Lung problems
It is of utmost importance to make sure that your lungs remain healthy after surgery. For tissues to heal correctly, they require an ample supply of oxygen. When your lungs are not exercised successfully after surgery, you may experience low oxygen levels. In other words, you may get pneumonia.
To avoid these complications, you will be required to take deep breaths and cough regularly. It is crucial to sit upright in a chair as soon as you are able.
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Spinal cord injury
The covering or nerves of the spinal cord may become injured during or after surgery. The spinal cord is the part of your body that gives you the ability to control your movements. The nerve fibers spread off to form pairs of nerve roots that travel through small openings between your vertebrae. If your spinal cord becomes damaged, paralysis is the danger that you may face.
Finding Natural Relief from Upper Cervical Care
Upper cervical chiropractic care is a natural way to get relief from neck pain. Countless people have been seeking alternative ways to care for their problems in the neck.
There are indeed some cases where surgery can be the only course to take, but these are rare cases. However, in many other instances, the cause of your neck pain might be due to a misalignment in the upper cervical spine, particularly the C1 or C2 vertebrae.
Here at Cincinnati Upper Cervical and Family Chiropractic, located in Blue Ash, Ohio, we make use of a gentle and low-impact method that helps the bones of the upper neck to move back into position naturally. Accomplishing this, the tissues, muscles, and nerves that were being negatively affected by the misalignment will begin to heal. Thus, your neck pain very often becomes a thing of the past.
Contact our office or inquire about upper cervical chiropractic. We are inspired to reach people to relieve their pain and avoid risky procedures.