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Ask the Pharmacist By Ron and Marla Chapleau |
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Q) My neck is sore. What should I do? A) Neck pain is a common complaint that often seems to occur for no apparent reason. Most causes of neck pain are not serious and usually will resolve on their own. The most frequent cause is muscle strain resulting from overuse, poor posture or sleeping in an awkward position. Neck pain arising from this will abate shortly after the offending action has stopped but repeated overuse of the neck muscles can result in chronic pain. Being hunched over a steering wheel or computer, reading in bed or even grinding your teeth can result in neck strain. The second most common cause of neck pain is arthritis. Like all other joints, the neck experiences wear and tear over the years resulting in ongoing pain and stiffness that tends to improve over the day with use. Whiplash is neck pain which results from the head being jerked forward and then backward, stretching the soft tissue of the neck beyond its limits. This type of injury usually results from car accidents or sports. Compression of the nerves in the neck (herniated disks, bone spurs, etc.) can also result in pain that tends to be long term. Rarely, neck pain can be caused by diseases as well, such as rheumatoid arthritis, meningitis and cancer. The key to treatment is to know when the cause is possibly more than something self-limiting such as neck strain.
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If neck pain is accompanied by: shooting pain into your arm or down
your shoulder; numbness or loss of strength in your arms or hands; a
change in bladder or bowel habits; an inability to touch your chin to
your chest or a rise in temperature , accompanied by nausea and a
headache, you should see your doctor immediately. For more information about this or any other
health-related questions, contact the pharmacists at Gordon Pharmasave, Your
Health and Wellness Destination.Treatment for neck pain usually involves resting the neck, the possible application of heat or cold, and over-the-counter pain killers such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen or a muscle relaxant. Chronic neck pain may require exercises as suggested by a physical therapist, immobilization by a brace, a cortisone injection, traction (series of weights and pulleys that continually stretch the neck) or rarely, surgery.
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