Millions of adults in the United States deal with chronic pain — nearly one-quarter of adults, to be more exact. While there are many roads to daily discomfort, neck pain is one of the more common. Around the globe, neck pain affects about 203 million people, and researchers expect this number will rise to about 269 million in 2050.
At Glaser Pain Relief Center, in Encino, California, Dr. Jeffrey Glaser, Dr. John Zheng, and the rest of our team of spine health experts have an enormous amount of experience helping patients with chronic neck pain. And here’s what we’ve found to be among the more common culprits behind that pain.
Natural aging in your body is one of the leading drivers of chronic neck pain. For example, the seven intervertebral discs in your neck can start to wear down and lose moisture over time, causing them to become more brittle and flat.
Called degenerative disc disease, it affects about 90% of people over age 60, but not everyone develops symptoms or complications. When they do arise, herniated cervical discs and other nerve compression issues that cause pain are the most common results.
Another wear-and-tear issue that can lead to chronic neck pain is arthritis, which affects one in four adults in the US. When it comes to the neck, the arthritis often comes in the form of cervical spondylosis.
As your discs break down with age, your bony vertebrae can rub together. This can damage cartilage and lead to bone spurs — the hallmarks of osteoarthritis.
Rounding out age-related causes of chronic neck pain is cervical spinal stenosis, a condition in which the spinal canal in your neck narrows. This narrowing is often caused by thickening ligaments as well as some of the aging issues reviewed above, such as degenerative disc disease.
There are many different types of headaches, but tension headaches are the most common. Often stress-related, these headaches can grip your skull but also reach down into your shoulders and neck.
Some personal habits you might not even think about can lead to ongoing neck pain. For starters, if your bed is too soft or your pillow flexes your head up too much, it can stress your neck and leave you with nagging pain each morning. Ideally, you want your entire spine to be in a neutral position while you sleep.
As well, if you spend a lot of time in front of screens with your head bent down, this can strain the muscles in your neck and lead to chronic neck pain. Be sure to keep your tech at eye level.
The best way to figure out what’s bothering your neck is to come in for an evaluation so we can identify the issue and get you on the road to relief. For expert care of your chronic neck pain, please contact Glaser Pain Relief Center to schedule an appointment today.
