Causes of Neck Pain & Headaches

What Are Some Of The Causes Of Neck Pain And Headaches?

by Joe Eagle

Tens of millions of people suffer from neck pain, headaches and migraines which leads to costs of billions of dollars in visits to doctors, chiropractors, physical therapists, acupuncturists. This cost takes a toll in the form of medications, supplements as well as missed days at work which cost companies tens of millions of dollars a year. Besides just the actual monetary cost, the cost in terms of human suffering is tremendous.

So what are some of the causes of neck pain and headaches?

There are many different causes for neck pain, headaches and migraines. One of the first causes is a herniated or bulging cervical disc. There are various interventions to remedy this which are chiropractic care, surgery, injection, non-invasive radio frequency ablations as well as pain medications which can include opiates or can be muscle relaxers. One of the worst options is to use opiate medications such as Vicodin. Using an opiate painkiller does not solve the reason there is pain and your tolerance for the medication will go up quickly which means you need to increase your dosage and the medication will eventually stop relieving pain. It will also render you a drug addict, so this is the worst option for everyone.

The most ideal options are those involving non-invasive techniques such as acupuncture or chiropractic care. Chiropractic adjustments are usually gentle to moderate spinal manipulations that help to remedy subluxations in the spine. It often takes many visits usually over many week or months and the pain will gradually decrease. This route takes a lot more patience and commitment since it involves ongoing visits.

Another reason people have headaches and neck pain has to do with tight muscles in the cranium or skull area. Clenching your jaw at night which is usually caused by stress can refer pain to the head, neck and even the shoulders. Using a mouth guard which is usually prescribed by a dentist can help to palliate the effects of the teeth grinding. You can also look at stress management techniques which are the root of teeth grinding.

Other causes of neck pain include a spinal condition called "neck instability." This condition means that the neck is instable because the surrounding muscles in the neck, shoulders and head are weak and imbalanced. Strengthening and stretching these muscles can help to relive pain and restore balance. Often a physical therapist will work with you on specific exercise to help build up the muscles in this part of the body.

More Information: Joe is a licensed massage therapist, nationally certified and a member of the American Massage Therapy Association. He is also a certified personal trainer and corrective exercise specialist. In order to provide the highest quality of bodywork services to his clients, Joe continues to enhance his bodywork skills and can be reached at http://stoppingthepain.com/running-and-sports-injuries/

Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article452325.html

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