Neck pain is a common and particularly uncomfortable ailment. Since the neck is responsible for connecting the skull to the body’s spine, it is vulnerable to certain strains, stresses and injuries.

If you are experiencing neck pain, how do you know if it is a minor ache that will disappear quickly, or something more serious that needs attention and care?

Learn about the 5 most common causes of neck pain to help you avoid future pain, injury and discomfort.

1. Injury

Is there a chance you might have injured your neck during an activity, sport or accident? Sometimes a blow to the body from a fall or an unexpected impact can cause minor injury to the nerves between the neck and shoulder, which results in neck pain. An even more serious spinal cord injury can manifest itself as discomfort in the neck. If you are experiencing pain or muscle spasms after a suspected injury to your neck, or if your neck has experienced whiplash (the violent movement of the neck backwards and forwards), it is always wise to visit your doctor to be examined.

2. Spinal connection

Your neck pain could be the result of a disturbed spinal connection.

If there is excessive or repetitive stress placed on your spine or neck area, e.g., through contact sports or poor posture, your nerve may become compressed. This leads to a condition called ‘Radiculopathy’ which results in pain, tingling or numbness along the course of the nerve.

Spinal stenosis, an abnormal narrowing of the spinal cord, is another problem that can cause symptoms similar to that of a pinched nerve. This pain may also radiate into the arms.

Consult your doctor if you have any of these symptoms.

3. Arthritis

Sufferers of osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis experience inflammation of the joints and increased wear and tear of the bones. This can result in pain and stiffness in neck areas where arthritis is present.

4. Posture

Poor posture is probably one of the most common causes of neck pain. When a person does not pay attention to good posture practices like lifting heavy weights with bent knees or sitting correctly in a chair, it places unnecessary stresses and strain on the spine and neck which result in pain. Learn healthy habits to take care of your posture and invest in a good back supports for your office or home chair. These little aids could completely eliminate any minor discomforts you’ve been feeling in your neck.

5. Other

Some neck-pain sufferers have a TMJ disorder (a temporomandibular joint disorder), which happens when the joint connecting the jaw and skull becomes strained because of genetics, teeth grinding or jaw clenching. On rare occasions, neck pain may be caused by a viral infection or a serious infection around the brain such as meningitis.

If you are experiencing neck pain of any kind, it is always wise to have it checked by your doctor.

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TMJ means temporomandibular joint.  It is a ball and socket joint at each side of the head.  TMJ health problems are common and very difficult to treat; if you have suffered them, you know what we mean.  These problems happen when the joint is under stress; common causes are dental work, a blow to the jaw, osteoarthritis, or trauma from car accidents, however, there is a reason for muscular stress that is often overlooked as a cause for TMJ: poor body alignment.

Something that may look as simple and unimportant as uneven and rounded shoulders may be causing you excruciating pain.  When one shoulder is lower than the other, this causes a constant downward pull on one side of the jaw and ear, causing neck, jaw, and ear pain, tinnitus, and even vertigo.  If your shoulders round inward, this will cause a forward pull on both sides of the neck.

Physical therapy and yoga can help you even your shoulders and pull them back, eventually getting rid of TMJ pain.  However, if you stop your yoga and therapy routines, while at the same time spend too much time at the computer, for example, the discomfort will return, thus, it is necessary to be very disciplined and encourage prevention through conscious practices.

To see if poor posture could be causing your TMJ pain, take a look in the mirror.  Stand up straight and face a full-length mirror, look at your shoulders and examine if they are even.  Feel the muscles on each side of your neck to see if they are the same, if not, you will feel a side more stretched out and weaker.  Also check if your head is even over your shoulders from side to side, or if it is tilted to one side.

Return your hands to the sides of your body and look at them in the mirror.  If your muscles are well balanced, your hands will hang straight at your side, with the thumbs facing forward, otherwise, you will see your palms flat against your thighs and the back of your hands will face forward.  This means your shoulders are rounded, and it can cause muscle tension in your jaw because your chest muscles are tight and pulling the shoulders in, and your back muscles are weak and stretched out, causing a forward pull on the jaw.

Finally, turn to one side and check your posture.  Your arm should hang freely at your side, and the back of your hand should be flat against your thigh.  Your head should be even on top of your spine, not tilted forward or backwards.  Your shoulder should be exactly below your ear.

The musculoskeletal alignment of the body is primordial for its general health, given the fact that it encompasses the whole body structure.  If misaligned, the person will not only suffer from pain which is directly related to muscles and bones, but also from sickness produced by the crushing of organs and lack of air resulting from a bad posture.  It could mean a complete body failure, capable of ruining your life.

This is a huge risk that can be easily avoided.  Now you know how important good posture is for your health, so you can take the necessary measures to correct it.  There are physical therapies, alternative therapies, posture training, posture and back support, and massages, among others.  However, if you are suffering from TMJ or any other physical problem, the first thing you should do is see your doctor for professional advice; only then, can you implement any kind of therapy or change in your life safely and effectively.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.trucomfort.com as the original source).