Neck Injuries and Disorders

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Summary

Any part of your neck - muscles, bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, or nerves - can cause neck problems. Neck pain is very common. Pain may also come from your shoulder, jaw, head, or upper arms.

Muscle strain or tension often causes neck pain. The problem is usually overuse, such as from sitting at a computer for too long. Sometimes you can strain your neck muscles from sleeping in an awkward position or overdoing it during exercise. Falls or accidents, including car accidents, are another common cause of neck pain. Whiplash, a soft tissue injury to the neck, is also called neck sprain or strain.

Treatment depends on the cause, but may include applying ice, taking pain relievers, getting physical therapy or wearing a cervical collar. You rarely need surgery.

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Neck Pain (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Neck Pain (American College of Rheumatology) Also in Spanish
Neck Pain (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Neck Swelling (Symptom Checker) (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish

Symptoms

Neck Swelling (Symptom Checker) (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

Neck Pain (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
X-Ray Exam: Neck (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

Cervical Laminoplasty (North American Spine Society)
Chiropractic: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Epidural Steroid Injections (North American Spine Society)
Halo-Gravity Traction (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Radiofrequency Neurotomy (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Living With

Cervical Exercise: The Backbone of Spine Treatment (North American Spine Society) - PDF

Specifics

Burners (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Cervical Dystonia (Spasmodic Torticollis) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Cervical Radiculopathy (Pinched Nerve) (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) Also in Spanish
Cervical Spondylosis (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Cervical Spondylosis (Arthritis of the Neck) (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy (CSM) (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Cervical Stenosis, Myelopathy and Radiculopathy (North American Spine Society)
Herniated Cervical Disc (North American Spine Society)
Repetitive Motion Disorders (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
Stiff Neck (Nemours Foundation)
Whiplash (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Whiplash and Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAS) (North American Spine Society)

Genetics

Klippel-Feil syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)

Images

Spinal fusion - series (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Spinal surgery - cervical - series (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Cervical Vertebrae Injuries (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Neck Injuries (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Neck Pain (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Whiplash Injuries (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Find an Expert

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Also in Spanish

Children

Head Tilt (Torticollis) (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
Klippel-Feil Syndrome (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

Patient Handouts

Cervical MRI scan (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Cervical spine CT scan (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Cervical spondylosis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Neck lump (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Neck pain (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Neck pain or spasms - self care (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Neck x-ray (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Spinal fusion (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Torticollis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish