Athletes and sports people often have headaches and neck pains which originate at the nape of the neck and move to their heads via the temples, eyes and the neck. Describing this accurately to the doctor is important because then the doctor will know whether it is a referred pain due to an injury in some other part of the body.
The headaches are of different kinds and of different levels of severity and what most people do not realize that there is a link between the headache and the neck pain. Stiffness and pain in the neck can cause pain whenever the person tries to move the head. Often this stiffness is associated with headaches too. Stiffness in the neck is often accompanied by headaches.
Sleeping in a wrong position and neck pain
A stiff neck or what is in medical terms referred to as a cervical spasm is not a serious disorder but is one that causes a lot of discomfort. This is something that usually comes about with sleeping in a wrong posture or using a pillow that does not support the head and neck properly. This brings about muscular pain and the result is a head ache and a neck pain.
Poor posture causes head ache and neck pain and the person does not even realize that he has a bad posture and continues to do it until the pain starts and keeps getting worse. Some of the bad postures that cause headaches and pain in the neck are walking with a slouch, carrying a weighty bag on your shoulder, reading while lying in bed, the computer being too high or low while working on it for long hours, and sitting in a twisted curled position in front of the television.
Medical reasons for headache and neck pains
There are also medical conditions that cause headaches and neck pains and not just bad posture that does this. Meningitis and high blood pressure are also causes for this kind of discomfort and pain. A bad neck pain which gets worse when the chin is moved downwards is a symptom of meningitis.
After an accident if there is concussion there is neck pain and headache also. In case any person is suffering from constant neck pains and headaches they should always get a medical opinion for this and ascertain the reason for this.
This sort of a symptom should not be neglected if it persists for some time and proper medical treatment should be started for the cause as soon as possible. If there is nausea along with the pain and a tingling feeling in the arms the doctor should be consulted immediately. The doctor may suggest some simple home exercises to relieve you of this discomfort too.
Diagnosing lower back pain
Back pain will inhibit millions of Americans this year, and for some, the pain can be excruciating. Back pain can be caused by a large number of injuries or conditions, thus making a proper diagnosis both difficult and critical.
Back pain that occurs with other symptoms like fever and chills, severe abdominal pain or bladder and bowel problems can be an indication of a serious medical condition, and should be evaluated by your doctor immediately. Lower back pain is classified into one of three categories, based on a description of how the pain is distributed throughout the body.
These three categories are axial lower back pain (also known as mechanical or simple back pain), radicular lower back pain (also known as sciatica) and lower back pain with referred pain. We will now briefly examine the most common causes and treatments for each of these categories. The most common type of lower back pain is axial. This pain is confined to the lower back area and does not radiate into the surrounding portions of the body.
There are many causes of axial lower back pain, such as a degenerated disc or damage to the muscles, ligaments or tendons. However, in most cases, the treatment of axial lower back pain is not dependent on the cause. The usual treatment is rest, exercises or physical therapy, the use of hot and/or cold compresses and various common pain medications.
The exceptions to this would be for chronic pain or pain that is so severe that it wakes you up at night. In these cases, one should see their doctor. Radicular lower back pain is caused by compression of the lower spinal nerve, leading to pain that radiates down the thighs and legs. The most common nerve affected is the sciatic nerve, which runs down the back of the thigh and calf into the food. Sciatica may cause greater pain in the leg than in the back.
This nerve compression can be caused by a herniated disc, a narrowing of the passage through which the nerve travels the spine, diabetes or nerve root injuries. Usually sciatica is treated with physical therapy and medication for a period of six to eight weeks. If the pain persists, surgery may be done to relieve the compression. Lower back pain with referred pain which spreads to other areas of the body can be caused by the same conditions which cause axial lower back pain, and the treatment is similar.
It needs to be carefully differentiated from radicular lower back pain, in which the pain spreads in very specific paths along certain nerves. Most instances of back pain can be treated successfully with a combination of rest, physical therapy, hot and cold packs and pain medication. Only with severe or persistent pain should a more drastic treatment, such as surgery, be considered.
Excerpted from the book How To Win Your War Against Back Pain by Wings Of Success.
This excerpt has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Download this book on Boostlane:
https://boostlane.com/p/boostlane/684/how-to-win-your-war-against-back-pain/
