1) Muscle sprains or strains
This most often occurs as a result of injury. Something like a whiplash injury from a fall, a sports injury, or a car accident. It can also be due to sleeping in an uncomfortable position or being in one position for too long. Even a shoulder injury or turning too fast can do it. Actually, there are many ways someone can strain a muscle; sometimes it can be literally from stress or combined with some of the other things I have mentioned.

2) Herniated or bulging disc
A herniated disc occurs when the inner disc, the nucleus, bulges or ruptures through the outer part and puts pressure on a nerve or nerves. It usually occurs as a result of a very serious injury, such as one of the above, but on a more serious scale. Most of the time someone has accumulated a certain amount of wear first and then something is the “last straw” that causes the disc to break. A bulge is similar, except that the outer disk remains intact but bulging. The same pain and swelling can result. Depending on exactly where the disc bulge is and its size will determine the amount of nerve pressure. Often, as discs degenerate and flatten, they bulge out. This brings me to my next common cause …

3) arthritis
Arthritis is another word for degeneration or wasting. People who beat their bodies more over the years will have more arthritis as they age. Actually, there are many factors, but basically people who don’t take care of themselves generally break down faster. Like a car, if you don’t fuel it with good fuel and keep it changing by changing the oil and cleaning certain things, it can stop working. Our bodies are the same way, and as the bones become more brittle, the muscles become tighter and the pain increases. The constant repetition of certain activities or poor posture over time can lead to degenerative changes in the spine.

4) muscle spasm
Muscles are an important factor that allows us to move and be active. Doing a movement incorrectly or repetitively can cause the muscles to overstretch and injure themselves. Muscle spasm can cause constant pain because the muscles are irritated and put pressure on the nerves. Remember that these muscles are attached to the bones of the spine and are called force misalignment which also puts pressure on the nerves. Misalignment can cause poor posture or the other way around.

5) poor neck posture
The outer aspect of your posture is often the inner aspect of your spine. So if you have your head forward, for example, you’ve most likely lost the normal curve of your neck. This is also known as cervical lordosis loss or “military neck.” This will strain the spinal cord and nerves; It will tighten the muscles in the back of your neck and predispose you to all of the conditions mentioned above.

Now, on how to prevent and fix these common causes of neck pain …

The best way to prevent and correct all of the above is to keep the spine in its best alignment. Injuries and strains will occur, but when they do, there will be fewer and the muscles will heal much faster. My best recommendations for avoiding and ending your neck pain are seeing your chiropractor when an injury occurs, avoiding repetitive stress on your neck, and trying to maintain good neck posture. I find that sometimes you cannot get to your chiropractor’s office soon enough, or that you sometimes find it difficult to maintain good posture. In this case, I would also recommend using a good neck pillow. The traction pillow will help correct and maintain alignment while you sleep. This is essential to keep pressure off the nerves and thus prevent muscle spasm, degeneration, and disc injury.