Types of Cervical Neck Pain

Although people experience neck pain in a variety of ways, there are a few specific types of cervical neck pain. This specific type of pain occurs in a specific part of the neck and can be caused by a variety of factors.

Identification

• The cervical spine includes the first seven bones in the neck. They begin at the base of the brain and end just past the shoulder blades. Pain in this area of the neck is called "cervical neck pain."

Herniated Disc

• A herniated disc occurs when one of the discs between the vertebrae become misshaped and bulge out of the place. These herniated discs then place pressure on the spinal cord and irritate the nerves leading to the arms and upper torso.

Spinal Cord Pressure

• Occasionally, overusing the spinal cord will lead to a chronic condition of pressure placed on the spinal cord. Interestingly, this type of cervical pain is not felt as "pain" in the neck. Instead, the patient will experience numbness in the arms or legs, poor balance and stiffness in the neck.

Whiplash

• Whiplash occurs when there is damage to the soft tissue of the cervical spine. Whiplash often occurs after a sudden backward or forward movement of the neck, and results in cervical neck stiffness, headache, shoulder pain, back pain and cervical neck pain.

Arthritis

• Unfortunately, even if your herniated disc or spinal cord pressure has been corrected, it may have lasting effects on your neck. Patients who have had these types of cervical neck pain often experience arthritis in the cervical spine, resulting in chronic pain and stiffness.