Neck Pain
What may cause my neck pain?
Low neck pain that comes on suddenly is typically due to acute injuries such as injured discs or torn muscles. Sports injuries, falls, using poor lifting techniques, and overexerting yourself are common causes of acute neck pain.
You can also develop long-term neck pain from repetitive strain or doing the same activities that cause acute pain. Doing the same movements many times over long periods can irritate and inflame tissues in and around your spine, causing neck pain and soreness that worsen when you perform those activities. Neck pain is also caused by age-related deterioration.
This includes conditions like osteoarthritis, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, and vertebral compression fractures stemming from osteoporosis. Disc herniation can also happen because of age-related deterioration.
Other neck pain causes include spinal abnormalities, including scoliosis, where the spine has a left and/or right curvature. Spinal cord injuries, tumors, and internal diseases such as kidney infections can also cause neck pain.
What is degenerative disc disease?
Disc degeneration can be caused by a number of factors. Degenerative disc disease (DDD) refers to the wearing down of the intervertebral discs as you get older, from trauma, or from congenital circumstances. Intervertebral discs separate the bones (vertebrae) in your spine, acting as cushions and shock absorbers. These discs also allow you to bend and twist your neck with ease.
As you get older, the intervertebral discs begin to collapse due to the loss of collagen fibers and water, affecting the space between the spinal bones. Typically the pain from DDD is most notable with forward bending, sitting, and sitting while bending forward.
Degenerative disc disease may also lead to other neck problems that cause pain, such as disc herniation, spinal stenosis (narrowing in the spine), or spondylolisthesis (vertebral bone displacement).
Most people 40 and older have some amount of disc degeneration, however not everyone develops pain. We treat patients based upon their physical examination, MRI, and presentation. We do not diagnose just based upon imaging alone.
What is slipped disc formally known as disc protrusion and herniation?
A disc protrusion is a milder form of herniation, usually caused by microscopic injury to the outer ring of the disc (annulus). Intervertebral discs separate and cushion the space between each vertebrae. These discs have a tough exterior and a gel-like interior.
Disc herniation means the gel-like material in the intervertebral disc is pushing against the outer ring of the connective tissue surrounding the entire disc. The displaced disc material may irritate or compress a spinal nerve or the spinal cord, causing pain.
You can develop disc protrusion and herniation following an acute injury, such as a car accident or heavy lifting. However, you’re more likely to get a disc injury as you get older due to age-related degenerative changes, making the discs more vulnerable to tears and herniations.
Can I have pain that radiates into my legs with disc herniation?
If you have disc protrusion and herniation in the lower neck (cervical spine), it may irritate the nerve roots that are exiting the spine through the foramen. This can cause pain that radiates down the front, side, or neck of the leg. This layman’s term is sciatica.
What is facet joint pain?
The facet joints are small joints, about the size of knuckles, and are located on the neck of the spine. These joints take on about 15% of the weight load of the spine. When a disc herniation or DDD develops and the disc becomes less thick, this results in the top portion of the facet joint to move closer to the bottom portion of the joint. When this occurs over time, arthritis develops. Arthritis can be thought of as developing pot holes in the road. Arthritis results in exposed bone with free nerve endings that can transmit pain.
What is stenosis of the central, lateral recess, and foramen?
Central stenosis refers to narrowing in the central spinal canal where the spinal cord runs, while lateral recess stenosis is narrowing in the space where the nerve root exits the spinal canal. Foraminal stenosis is narrowing within the intervertebral foramen, the opening where the nerve root fully exits the spine.
Central, lateral recess, and foraminal stenosis can be caused by a number of conditions, including congenital narrowing, aging, injuries, diseases, and trauma. These conditions often result in irritation of the nerve roots which will cause neck and arm pain.
How does BioInfinity diagnose neck pain?
The Bioinfinity Regenerative Medicine team has extensive experience diagnosing neck pain. We review your medical history, complete a physical exam, and ask about your symptoms. Imaging procedures such as an MRI, CT scan, or X-rays are often needed to all your provider to see the bones and tissues inside your spine so they can identify the cause of your low neck pain.
