Neck pain is one of those things in life that many people will have to deal with at some point. It’s funny that a certain phrase’s PG version is “pain in the neck.” You can develop neck pain from just about anything—a long night of studying, a quick movement, even a bad night’s sleep. No one is going to tell you to rush to see a doctor at the slightest incidence of pain, but there are times when you absolutely should see a professional for that pain in your neck, such as:
Accompanied with Chest Symptoms
In some instances, neck pain can be a symptom of an impending heart attack. If you have neck pain in conjunction with other potential heart attack symptoms, such as trouble breathing, chest pains, or nausea, then you need to get medical attention as soon as you possibly can. This is the worst case on this list, and needs to be taken extremely seriously.
In the Aftermath of a Severe Injury
Pain in the neck is something you often just want to massage out, and whether you can or not can depend on how you got the injury. If you don’t know how it happened, it’s likely something inside you is just stiff, and it can resolve itself. However, if there is some glaringly obvious cause for your neck pain, like a car accident or a fall off a ladder, you need to check with a professional, as that injury could have done damage to your neck that will require professional care to fix.
Weakness or Numbness in Extremities
When the pain in your neck is accompanied by symptoms in your extremities, it is likely that it’s not only your spine that is affected, but also your spinal cord. The spinal cord is the bundle of nerves that connects your brain with your entire body at the neck. In this instance, whatever pain you’re having in your neck is going to have continued consequences if you don’t get help from a doctor.
Loss of Bladder or Bowel Control
Similar to the previous example, bladder and bowel control problems paired with neck pain indicate some nerve damage, and professional care will likely be necessary to fix the problem and prevent further damage.
There is, of course, one other instance where you should seek help: it simply hurts too much or for too long. This threshold is different for everyone, but if the pain in your neck has become persistent, or hurts so much it’s affecting your lifestyle, make an appointment with a local specialist. If you suffer from neck pain in Jacksonville area, you can go to the Coastal Spine and Pain center for competent and friendly treatment.
