How do I know if my neck pain is serious?

Rarely, neck pain can be a symptom of a more serious problem. Seek medical care if your neck pain is accompanied by numbness or loss of strength in your arms or hands or if you have shooting pain into your shoulder or down your arm.

What does a blood clot in your neck feel like?

Blood clots can cause swelling in the veins of your neck or arms, but this is rare. Thrombphlebitis affects superficial veins and is a different condition than a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Symptoms of thrombophlebitis include swelling, redness, and tenderness over the affected vein.

How should I sleep if my neck hurts?

If you’re dealing with neck discomfort, the best positions for sleep are on your back or side. These are both less stressful on your spine than sleeping on your stomach. It may be difficult to change your sleeping position, since your preferred position is often determined early in life.

What does a pulled neck muscle feel like?

What does a torn neck muscle feel like? A torn neck muscle may feel like a sharp, stabbing pain in the neck area. You may have a limited range of motion or feel a dull, achy pain in the neck area. Other common symptoms of a torn neck muscle include localized swelling, soreness, “knots”, stiffness, or weakness.

How long does a pulled neck muscle take to heal?

While most neck strains take a few weeks to completely heal, symptoms tend to mostly go away in less than a week. In general, severe muscle strains tend to take closer to 12 weeks to heal, but these rarely occur in the neck without the involvement of a more serious injury.

What to do if you’ve pulled a muscle in your neck?

When to Seek Medical Care Immediately. See a doctor or go to a hospital emergency room if:
Ease Muscle Spasms. Apply dry or moist heat to the area.
Treat Pain. Give pain medication, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin).
Avoid Unnecessary Neck Strain.
Follow Up.

How do you fix a torn ligament in your neck?

Nonsurgical Treatment Your doctor may prescribe a soft collar worn around the neck to help support the head and relieve pressure on ligaments, tendons and muscles while they heal. Other treatment options include massaging the tender area, ultrasound, cervical (neck) traction, and aerobic or isometric exercise.

Why does my neck hurt at the base of my skull?

Occipital neuralgia is a condition in which the nerves that run from the top of the spinal cord up through the scalp, called the occipital nerves, are inflamed or injured. You might feel pain in the back of your head or the base of your skull.

Can sleeping wrong cause occipital neuralgia?

Sleeping Position Matters The pain and tenderness in the neck and head area make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep. Failing to get adequate sleep and sleeping in the wrong position can intensify the pain. In fact, sleeping with a poor posture is a top cause of occipital neuralgia.

Do sinuses run down back of neck?

Allergic congestion in your sphenoid sinuses may cause pressure in the back part of your head and neck.

How do I calm my occipital nerve?

Finding occipital neuralgia pain relief

Apply ice/heat therapy. Ice therapy may reduce local inflammation and relieve pain.
Take NSAIDs. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) are over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen (e.g., Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (e.g., Aleve).
Give yourself a neck massage.

Will occipital neuralgia go away?

Occipital neuralgia can last for a very long time, but it may stop by itself after a while. Generally, occipital neuralgia is a long-term condition that requires treatment to lessen the pain.

Is occipital neuralgia a symptom of MS?

In patients with multiple sclerosis, clinical features in occipital neuralgia that were predictive of the presence of a C2-3 lesion were unilateral episodic symptoms, sensory loss, later onset of occipital neuralgia, and progressive multiple sclerosis phenotype.

How painful is occipital neuralgia?

The primary symptom of occipital neuralgia is sudden, severe pain that many people associate with migraines. This pain is described as intense, piercing, stabbing, and sharp. The episodes of intense pain may only last for a few minutes or seconds, but tenderness around the nerves may persist afterward.

Does occipital neuralgia show up on MRI?

Radiographic imaging is of limited utility in the diagnosis of occipital neuralgia but is primarily concerned with excluding structural pathology of the cord, the spine, the occipital nerves or adjacent structures. As such, MRI is best suited to this task 1,4.

Can a virus cause occipital neuralgia?

Occipital neuralgia The pain can sometimes include the forehead. It is suspected that tense muscles or ligaments may press against the nerve, causing irritation, inflammation and subsequent pain. Other causes may include viral infection, trauma to the neck or bad posture.

How does occipital neuralgia start?

Occipital neuralgia can be the result of pinched nerves or muscle tightness in the neck. It can also be caused by a head or neck injury. Occipital neuralgia can either be primary or secondary.

What triggers occipital neuralgia?

What causes occipital neuralgia? Occipital neuralgia may occur spontaneously, or as the result of a pinched nerve root in the neck (from arthritis, for example), or because of prior injury or surgery to the scalp or skull. Sometimes “tight” muscles at the back of the head can entrap the nerves.

What irritates the occipital nerve?

Injury to the neck, such as whiplash, may result in inflammation and damage to the occipital region, causing nerve irritation and pain. Occipital neuralgia may be caused by pinching or trapping of the nerve root in the neck, with tight muscles, tumors, and certain spine conditions being the most common causes.