We all suffer from neck pain time to time; it can be acute or chronic. While an acute neck pain can last for few hours to weeks, chronic neck pain can stretch several weeks longer than the acute pain. Though in majority of the cases neck pain is not all that serious, it can sometimes be a symptom of an underlying problem or disorder.

Neck Pain Causes
There are various causes of neck pain. Some of these are – minor injury or trauma, overuse of muscle causing muscle strain, stress, poor posture (hunching or leaning), spinal disorders such as osteoporosis, scoliosis (deformed spinal curvature), spondylosis, spinal stenosis, etc.

Neck Pain Symptoms
Listed below are some of the symptoms of neck pain:

• Dull or sharp pain in the neck
• Stiffness of neck
• Difficulty in carrying out every day activities
• Shoulder pain sometimes accompanying neck pain
• Back pain with neck pain (in some cases)

Neck Pain Exercises
Neck pain exercises can address various problems arising out of – tightness and inflammation of neck muscles, muscle tightness and disruption of joints. These exercises can balance and relax the stiff neck muscles, thereby helping in alleviating pain in the neck.

Neck Pain Treatments
Doctor may recommend transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in which tiny electrical impulse is entered surrounding the area across the skin. In case of acute neck pain, opoid analgesics and muscle relaxants might also be prescribed. In case of mild pain, rest, alternate heat and ice application, neck massage and gentle stretching exercise can be effective.

Preventing Neck Pain
Some of the ways to prevent neck pain are:

• Maintaining proper posture of the spine
• Avoiding continuous sitting posture for a long time
• Sleeping on a hard bed can take the pressure from the neck and prevent neck pain
• Applying alternate heat and ice treatment
• Taking adequate rest can relieve pressure from the neck muscles