Your friends at MainStreet Family Care share common symptoms, causes, treatments, and prevention for neck and back pain.

Almost 85 percent of adults experience back pain at some point, and between 10 and 20 percent experience neck pain. Neck and back pain can be:

  • Acute – comes on suddenly and lasts for a few days to weeks.
  • Subacute – may come on suddenly or gradually, lasting between 4 to 12 weeks.
  • Chronic – may come on suddenly or gradually, occurs daily, and lasts over 12 weeks.

Fortunately, most neck and back pain is acute and heals with home treatment. However, neck and back pain can be excruciating, last longer, and interfere with your daily life.

If you’re experiencing neck and back pain, read on to learn more about what may be causing your pain, how to treat it, and how to prevent it in the future.

A Closer Look at Your Neck and Back

Your neck and back are a large section of your body with several structures that protect your spinal cord. Your spine can be divided into four sections:

  • Cervical spine – neck
  • Thoracic spine – middle and upper back
  • Lumbar spine – lower back
  • Sacrum and coccyx – upper buttocks

The specific structures that make up your back include:

  • The spinal cord is a long bundle of nerves that runs down the center of your back from the top of your neck to the top of your buttocks.
  • Vertebrae are the small bones surrounding the spinal cord, commonly called your backbone.
  • Intervertebral discs are pads between each backbone that act as shock absorbers, allowing your back to be flexible.
  • Ligaments are tough bands of tissue that connect your backbones and keep your back stable during movement and rest.
  • Muscles in your back work together to allow you to bend over, extend your back, twist, walk, and move your head, neck, shoulders, arms, and legs.
  • Tendons connect your bones and muscles.

Problems with any of these structures could lead to neck and back pain.

Symptoms of Neck and Back Pain

The description and intensity of neck and back pain may vary among people depending on the cause and the person’s tolerance for pain.

Neck pain may be accompanied by a headache and is generally described as:

  • Aching
  • Burning
  • Decreased range of motion in the neck
  • Radiating to the shoulders or arms
  • Stiffness
  • Worse with a head tilt or turn

Back pain may be limited to the upper, middle, or lower back. It may also be felt across the entire back or in different places at different times. Back pain is often described as:

  • Aching
  • Burning
  • Radiating to the buttocks, hips, or legs
  • Sharp
  • Stabbing
  • Stiffness, especially in the morning
  • Worse after resting, standing, or sitting for long periods
  • Worse with bending or lifting

You should call your healthcare provider or seek immediate medical attention if you have neck or back pain accompanied by the following:

  • Fever
  • Loss of bladder or bowel control
  • Numbness or tingling in your legs
  • Unintended weight loss

Causes of Neck and Back Pain

Pinning down the cause of neck and back pain can be tricky. Sometimes, one specific cause can be identified, especially if you have had a recent injury. Usually, there are several factors at play that cause your pain. We’ll explore some of the most common causes.

Aging

As we age, the wear and tear we’ve placed on our bodies can lead to degenerative disc disease (DDD). Some forms of DDD include:

  • Herniated or ruptured disks – over time, your intervertebral discs can become worn down and slip out of place.
  • Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage that lines your joints wears down, and your bones rub together.
  • Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal that puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerve roots.

Growths

Masses growing in your neck and back may put pressure on nerves and cause pain. Examples of growths or masses include:

  • Bone spurs
  • Cysts
  • Tumors

Injury

Automobile accidents, falls, and heavy lifting can cause neck and back pain.

  • Fractured vertebrae can occur during high-impact injuries.
  • Spondylolisthesis occurs when the vertebra of the spine slips out of place.
  • Sprains are injuries to the back ligaments and occur frequently from lifting improperly or twisting motions.
  • Strains are injuries to the muscles and tendons in the neck and back. Whiplash is a common neck strain injury in car accidents.

Mental Stress

Life can be stressful. Many people, without realizing it, tense their neck muscles, shoulders, and lower back muscles when experiencing emotional or mental stress. Prolonged tension in these muscles can lead to acute neck and back pain.

Physical Strain

Many things can cause muscle strain on your neck and back, such as:

  • Excess body weight
  • Improper body mechanics
  • Poor posture
  • Repetitive or strenuous activity
  • Weak abdominal and back muscles

Other Health Conditions

Sometimes, the pain in your neck and back is unrelated to your neck or back. For example:

  • Endometriosis is a buildup of uterine tissue outside the uterus, which can cause back pain.
  • Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes fatigue and generalized muscle pain, which may be felt in the neck and back.
  • Infections in the spine can cause neck and back pain.
  • Kidney stones may present with back pain.
  • Osteoporosis can cause painful fractures of the vertebrae.
  • Pregnancy adds a lot of strain on your body and can lead to neck and back pain.
  • Urinary tract infections may present with lower back pain.

Treating your Neck and Back Pain

The most common course of treatment for neck and back pain is home treatment. However, if your neck or back pain does not respond to home treatment, you may need medical treatment.

Home Treatment

Most acute neck and back pain can be treated at home. We recommend:

  • Alternate cold and hot therapy. Start with an ice pack to help reduce inflammation, and then use a warm pack or heating pad to loosen tense muscles. Remember to place a towel between your skin and your cold or warm pack and limit each therapy to 15 minutes at a time to prevent skin injury.
  • Over-the-counter pain relievers such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen can help relieve inflammation causing neck and back pain.
  • Reduce stress by incorporating relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises, meditation, mindfulness, and stretching.
  • Resting the painful ligaments, muscles, and tendons can help, but avoid complete bed rest. Resting for too long can cause more neck and back stiffness.

If your neck and back pain persists after trying these home treatments, MainStreet Family Care urgent care services can help. Register online to see one of our friendly healthcare providers and get relief from your pain!

Medical Treatment

When you seek medical treatment for neck and back pain, your healthcare provider will start with a medical history. They will ask you:

  • Are you under any increased or new stress?
  • Do your daily activities involve repetitive or strenuous activity?
  • Have you experienced any neck or back injuries?
  • When did the pain start?
  • Where is the pain?
  • Is the pain constant, or does it come and go?
  • How intense is the pain?
  • Has your pain responded to any at-home treatment?

Your healthcare provider will examine you for any apparent deformities, range of motion in your neck and back, and areas of tenderness.

If your healthcare provider suspects your neck and back pain is related to another health condition, they may recommend lab tests to look for signs of infection or inflammation.

Imaging is usually not necessary for acute neck and back pain. However, your healthcare provider may recommend imaging if your pain is not responding to treatment or if they suspect bone spurs, cysts, fractures, herniated discs, or a tumor. Imaging may include:

  • X-rays
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • Computed tomography (CT) scan

The medical treatment recommended by your healthcare provider may include:

  • Medications such as stronger NSAIDs reduce inflammation, and muscle relaxants relieve neck and back muscle tension.
  • Physical therapy to help improve the flexibility and strength in your neck and back muscles and tendons.
  • Steroid injections can help relieve pain and inflammation if you have a nerve root injury.
  • Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unit can interrupt the pain signal in your neck and back by delivering a low-level electrical current to the nerves through your skin.
  • Surgery is rarely necessary for most neck and back pain. However, it may be recommended if you have a herniated or ruptured disc causing nerve pain unrelieved by other treatments.

Preventing Neck and Back Pain

You can prevent neck and back pain by reducing your risk factors. Here are our best tips to keep your neck and back pain-free:

  • Improve your posture to prevent undue stress on your neck and back muscles.
  • Strengthen your abdominal and back muscles by exercising and stretching them at least twice weekly.
  • Try deep breathing, massage, meditation, or mindfulness to prevent stress-related neck and back pain.
  • Weight loss can help relieve and prevent neck and back pain if you carry extra body weight.
  • Use proper body mechanics when lifting and transferring heavy items.

Turn to MainStreet Family Care

Battling neck and back pain? MainStreet Family Care urgent care services can help you heal and feel better fast!

Register online to visit one of our clinics near you. You can wait from the convenience of your home or car until we’re ready to see you. We’ll text you when it’s time to head to the clinic.

We also accept walk-ins! However, please be aware that walk-ins join the same queue as those who register online and may experience longer in-clinic wait times.