There can be many things in the neck that can cause chronic neck pain for instance ligaments, nerves, joints, muscles, tendons, disks, etc. However, the common cause of Neck Pain is the injury to muscle ligaments and tendons; and is called cervical sprain or strain. It usually occurs due to improper posture or motor vehicle accidents (whiplash injury). It can vary in intensity from mild annoyance to severe debilitating pain. Other common causes of Neck Pain include arthritis of the neck also known as spondylosis, which can affect, not just the joints but the disks as well. The vertebrae in our neck has small joints known as facet joints, which can develop, arthritis, much like knees or shoulders. These joints can become painful and swollen and can often press on the nerves nearby causing pain radiating down the arm or neck. One can also have development of bone spurs which may also press on the nearby nerves causing pain radiating down the arm or neck. Discs in our neck are like jelly donuts with a soft jelly filled center surrounded by a layer of fibrinous tissue. They are located in between the vertebrae, and their function is to provide cushioning and flexibility to the spine. Just like any other structure in our body, these disks can also get damaged due to things like trauma, aging, hereditary factors. Sometimes these jelly donuts can get squished and a small part of jelly can start pushing out (disc herniation) or even completely leak out (disc extrusion). These disc bulges can cause pressure and irritation of the nearby nerves, leading to pain often radiating down the arm or neck.
Whiplash is a neck injury, caused when the lower cervical spine bones move into a forced position of hyperextension while the upper cervical bones are in the hyper flexed position and vice versa.
