Arthritis Neck Pain - Causes & Treatments

No one likes to suffer any sort of injury to the neck. When the neck suffers from pain and tension, the rest of the body will fall in line with the suffering as pain will shoot through the rest of the nerve endings in the body. Now, does that mean the prognosis for anyone suffering from arthritis neck pain is bleak? No, that is not the answer at all. There may very well be several alternatives available to those looking for a solution to their arthritic neck pain problems. The key first step is to identify the presence of such a problem and then seek out the proper treatment for the condition.

Why does arthritic neck pain develop? The anatomical structure of the neck can be considered rather complex. There are 7 bones found in the neck and they are dubbed the cervical vertebrae. Since it would definitely not be appealing to experience bone on bone "scraping" whenever we move, our bodies evolved in such a way that cartilage exists between the bones. Nerve endings are connected through the vertebrae so that a sense of cohesive communication exists between the vertebrae and the rest of the body. While all these many components that make up the neck's strength and structure are durable, they are not indestructible. That is why they can be prone to wear and tear and the unfortunate development of arthritis.

Do not, however, assume that this makes treatment for arthritis neck pain impossible. Also, do not assume that invasive options such as neck surgery are the only way to deal with the issue. Physical rehab, for example, could be employed as could a whole host of non-invasive treatments.

But, why does this condition occur in the first place? There can be several reasons why such problems are so. Mainly, a significant amount of wear and tear on the joints will lead to significant problems. They will suffer a breakdown of cartilage or experience microtears and abrasions. In some instances, severe and traumatic injury is what leads to the eventual development of arthritis neck pain. Once the development of such arthritis manifests, a great deal of the quality of one's life can suffer as a result. After all, it is pretty difficult to go through the day without moving one's head and when you have arthritis, moving your head can lead to a very painful response. Then again, you need not even have to move your head to suffer from such problems. The onset of a stiff neck for no apparent reason could also be indicative of the development of arthritic neck pain.

Does this mean "all is lost" and the quality of the afflicted person's life will never improve? No, this is not the case at all. Treatments for dealing with problems associated with arthritis neck pain are available. You simply need to explore the appropriate course of action to take with your physician or therapist.

At the most basic of levels, there are over the counter anti-inflammatory products that can aid in reducing the pain of such a condition. For those that may not experience the best response to such OTC treatments, prescription anti-inflammatory medications may be prescribed. And, of course, there are physical therapy treatments that can be performed to alleviate if not outright cure the problem. So, if you do suffer from arthritis neck pain, you can feel confident that there are effective methods to deal with the condition.