Acute neck and nerve root pain describes several conditions that effect the cervical spine region and can also cause head pain. In the long term, it is rarely as disabling as low-back pain, but the severity of acute nerve-root pain can be just as bad as sciatica.

CAUSES

The pain can be caused by sprain of the facet joints and ligaments and disk herniation. Muscular Pain is more of a chronic condition but can flare up. Your neck is also vulnerable to external indirect trauma as in whiplash syndrome. When acute neck pain arises spontaneously in young adults or youngsters it is called acute torticollis. Disk prolapsed with nerve-root compression is the cause of the most severe pain.

SYMPTOMS

You may feel sharp pain, centrally or to one side of the neck with intense dull aching that can spread further into the shoulder blade area and halfway down the thoracic spine. You may have the stiffness being trapped by muscle spasm movements such as bending forward, backward, sideways or rotating. You may also find it hard to sit in a car or at computer for long periods. The Pain is often troublesome at night and lying down may make it worse. If a nerve is compressed or irritated, a sharp pain will radiate down your arm as far as your hand, accomplished by sensory disturbance such as pins and needles or numbness. If your motor nerve fibers have been damaged, you may develop weakness in your upper arm and forearm.

RISKS AND COMPLICATIONS

The risk of serious consequences of acute neck pain is extremely small. Usually the pain eases over a few weeks without specific treatment. The main risk lies in too much rest, the fear of triggering pain through everyday movements, and the idea that more pain means further harm, because these can lead to loss of confidence and mobility. If you have developed pain after direct trauma, such as a blow to the back of neck, then you should obtain immediate medical advice.

 Cervical Nerve Root Neck Pain Treatment by Physiotherapy

Once your doctor has referred you, your therapist will perform a thorough assessment. Depending on findings of the assessment, your therapist may:

•  Perform soft-issue mobilization, gentle spinal joint mobilizing and manual traction of the involved segment.
• Teach you how to perform active joint-mobilization in a supine position.

Your therapist may advise you to:

•  Avoid activities such as blending, lifting, carrying, straining, and prolonged sitting.
• Use laxatives to avoid straining during bowel movements.
•  Practice breathing from your diaphragm to ease the pressure on your cervical spine.

If you have arm or hand pain or other neurological symptoms, you may be suffering from cervical radiculopathy. You will be advised to rest your neck to relieve compression of the spine.

After a few days or weeks, depending on your symptoms, your therapist may:

•  Suggest further passive and active mobilizations to increase the range of movement in your neck.
•  Advise you to perform self-positional tractions between treatments.

After your symptoms have subsided, you may be ready for more vigorous stretching exercises in weight-bearing positions. Your therapist may advise you to perform shoulder rotations, neck rotations, passive and active neck retractions, seated shoulder squeezes. As your pain diminishes you may introduce flexion and extension exercises such as towel neck flexions and towel neck extensions without causing pain.