Neck pain
What is neck pain?
A pain in the neck can come from an injury, abnormality, or tension in the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves of the neck, or in the top part of the spinal column, either in the discs, nerves, or the vertebrae themselves.
What are the causes of neck pain?
Neck pain can be caused by a number of things. The most common causes include:
- Bad posture
- Sleeping with the neck in an awkward position, causing it to lock up
- Physical injury, e.g. as the result of a fall or a traffic accident
- A pinched nerve
Can neck pain be prevented?
There are certain steps you can take to help prevent neck pain:
- Maintain good posture
- Do not keep your neck in the same position for hours on end, e.g. looking at a computer
- Do not sleep on your front
- Sleep on a firm mattress
- Keep your head at the same height as the rest of your body when in bed
- Do not twist your neck in bed
- While sitting, make sure you are sat upright, roll your shoulders back gently and move your neck back.
Treatments for neck pain
In many cases, neck pain can be eased with over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. Applying heat or cold compresses can also be useful. Neck exercises can help, especially if the cause of the pain is muscular. Sleeping with a low, firm pillow should help the neck return to normal and prevent the pain from returning.
You should consult a doctor if:
- The pain persists despite taking painkillers
- It still hurts or is stiff after a few weeks
- There are other symptoms, such as tingling or cold limbs
- Anything about the neck pain worries you


How to treat a pinched nerve that’s causing neck, back and/or arm pain
By Mr Dimpu Bhagawati
2021-02-27
Mr Dimpu Bhagawati explains how a pinched nerve could be causing your neck, back and/or arm pain, as well as how it can be treated non-surgically and surgically See more


Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) explained by a specialist
By Mr Dimpu Bhagawati
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Learn from a leading spinal surgeon about the ACDF procedure. Mr Dimpu Bhagwati explains who can benefit, how it's performed, the recovery process and more. See more


Neck pain: is it very common?
By Mrs Anne Mitchener
2021-02-25
Most of us have experienced a sore neck at some point, whether we have been lifting weights at the gym, or from sitting with poor posture at our desks. We've asked one of our leading London neurosurgeons Mrs Anne Mitchener when neck pain becomes a sign of something more serious. See more


What’s causing the pain in my neck?
By Mr David Bell
2021-02-09
Neck pain is highly common among individuals of all ages. Bad posture, hunching over a computer all day long and sleeping funny can all cause pain in the neck. Other times a pain in the neck may be a side effect of osteoarthritis or a symptom of an underlying health problem. To find out more about neck pain, what causes it and, maybe most importantly, what we can do to prevent it, we interviewed Mr David Bell of the London Neurosurgery Partnership. See more
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