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- $Unique_ID{BRK00240}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{What Can Cause Neck Pains?}
- $Subject{neck pain causes Musculoskeletal Connective Tissue tissues elderly
- degenerative vertebral column cervical spondylosis rheumatoid arthritis
- rupture cervical disk strain injury injuries Posterior longitudinal ligament
- ossification forming bone bony tumors myofascial syndromes whiplash bones joint
- joints}
- $Volume{M-18}
- $Log{
- Rheumatoid Arthritis*0001703.scf
- Progressive Levels of Arthritis*0005601.scf}
-
- Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
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- What Can Cause Neck Pains?
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- QUESTION: I have terrible neck pains. What can be causing them?
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- ANSWER: Many things could be causing your neck pains and only a detailed
- physical examination by a physician can tell you exactly what makes yours so
- difficult.
- I do not know how old you are, but neck pain is common in elderly people,
- possibly as frequent as low back pain.
- Among the numerous possible causes are degenerative changes in vertebral
- column tissues called cervical spondylosis. That occurs to a greater or
- lesser degree in everyone, usually beginning in middle age. One estimate is
- that neck pain caused by this condition occurs in more than 50 percent of the
- working population.
- Another cause of neck pain is rheumatoid arthritis, which can affect the
- cervical spine in much the same way that it does other joints of the body.
- A rupture in a cervical disk often causes sudden neck and arm pains.
- Such pains frequently begin after a neck strain or injury. The injuries do
- not have to be recent, at times necks begin to ache after a strain or injury
- have been forgotten.
- Posterior longitudinal ligament ossification (forming of bone, or bony
- substance in place of a supporting ligament) can cause neck pain as can
- different types of tumors on or near the spinal cord.
- Among several other possible things that can cause your neck to be
- painful are myofascial syndromes which are pains that originate in some other
- part of the body yet may produce pain in a wide area, and the well-known
- whiplash that often occurs after an automobile rear-end accident.
- As with many other conditions, early detection and treatment of the
- problem can both relieve your suffering and possibly prevent later
- complications.
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- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
- the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
- doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
- problem.
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