Rare Causes Of Right Side Neck Pain
There are less common causes of neck pain that may be more severe. These may include:
- damage to the nerves, vertebrae, or spinal cord
When neck pain is mild or moderate, it is usually possible to treat the symptoms at home. Some cases of neck pain will clear up quickly over the course of a day while others may require a few weeks to resolve fully.
A person may wish to use home remedies before seeking medical help. People can try the following methods to ease their pain:
- taking over-the-counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medications
- applying heat using heating pads, baths, or warm, moist towels
- massaging and manipulating the neck
- stretching the neck
- applying ice to the injured area
- practicing good posture when sitting, standing, and walking
- sleeping in a position that supports the neck
- performing exercises to help keep the neck strong
However, home remedies may not always alleviate the pain. Some people will require medical treatment to achieve relief from their neck pain. The exact treatment will depend on whether or not any underlying conditions are causing the pain.
A doctor may try the following additional treatments:
- muscle relaxants
Causes Of Neck Pain At The Base Of The Skull
We all know that neck pain can be very difficult to deal with, particularly once its situated at the bottom of your head. The pain and tension in this part of the neck will result in very painful issues.
Headaches, for example, can be caused by problems in this area. They can also cause joint pain in the jaw. There are three difficulties that local physical therapists typically find when clients have discomfort near the base of their skull:
Whiplash Or A Sudden Jolt To The Neck
Whiplash describes an injury to the neck where the head jolts forward and then back into place very quickly.
The movement resembles the crack of a whip. People tend to think of whiplash in relation to car accidents, but it can also occur as a result of sporting activities and other sudden movements.
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Naturally Combating The Causes Of Neck Pain
If you are dealing with pain at the base of the skull, what can you do? For natural relief, you are going to need to gradually build up a good exercise routine and try to maintain good posture from here forward. That may mean raising the monitors on your desk and getting earbuds for when you need to speak on your phone and keep your hands free at the same time.
However, if you have an upper cervical misalignment, which can occur with repetitive motion injuries, trauma, and even relate to disc issues, then you need to correct the position of the vertebrae. For precise and gentle adjustments, we would like to recommend upper cervical specific chiropractic care.
How To Relieve Neck Pain At The Base Of The Skull On The Left Side
Hopefully this stretch helps you relieve neck pain at the base of your skull on either the right or left side.
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Why Do I Have Pain At The Base Of My Skull
Occipital Neuralgia is a specific type of pain which can occur in the base of your skull. This pain is easily confused with tension headaches. However, there are a few differences between the two. Occipital Neuralgia is characterised by piercing, throbbing or electric shock like pains in the upper neck, base of skull and back of the ears. The skull may also be sensitive to touch, and looking into light will be uncomfortable.
Causes of these symptoms include irritation or injury to the greater and lesser occipital nerves. This can be acute, from a trauma, or a gradual onset due to tightening of the muscles surrounding the neck and compressing the nerves. The positives being, its not life-threatening and can be easily treated with heat, rest, anti-inflammatories, and physiotherapy treatment plan.
Arthritis Of The Neck
Arthritis causes pain with a combination of swelling and loss of cartilage. When it comes to the neck, you may see a wearing away of the discs between the vertebrae. With certain types of arthritis, there may also be an autoimmune element where the body attacks the joint tissue. Regardless of the reason for the loss of material, the resulting inflammation can cause pain. When this happens in the neck, you may feel it right at the base of your skull.
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How To Relieve Neck Pain At The Base Of The Skull On The Right Side
When Should You See A Doctor About Neck Pain
If your neck pain isnt getting better with time and you find yourself having to take pain medications every day, or if you start feeling any pain or weakness down your arms and legs, its time to get examined by a specialist. Please note that similar weakness symptoms in your arms and legs could indicate a heart attack or other more serious issues, so seek urgent medical attention whether or not you suspect a pinched nerve is the cause.
If symptoms persist after rest, painkillers, massage therapy, muscle relaxants, etc. and the pain is severe and progressing, get examined by a neurologist, and soon, advises Dr. Mikhael. He explains that in order to find the cause of your pain, your doctor will likely order imaging, such as x-rays and MRIs, to make sure there is nothing that requires an intervention, surgical or otherwise.
Treatment can be very variable, and not every neck pain needs a neck surgeon, says Dr. Mikhael. However, you shouldnt ignore persistent and progressive pain stemming from your neck or back. And importantly, if you are experiencing arm or leg weakness or find yourself losing balance but without neck pain, you should still see a medical professional.
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Working With Neck Pain
Overall, getting back to work sooner rather than later is helpful for most people. In the past, people were advised to rest up in bed, but we now realise that it does more harm than good. Its much better to keep moving, even if you need to take some painkillers to allow you to do so.
Most people are able to return to work within 23 days, although this varies from person to person and depends on the type of job you do.
You dont need to wait until your neck problem has gone. In many cases, the longer youre off work the more likely you are to develop longer-term problems and the less likely you are to return to work.
Its important to keep in contact with your employer and discuss what can be done to help you return to work. If your work involves physically demanding tasks, you might find it useful to work shorter hours or move to more desk-based duties for a couple of weeks.
If you have an occupational health adviser at your workplace, they can help advise what work you are fit to do and arrange any simple adjustments to help you to cope. If you are having difficulties travelling to or from work or need an item of equipment, the Governments Access to Work Scheme might be able to help.
If you are unable to get back to work after two weeks of absence because of your neck pain, you should talk to your doctor and employer about getting physiotherapy or other treatments that can get you moving again.
When & How To Seek Medical Care
Occipital neuralgia can be very difficult to diagnose because of its similarities with migraines and other headache disorders. Therefore, it is important to seek medical care when you begin feeling unusual, sharp pain in the neck or scalp and the pain is not accompanied by nausea or light sensitivity. Begin by addressing the problem with your primary care physician. They may refer you to a specialist.
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Finding Occipital Neuralgia Pain Relief
Heres how you can ease painful occipital neuralgia symptoms:
- Apply ice/heat therapy. Ice therapy may reduce local inflammation and relieve pain. Tuck an ice pack under the base of your skull as you lie down. However, you may find more relief using heat therapy, such as an electric heating pad. When you apply heat to the affected area, local blood vessels are dilated and blood flow to the neck increases, which can reduce muscle tightness. Dont apply the cold/heat source for more than 20 minutes at a time. Always use a barrier, such as a hand towel, between your skin and the cold/heat source.
- Take NSAIDs. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen and naproxen . Taking them may help reduce inflammation and relieve headache/neck pain. Follow the instructions on the labels and discuss with a physician or pharmacist to make sure youre using these medications safely.
- Give yourself a neck massage. Apply gentle pressure from your fingertips at the base of your skull. This massage can help calm tight muscles and release tension. You can also place a rolled towel under your head and neck as you lie down on your back. The pressure from the towel can provide a gentle massage. Stop immediately if the massage aggravates your pain.
How Is Neck Pain Diagnosed
Doctors diagnose neck pain with a physical exam and medical history. Your doctor will feel and move your neck to locate pain and find motion problems. Doctors also check your muscle strength and reflexes. Your doctor will ask about previous neck injuries that might have caused whiplash or a herniated disc. Your doctor may ask about work or other activities that could affect your neck.
To diagnose the cause of the pain, your doctor may use imaging tests such as X-ray, magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography . These tests can show damage and other issues in the bones and surrounding tissues in your neck.
Other tests that your doctor may order include: electromyography, nerve conduction studies, myelogram and/or nerve root block. These tests look more closely at the discs in the spine, the spine itself, check the function of nerves and muscle response and source of the pain.
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What Is The Pain Like
This pain is known to be described as a dull heaviness, which starts at the base of the head, and spreads round like a band across the eyes. It can also move through your neck, to the back of your shoulders, and to the fibres of your upper trapezius. As such, these muscles may be very tender to touch or stretch.
What Causes Tightness At The Base Of My Skull
So you Googled “pain at the base of my head” and are wondering what’s causing it. In a nutshell, the discomfort is frequently caused by a stress headache. Tension headaches are produced by muscular tension and trigger points in the muscles surrounding the neck and head. They’re one of the most common types of pain suffered by people living in or traveling to areas where they are exposed to many distractions from the environment – such as drivers who text while driving or workers who use computers for extended periods of time. Stress can also cause muscle tension that leads to headaches. So can poor posture, which can create unnecessary pressure on the spine. And if you have medical conditions, such as thyroid problems or diabetes, then these could be causing your pain as well.
Headaches are caused by irritations or injuries to the brain or nearby tissues. They may be mild or severe, with or without symptoms. The two main types of headache are chronic and acute. With chronic headaches, the pain does not go away and affects how you function day to day. Acute headaches last for less than four weeks and can be very painful. They can be classified according to location , type , sound and color .
Tension headaches are caused by muscular tension and trigger points in the muscles surrounding the neck and head.
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Cervical Collar And/or Cervical Pillow
If youve sustained a neck injury, a cervical collar is used to provide support and limit motion while you are healing. It also helps keep your cervical spine in proper alignment. Cervical pillows are designed to place the right amount of curvature in your neck during sleep. They help decrease pressure on the nerves in your neck to help you sleep better much needed when living with pain!
What Treatments Are Available
Healing begins with self-care and nonsurgical strategies . The goal is to correct the problem, restore function, and prevent re-injury.
Self care: Neck pain often resolves with rest, ice or heat, massage, pain relievers, and gentle stretches. Reduce muscle inflammation and pain using an ice pack for 20 minutes several times a day during the first 48 to 72 hours. Thereafter, a warm shower or heating pad on low setting may be added to relax the muscles. A short period of bed rest is okay, but more than a couple of days does more harm than good. If self-care treatments aren’t working within the first couple of days, see your doctor.
Medications: Many people get pain relief with over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen. A muscle relaxant may be prescribed for spasms. If pain is severe, an analgesic may be prescribed that can be taken with the NSAID or muscle relaxant.
Steroids can reduce the swelling and inflammation of the nerves. They are taken orally as a Medrol dose pack tapered over a five-day period or by an injection directly into the pain source . Steroids may provide immediate pain relief within 24-hours.
Surgery: Surgery is rarely needed unless you have muscle weakness, a proven disc herniation, cervical cord compression, problems with balance and coordination, or severe pain that does not resolve after a reasonable course of nonsurgical treatment.
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Sharp Pain Right Side Of Head Other Causes
Most pain in the head will be due to various types of headaches. Others will be some other underlying condition that also affects the head. This fact shows the importance of scanning to see what may be happening in your skull. It will help determine if you need to check other body parts for possible causes.
What Neck Pain On The Left Side Means
The human body is a complicated structure made of trillions of cells. These cells combine to form tissues that gather and make organs. Different organs collectively include organ systems, and these systems run our bodies.
Basic stuff, yet it all is complex, connected, and sometimes mysterious. The neck, part of the skeletal system, is crucial to our overall bodily structure. It provides support and structure to our heads, connects the cervical spinal cord to our brains, and gives home to essential blood vessels to circulate throughout our bodies. The neck muscles are exceptionally delicate, and even a minor injury or sprain can lead to dangerous results.
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Stretch To Relieve Neck Pain & Headache At Base Of Skull
Treating With Ice Or Heat
Remember to never place ice or heat directly on your skin. Use a barrier, such as a towel, to protect your skin from a burn. How long you use ice as a treatment can depend on the painful area but generally up to 15 minutes leaving a few hours between treatments.
You should stop treating the area with ice or heat and seek advice from a medical professional if you notice an increase in redness, discolouration or blistering of the skin.
If you have any issues with circulation or sensation, you shouldn’t use ice or heat as a treatment for neck pain.
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