Conclusion
Neck pain can be a very complex symptom to describe and evaluate because there are many structures in the neck, including the cervical spine, nerves, blood vessels, and more. But it is often not severe or life-threatening. In most cases, neck pain is self-limited and improves with anti-inflammatory medications. However, it is essential to evaluate each patient individually to detect when there’s an alteration that requires medical attention.
Patients with neck pain will make the diagnosis easier if they are acquainted with the terms related to this symptom. In this article, we have described the most critical symptoms associated with neck pain, including pain radiation, tenderness, and other pain characteristics to describe what you feel.
We have also covered the most important red flag signs to know if your neck pain is something you should worry about or not. In a nutshell, most types of neck pain are nothing to worry about unless they are associated with trauma or pain radiation to another area of the body. The extent of the symptom is also essential, and even if you don’t have severe pain, it is vital to go to the doctor if the symptom does not improve in a couple of weeks.
Once in the doctor’s office, you will probably get a physical exam consisting of observation and palpation of the area. In some cases, a few diagnostic maneuvers will be required, such as nervous system explorations and muscle power assessments in case the doctor suspects associations with the nervous system.