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The more you know about neck pain causes the better off you will be. Believe it or not, most people suffer from neck pain causes at some point in their life. Yours may be more serious than others, or maybe it is just a minor tweak. But no matter what, if you know what this is all about and how to address the problem you will be better off. This is one of those potential health concerns that you want to know a lot about even if you are not suffering.

So what neck pain causes are most common? It is hard to say what cause is the most common of them all, but many believe that it is muscle strains. If you pull a muscle in your neck or back it can lead to a lot of pain in the area. In fact, the pain can be so bad that it may make you wonder if you didn't hurt yourself in another way.

Of course, there are more serious issues that can come up over time. For instance, a herniated disk can lead to a lot of pain and eventually cause problems in other areas as well. This is something that needs treated by an experienced doctor, and may even call for surgery depending on how bad your situation is.

Finally, another one of the most common neck pain causes is injury. This can include anything from a car accident to falling down. Landing on your neck the wrong way or being suddenly hit without notice can lead to injury to the neck and back.

If you are suffering from neck pain it is important to receive a proper diagnosis. Even if you think you know what the problem is you should see your doctor just to make sure. Neck pain is not something that you want to take lightly as minor problems can linger and get worse over time.

Now that you know more about neck pain causes you are in better position to handle this problem should you begin to suffer.

Posted by: Someones' Mom on 2009-08-10, 11:16:09

Now, just out of curiosity, how do you know it is the vagus nerve??? (This is from Gray's): On the right side, the nerve passes across the subclavian artery between it and the right innominate vein, and descends by the side of the trachea to the back of the root of the lung, where it spreads out in the posterior pulmonary plexus. From the lower part of this plexus two cords descend on the esophagus, and divide to form, with branches from the opposite nerve, the esophageal plexus. Below, these branches are collected into a single cord, which runs along the back of the esophagus enters the abdomen, and is distributed to the postero-inferior surface of the stomach, joining the left side of the celiac plexus, and sending filaments to the lienal plexus. On the left side, the vagus enters the thorax between the left carotid and subclavian arteries, behind the left innominate vein. It crosses the left side of the arch of the aorta, and descends behind the root of the left lung, forming there the posterior pulmonary plexus. From this it runs along the anterior surface of the esophagus, where it unites with the nerve of the right side in the esophageal plexus, and is continued to the stomach, distributing branches over its anterosuperior surface; some of these extend over the fundus, and others along the lesser curvature. Filaments from these branches enter the lesser omentum, and join the hepatic plexus. Kathy, I reread your original question, as well as the one you asked a week ago. The vagus nerve does not run down the base of the skull....I suspect it is your cervical spine causing the pain........it would cause throbbing as the vessels constrict. Migraines are often caused by intracranial vasoconstriction and further complicated by elevated blood pressure in response to the pain.... I used to suffer from terrible excruciatingly painful headaches at the base of the skull. Xrays showed mild arthritis and some fusion of the vertebrae. Many shots and pills later, along with manipulations by an osteopath, I tried an orthopedic pillow. I know it sounds ludicrous and too simple to consider, but it worked. Our heads should be straight with our bodies during sleep and not elevated. The neck should be straight, so please have a look at your pillow. Do have your eyes checked to rule out eyes causing the pain. Do neck rotations, especially in the shower while the hot water is hitting the contracted muscles. Stay away from caffeine, which is also a vasoconstricter. Try to keep your neck relaxed. Examine your posture and position at the computer and whenever you are sitting.....do consult with a chiropractor to assess and align your spine as any part of the spine being out of alignment will affect the neck alignment. Have a look at the soles of your shoes for uneven wear which would indicate malalignment, and potentially one leg being longer than the other. Does your neck and back pound in response to your shoes hitting the ground when you are walking? Good luck, Kathy......and try the flat/ orthopedic pillow.....

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