Neck Pain: When Is It Serious?

More often than not, neck pain is nothing to be worried about. You might sleep wrong, hold your head the wrong way when doing some normal activity, or even strain something while working out or moving heavy objects. If you can pinpoint a suspected cause and you aren't in agony, you can usually expect the symptoms to go away within a week. If it lasts longer than that, it might be worth seeing a doctor or a chiropractor to see if there isn't something that can be done to get you back on the right track. While most such symptoms are not serious indicators of health problems, others can be associated with meningitis, which is a very serious condition. Here are some symptoms for which you need to seek immediate medical attention.

Meningitis Symptoms

Watch out for the development of a rash in conjunction with neck pain. This is a common sign of meningitis and should be quickly evaluated by a doctor. Whenever this kind of discomfort is also accompanied by an illness, including but not limited by a fever, it should also be cause for alarm. Another sign of a potential problem is if it hurts too much to bend your chin to your chest. Watch out for light sensitivity, severe headache, vomiting, and additional pain in the back, as these can all be signs that meningitis should be considered a possible diagnosis.

Head or Disc Trouble

Of course, meningitis isn't the only potential serious condition that can be accompanied by telltale neck pain. It could also be a sign of a more serious head injury. It could also point to problems with the discs running up your spine. Here are some signs and symptoms that require medical attention. First of all, if you know the origination of your neck pain is a head injury, you should automatically see a doctor. Head injuries are sometimes more serious than they seem. Drowsiness, confusion and throwing up are all bad signs. An ache behind a single eye or problems with any of your senses can also be signs of a problem.

Treatment Without A Doctor

If your neck pain is not too agonizing and you aren't experiencing any of the above symptoms, you may find best results by simply pampering yourself at home until the injury heals. Keep active, but be conscious of how you move your head. Avoid driving if you are unable to move your head across a full range of motion. Try to avoid doing whatever activity you suspect caused the discomfort to develop.