CERVICAL SPRAIN

What Are Common Causes of Cervical Strains?

Cervical strains, often experienced as a sudden onset of pain, can sometimes take hours to manifest after an injury. These strains are frequently related to activities and incidents that place excessive stress on the neck area. Here’s a closer look at some typical causes:

• • Heavy Lifting: Engaging in lifting heavy objects improperly can strain the neck muscles, especially if the motion involves twisting or reaching.
  • Overexertion: Activities that require significant force or awkward movements, like pulling or pushing objects, may lead to muscle strain.
  • A sports-related injury : Participating in sports such as football, rugby, or wrestling involves physical contact that can easily result in neck injuries.
  • Accidents and Trauma: Unexpected incidents such as falls, car accidents, or sudden impacts can cause the neck to whip back and forth, straining muscles and ligaments.
  • Extensive repetitive lifting.
  • Ineffective exercise and training methods.
  • An unexpected injury or trauma to the spine.
  • Improper sitting posture.
  • Incorrect sleeping positions.
  • Weakening of back muscles.

  These activities can lead to sudden or delayed onset of pain, signaling a strain. Understanding these causes helps in identifying potential risks and taking preventative measures.  By taking precautions like using proper techniques and wearing protective gear, you can reduce your risk of cervical strains. Recognizing these common causes can help you stay proactive in maintaining a healthy neck.

  In addition, the cervical spine is made up of an intricate system of tendons, ligaments, muscles, and nerves. A ligament is a strong connective tissue that connects bones, providing stability, while a tendon connects bones and muscles. By recognizing the signs and causes of cervical strains and sprains, you can better manage and prevent these common neck injuries.

  Cervical Sprain Symptoms

  If someone has had a cervical neck sprain, they may experience a number of symptoms. Obviously, everyone should keep in mind that some people may experience more than one of these symptoms, while others may only have one. If these symptoms appear following a traumatic accident, people should seek medical attention. Therefore, the most common symptom of a cervical sprain is pain with a limited range of motion. Lastly, other symptoms of neck sprains or strains are as follows:

  • Muscle spasms or tightness.
  • Inability to carry out daily tasks.
  • Weakness, numbness, or tingling caused by nerve irritation or damage.
  • The tenseness in the neck.
  • Issues with chewing, swallowing, or breathing.

  How Quickly Can a Cervical Strain Heal?

  Cervical strains, often resulting from sudden movements or poor posture, generally have a relatively swift recovery timeline. Typically, individuals may notice improvement within just a few days, usually between 1 and 3 days. However, the exact healing period can vary based on several factors, such as the severity of the strain and the individual’s overall health.

  Factors Influencing Healing Time:

  These activities can lead to sudden or delayed onset of pain, signaling a strain. Understanding these causes helps in identifying potential risks and taking preventative measures.

  • Severity of the Injury: Minor strains tend to heal faster, while more severe cases may require additional time.
  • Age and Health: Younger individuals or those with good physical health may recover more quickly.
  • Treatment and Care: Proper rest, physical therapy, or the application of ice and heat can promote faster recovery.

  Recommendations for Speedier Recovery:

  These activities can lead to sudden or delayed onset of pain, signaling a strain. Understanding these causes helps in identifying potential risks and taking preventative measures.

  • Rest: Avoid activities that may aggravate the neck.
  • Apply Ice/Heat: Use an ice pack for the first 48 hours, then switch to heat.
  • Over-the-counter Pain Relief: Medications like ibuprofen can help reduce pain and inflammation.
  • Consult a Professional: Seek the advice of a healthcare provider if symptoms persist beyond a few days.

  Overall, while many people find relief within a short span, taking proactive steps can facilitate quicker healing and prevent future injuries.

  Cervical Sprain Diagnosis

  A physical exam follows after the doctor has taken a thorough history and classified the mechanism of the accident and the symptoms that have appeared.

  • Measuring the range of motion of the neck, both up and down and side to side.
  • Flexing and extending the arms, wrists, and fingers to see if the pain level changes.
  • Assessing the shoulder range of motion.
  • Checking for signs of point tenderness by pressing along the shoulders, arms, back, neck, and head.
  • Examining the sensations along the shoulders, arms, and back for numbness or tingling.
  • Evaluating the tone and strength of the various upper-body muscle groups.

  Your child’s movement, balance, and strength will be evaluated by one of our board-certified pediatric orthopedic doctors. Also, an x-ray, CT scan, or MRI may reveal the injury. Meanwhile, you child may be given contrast liquid to help the neck stand out in photographs. Tell your doctor if your child has ever had an allergic reaction to contrast liquid. Bring nothing metal into the MRI room as it can cause problems. Contact your physician if your child has any metal in or on his or her body.

  Cervical Sprain Treatment

  Joint mobilization, deep tissue mobilization, and muscular retraining techniques have been shown to be highly effective treatments for this condition. Thus, the assessment and treatment of the underlying cause of this condition, such as poor sleeping habits, neck weakness, postural stresses, and associated areas of stiffness, is essential for long-term relief and reduced re-injury. Overall, patient education is a critical component of this condition. For each patient’s specific problem, an individualized exercise program is created, often focusing on the deep neck muscles and the postural muscles of the shoulders and shoulder blades.

  Physical Therapists are trained to provide hands-on care for pain relief and to help your child move his or her neck more freely. Altogether, stretching the muscles and joints of the neck and upper back, performing soft tissue work on tender muscles or muscles in spasm, or assisting the range of motion of the neck with specific joint mobilizations for specific movements are all examples of what the physical therapist might do. Overall, stretching, neck, upper back, and arm strengthening, motor control or stabilization exercises, or aerobic exercise may be combined with hands-on treatments. All exercise programs will be tailor-made to your child’s specific needs and goals.

  Activity modification

  Resting the neck and/or avoiding strenuous activities for a few days can allow the muscle or tendon to begin healing and feeling better. Actually, trying to push through the pain without reducing activity levels may worsen the injury and prolong the pain.

  Rest

  The most important aspect of treating this injury is rest as the muscles and tendons require time to heal. However, this does not imply that the neck must be immobilized. Likewise, people should avoid stressful motions for a short period of time following an injury.

  Collar

  A person with a severe cervical sprain may need to wear a soft collar to protect their neck. Basically, this collar can provide much-needed head support while reducing stress on the tendons and ligaments. Hence, this will allow them to heal.

  NSAIDs

  Ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help reduce swelling, pain, and fever. In addition, it is possible to get this drug with or without a prescription from a physician. If your child takes blood thinners, always check with your doctor to see if NSAIDs are safe. Always read the medication label and follow the directions exactly. In addition, muscle relaxants aid in the reduction of pain and muscle spasms. Accordingly, your doctor may prescribe a pain reliever and when and how your child should take them. Acetaminophen is found in some prescription pain relievers. Parents should not give this child acetaminophen-containing medications without first consulting their healthcare provider.

  Tens Machines

  TENS machines are electronic pain-relief devices that reduce neck pain and the need for pain medications.

  Massage

  Massage is always relaxing, and it helps with muscle relaxation. Generally, neck massage is beneficial when there are muscle spasms or chronic muscle tension. Moreover, regular remedial massage is also an effective strategy for preventing neck pain. Furthermore, most people recover from a cervical sprain in about a month and some people may notice their cervical spine straightening. Conversely, some people could go through significant difficulties.

  Ice and/or heat therapy

  Parents should apply ice within the first 48 hours of an injury to help reduce swelling. Parents can apply Heat or ice after 48 hours, depending on the patient’s preference. Heat can aid in blood circulation and the delivery of healing nutrients to damaged tissues. To avoid skin damage, a layer should be kept between the skin and the hot/cold source, and applications should be limited to 10 to 20 minutes with rest periods in between.

  Physical therapy

  A physical therapist, physiatrist, or other trained medical professional may create a physical therapy program that focuses on muscles in the neck and elsewhere that need to become stronger and more flexible. Typically, a physical therapy program begins with instructions on how to perform exercises and stretches. After gradually moving ahead through the process over a few weeks or months, the patient continues the program on his or her own at home.

  Manual manipulation

  A trained medical professional may perform manual adjustments to the cervical spine (and lower spine) to realign joints, improving the range of motion in the neck, and reducing pain.

  Cervical Sprain Complications

  Although many people who suffer a cervical sprain recover completely, others may experience serious complications. Among these issues are:

  Chronic Pain

  One of the most severe effects is chronic discomfort. Additionally, a chronic cervical sprain can pull the nerve roots from the cervical spine itself. When this happens, people can develop chronic shooting pains in their back, shoulders, and arms.

  Loss of Motor Function

  Another issue that may arise is the loss of motor function. When people who have had their nerves severely damaged, they may experience fatigue and weakness in their arms and shoulders. Also, this could become a permanent problem, making it difficult to return to work or school. When an injury, such as a cervical or lumbar strain, causes complications, it is important to consult a doctor.

  Why Choose Medical City Children’s Orthopedics and Spine Specialists

  The very first reason to choose Medical City Children’s Orthopedics and Spine Specialists for your child is because we are experts in children’s health.  In as much as there is a big difference between a Cervical Sprain and a Strain, parents should want their child treated for the exact cause and we can deliver that treatment.  We do it all the time in our Arlington, Dallas, Flower Mound, Frisco, and McKinney, TX offices.  To obtain the very best diagnosis and treatment, we invite parents to give us a call to make an appointment for their child for any pain coming from their child’s neck.

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  Footnote:

  Physiopedia: Cervical Sprain