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Neck Pain
Risk factors for neck pain that you cannot control include:
- Age. People older than 50 are more likely to have breakdown (degeneration) of discs or joints, as well as bone spurs in the vertebrae of the neck (cervical spondylosis).
- Recent injury or history of injury. A common injury to the neck is whiplash caused by a car accident.
- Conditions that affect the bones and soft tissues of the neck and back, such as rheumatoid arthritis, a narrowing of the spinal canal (cervical spinal stenosis), or a severely curved spine (scoliosis).
- A history of headaches.
Risk factors that you can control include:
- Awkward positions that put stress on the neck, or poor posture at home or at work.
- Stress or depression, or boredom at or unhappiness with work.
- Heavy physical work.
- Smoking or drug abuse.
- Poor physical condition and lack of exercise.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: March 15, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Robert B. Keller, MD - Orthopedics | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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