Millions of people a year visit their doctor or chiropractor for neck pain. In this highly technological age, we find ourselves hunched over computers, tablets, cell phones, and other devices for long periods of time. This hunching forward can put a lot of strain on your neck and upper back, leading to poor posture and neck pain as a result. There are many neck injuries that can also leave you with neck pain. When you start to experience other symptoms with neck pain, like dizziness, then you might wonder how those two are related. Neck pain and dizziness can occur for a number of reasons because of how your spine and nervous system help support your balance and mobility. It is possible for neck pain to cause dizziness. Here is what you need to know about neck pain and dizziness, including common causes, diagnosing dizziness and neck pain, and neck pain and dizziness treatment.
What Causes Dizziness and Neck Pain?
Issues in your neck can lead to a number of uncomfortable symptoms, including pain and dizziness. Here are five examples of what can cause neck pain and dizziness.
Whiplash
Whiplash is the most common of all car accident injuries. When another car collides with yours, it can cause your head to snap forward and backward violently. This motion can strain your neck muscles and put a significant amount of pressure on the spine in your neck. A whiplash injury can lead to pain, tenderness, and stiffness in your neck. It can also cause neurological symptoms like dizziness. The nerves in your neck can become aggravated or injured as well with whiplash.
Disc Degeneration
As you age, the spinal discs that separate the vertebrae in your spine can start to degrade. These discs provide shock absorption and support between vertebrae, and when they start to degenerate, they become thinner, brittle, and more susceptible to damage. Discs can also become injured due to a neck injury. The spine in your neck is known as the cervical spine, and another term for disc degeneration in your neck is cervical spondylosis. When the spinal discs start to break down, they can aggravate or compress nearby nerves and cause symptoms like dizziness.
Pinched Nerve
A pinched nerve can occur for a number of reasons, leading to uncomfortable symptoms like pain, tingling, numbness, and weakness. Dizziness can also occur due to a pinched nerve, depending on what area of the body the compressed nerve typically controls. When the nerves in your neck are under a lot of pressure, whether due to neck injuries or poor posture, it can cause what is known as cervicogenic dizziness or vertigo. You might feel like you are spinning or like the world around you is wobbly. This can affect your usual sense of balance and impact your coordination, too.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis in the neck is also known as cervical osteoarthritis. This can occur when the cartilage that surrounds the joints in your neck start to break down. When cartilage functions properly, it helps facilitate smooth movements like turning your head from side to side. The facet joints in the spine help support your flexibility in your neck, and when the cartilage around these breaks down, it can cause pain and other uncomfortable symptoms like dizziness.
Health Conditions
Other health conditions may also cause symptoms like neck pain and dizziness. One such health condition is known as vertebrobasilar insufficiency, which refers to when one of the main arteries that supplies blood to your brain is compressed, causing dizziness. Other rare conditions that can cause neck pain and dizziness include bow hunter’s syndrome, affecting the vertebral artery, and cervical myofascial pain syndrome, affecting the trigger points in your neck.
Diagnosing Dizziness and Neck Pain
Talk to your doctor if you are experiencing dizziness along with neck pain. If you recently suffered a neck injury, tell your doctor when the injury occurred and what types of symptoms you have been experiencing. Neck pain and dizziness could feel like a dull ache and soreness or like a sharp and stabbing pain and tingling that comes and goes. Dizziness can cause you to feel unsteady or affect your balance while walking, standing, or going up and down steps. You may also notice neck pain and dizziness get worse when turning your head from side to side or standing up too quickly. If your neck pain and dizziness aren’t mild and don’t go away on their own, then you should talk to your doctor. Your doctor may perform a physical examination and also test your movements and range of motion to see how the neck pain and dizziness have impacted you. They may also run diagnostic imaging tests like an X-ray or CT scan to get a better look at your neck. An X-ray can help your doctor see what is going on with the vertebrae in your neck. A CT scan is like a more advanced version of an X-ray and will show more detailed images of soft tissues like spinal discs and cartilage in your neck.
Neck Pain and Dizziness Treatment
In order to determine the best neck pain and dizziness treatment for you, your doctor will want to identify the root cause. They will then treat the underlying condition that is leading to your neck pain and dizziness symptoms. This may include addressing neck injuries like whiplash with an individualized treatment plan involving an orthopedic doctor, chiropractor, or a physical therapist. If poor posture is the culprit, then your doctor may work with you to support a healthier posture and take the pressure off your spine. Certain stretches and exercises can help provide better support to your neck and spine, along with reducing pressure on nearby nerves.
At AICA Orthopedics, our team of doctors provides neck pain and dizziness treatment that is personalized to your specific symptoms and healthcare needs. Visit our office in Snellville to learn more about how AICA Orthopedics can help you experience lasting relief from neck pain and dizziness.