Suffering serious pain from an injury is something nobody should have to endure, yet it may happen if you slip and fall or get into an automobile collision. Sometimes an injury produces neck strain. This happens when one or multiple fibers in your neck muscles or tendons tear because a force stretches them too far.
Many occurrences of neck strain actually heal of their own accord. Still, as Spine-Health explains, you may have a reason to take a neck strain seriously and seek medical attention.
The degree of pain
Some neck strains produce only mild pain. With some decrease in your physical activity, your neck may heal in weeks or even a few days. However, some people suffer sharp, even debilitating pain. This can make it difficult or even impossible to drive or to perform at your job or carry out your family duties. This will almost certainly require a doctor’s visit to find a course of treatment.
The pain does not go away
If your neck strain is healing, you will probably feel the effects less and less as the days go on. However, if your strain persists for a long time, you may have a problem. It can be more alarming if your neck strain worsens. A doctor’s visit may be in order to figure out why your neck pain will not go away and what to do about it.
Possible signs of serious injury
The cause of your neck strain is also important. Some people suffer neck strain because of repetitive motion or carrying out an unfamiliar activity. This might not signify anything else is wrong. However, if you have just suffered a trauma like a car accident or a fall, the strain might be a sign of a more serious problem.
One way to find out is if disturbing symptoms start to occur. Your arms and legs may feel weak. Keeping up your balance becomes a problem. Your arm has a tingling sensation or it becomes numb. These symptoms might indicate possible muscle or nerve damage. If not treated, your injury could progress into a serious disability like paralysis.
