Neck pain: The cause is rarely in the neck
By Kenneth Collins · 7 min read
Neck pain is one of the most widespread pain problems. But most treatments focus on the wrong place. The cause of neck pain rarely starts in the neck itself.
The neck is a symptom — not the cause
The neck is an extremely complex area with closely connected muscles, joints, nerves and sensors. It is connected to the eyes, jaw, shoulders, and directly to the brainstem.
When proprioceptive sensors in these adjacent areas send faulty signals, the neck compensates. Over time, this compensation creates tension, inflammation and pain — in the neck. If you only treat the neck, you treat the symptom. The cause is still there.
The most overlooked causes of neck pain
The eyes
Eye muscles are closely connected to neck muscles. If the eyes are out of balance — e.g. strained eye muscles or vision problems — the neck compensates constantly. One of the most overlooked causes of chronic neck pain.
The jaw (TMJ)
The jaw joint sits close to the neck and shares nerve pathways. Jaw tension — often caused by stress or teeth grinding — can directly create neck pain and headaches.
Shoulders and upper back
Imbalance in the shoulders changes the neck's posture and load. Many who sit at a computer all day develop forward-rotated shoulders that pull the neck out of position.
Suffering from chronic neck pain?
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