Acute neck pain

Acute neck pain is the medical term used for the intense neck pain which some individuals may experience.

Studies have shown that many people will suffer with at least one significant episode of neck pain at some point in their adult life.

There can be many causes for acute neck pain. However, the intense pain, stiffness and locked feeling that individuals may experience is often the result of muscle spasm rather than being directly related to the extent of injury to a disc or surrounding tissues.

If you are experiencing any pins and needles or numbness in the face or arm, we would recommend that you seek medical assessment.

Intense pain throughout the neck area.

The onset of pain is sometimes felt suddenly with neck movements such as looking up or rotating to look behind, or in the morning when getting out of bed. Initially, there may be a significant loss of movement when moving your neck to look behind or upwards.

Returning to normal activities and gentle exercises has been shown to improve these symptoms at a faster rate than keeping your neck still and resting.

Acute neck pain can be reliably diagnosed by your doctor or physiotherapist by taking a history of your condition. In some circumstances it may be necessary to conduct a physical examination but this is usually not necessary in uncomplicated acute neck pain.

X-rays and scans are not routinely required and are generally unhelpful as it will not change the appropriate management plan.