It is normally stretching of the muscles or ligaments present in your neck. Ligaments helps to connect bones with each other, it is mainly a band of strong elastic tissue. As the joints of your bone moves it creates stretches in ligaments. When a force of high intensity create pressure on the ligaments and the ligaments stretch more than its capacity it is known as the sprain. An accident or a trauma is mainly responsible for these types of forces. These types of force can also tear the ligaments.
Risk factors
There are several factors which are responsible for neck sprain are:
- It can happen from a car accident.
- Those sports which requires physical contract of high intensity.
- Jobs that include high risk of physical contracts.
Symptoms
When a person is suffering from neck sprain he can have some possible symptoms like:
- Light headache mainly at the back of the head.
- Sleeping difficulty.
- Pain in the shoulder.
- During the movement, you can feel neck pain.
- Arm weakness
Diagnosis
Your symptoms and medical history can help in the diagnosis of neck sprain. A physical exam always recommends for getting detail of the causes. To know the potential injuries and cause of neck sprain doctors also prescribe Xrays and CT scan. It helps to see the images of soft tissues and bones. Medical science normally uses a grading system to refer the intensity of injury.
- Grade 1 normal and little stretching of the ligaments.
- Grade 2 tearing of ligaments in partial and little more than the grade-1
- Grade 3 when the ligament tears completely.
Treatments
Whatever may be the location of neck sprain, they are all treated in the same manner. Acute care is normally used in the initial stage followed by heat and ice treatment. Medication can also help to get a remedy by lowering the pain. Aspirin is normally used for treatment. For children it is not recommended.
