Swollen Lymph Nodes in the Neck


Swollen lymph nodes in the neck are a common source of neck pain. Most often they are a sign of infection and, once treated or resolved, the lymph nodes will return to normal and the neck pain symptoms will also disappear. Usually, it is difficult to feel the lymph nodes in the neck unless they are enlarged (more than a centimeter across or so) but careful exploration with the fingers can locate the chain of lymph nodes down each side of the back of the neck, on either side of the anterior neck, and on both sides of the neck. Read more

Can Statins Cause Neck Pain?

statins and neck pain coq10 myopathyMillions of people worldwide take statins in an attempt to lower their cholesterol levels and reduce their risk of heart attack. The sad irony is that by blocking endogenous cholesterol production, which is how statin drugs work, these medications also block production of coenzyme Q10, a nutrient needed for the production of energy, especially in muscles and particularly in the heart. As such, statin drugs may cause side effects including fatigue, muscle weakness, and neck pain which clinicians refer to as statin-induced myopathy. Read more

Concussion and Cervicalgia Headaches

concussion and cervicalgia headachesMore than 1.7 million people in the US are affected annually by concussion, also known as mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), and often concussion and cervicalgia headaches go hand in hand. Around 15% of people with concussion have symptoms that persist for three months or more, and sometimes patients don’t realize that neck and head pain are related to the earlier injury. This is especially true of people who have a minor bump or experience of whiplash on top of earlier head injuries. Read more

Unique Brain Activity in Fibromyalgia – A Cause of Neck Pain

fibromyalgia brain activity pain neck

Fibromyalgia - all in your head? Perhaps, but it isn't imaginary.

Fibromyalgia patients may be used to having people tell them that their condition is all in their head, but new research offers more weight to the theory that people with this condition have a unique response to pain due to altered brain function.

The research, published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatology, involved 35 patients with fibromyalgia, a condition that frequently involves symptoms such as neck pain, back pain, fatigue, muscle tenderness, sleep disturbance, altered mood and cognitive dysfunction. Read more

Occipital Neuralgia – What is it?

occipital-neuralgia head and neck pain nerve blockHead and neck pain could be caused by occipital neuralgia, a non-fatal condition that involves nerve irritation or injury from a variety of causes. The prefix ‘neuro’ means nerve and ‘algia’ means pain, while ‘occipital’ describes a region of the head running from the spinal column in the neck up to the scalp at the back of the head.

There are numerous possible causes of this kind of spreading neck pain and headache resulting from injury or compression of the greater and lesser occipital nerves. Read more

TMJ, Ear and Neck Pain

jaw, ear and neck painNeck pain may occur in isolation, but often neck pain, ear pain and jaw pain co-exist, leading to pain when eating, speaking, moving the head, and even when lying down to sleep. Sometimes, this triad is a result of temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), where the jaw joint and related bones, ligaments, and cartilage are typically swollen and painful, making it hard to open the jaw. Read more

Neck Pain as a Heart Attack Symptom in Women

heart attack symptoms in women neck pain

Is this what a heart attack feels like for women?

Men and women experience heart attacks differently, meaning that it is important to be able to recognize which symptoms of a heart attack you are likely to encounter. For women, neck pain can indicate a heart attack, but this symptom is often ignored or dismissed as a result of muscle strain. Read more

Neck Pain and Nausea – Signs of Flu?

neck pain nausea flu 2014 15According to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the 2014/15 flu season is especially bad, with about half of the US experiencing high flu activity. This is expected to increase over January and spread to states where flu has remained relatively less active. December to February is typically the worst time for flu cases in the US, with symptoms including neck pain and stiffness, sore throat, nausea, fever, chills, and fatigue causing many to stay away from work and school. Read more

Could A Medical Food be Better than Ibuprofen for Neck Pain?

theramine amino acid pain relief for chronic neck painA new study has found that a blend of amino acids (which make up proteins) could be better than ibuprofen for reducing inflammation and relieving back pain. The research was carried out to determine the efficacy and safety of Theramine, a medical food that could be free from side effects, unlike the commonly used NSAID, ibuprofen. Read more

Top 3 Pillows for Neck Pain

cats sleeping paws neck pain pillowLooking for a stocking stuffer for a loved one with neck pain? Getting them a new pillow for Christmas might not seem the most exciting thing, but they’ll sure get a lot more benefits from a good night’s sleep than they will an expensive bottle of perfume or some comedy socks. Read more