What Causes Neck Pain? 7 Common Reasons Your Neck Hurts

Neck pain is the third most common pain complaint in the United States, affecting nearly 30% of adults at any given time. Understanding why your neck hurts is the first step toward fixing it.

1. Poor Posture

Forward head posture — where your head juts out in front of your shoulders — increases the effective weight on your cervical spine dramatically. Years of slouching at a desk compound this effect.

2. Tech Neck

Looking down at phones and laptops for hours each day creates sustained flexion of the cervical spine, overloading the muscles, ligaments, and discs of the neck.

3. Muscle Tension and Stress

Emotional stress causes many people to unconsciously tense the muscles of the neck and shoulders, contributing to both neck pain and headaches.

4. Whiplash and Injury

Vehicle accidents, sports collisions, or sudden falls can cause the head and neck to snap forward and back rapidly. These soft tissue injuries often cause persistent pain if not properly treated.

5. Cervical Disc Problems

Herniated or bulging discs in the neck can press on nerve roots, causing pain that radiates into the shoulders, arms, or hands — called cervical radiculopathy.

6. Degenerative Changes

Osteoarthritis and cervical spondylosis cause the cartilage between neck joints to break down, leading to stiffness and pain — especially in the morning.

7. Sleeping Position

Sleeping on your stomach or with a poorly sized pillow forces the neck into awkward positions for hours at a time — a surprisingly common cause of morning stiffness.

How Balance Chiropractic Addresses Neck Pain

At Balance Chiropractic in Cottage Grove, WI, Dr. Austin "Buzz" Klute identifies the specific cause of your neck pain through examination and history — then treats it at the source.

Ready to feel better? Balance Chiropractic in Cottage Grove, WI is here to help. Call us at 608-471-4104 or visit https://appturl.com/balance-chiropractic-1/bookings to schedule your appointment today.