There was a time when a troublesome person was called “a pain in the neck”. This was because neck pains can be very difficult to cope with, and can cause other related aches and pains. However, as the stress of daily living increased, neck pains slowly stopped being a laughing matter. Until recently, it was primarily, the older people who suffered from neck pains. These days, children have also joined the bandwagon of sufferers and there are some chronic sufferers from neck pain.
The number of cases of neck pain in children is increasing at alarming rates. The causes of neck pain in children range from injuries to more serious medical disorders, and, therefore, these should be taken seriously. In the event of the child suffering from severe pain, painkillers can be administered to offer temporary relief, but the child should be taken to the emergency room.
Causes Of Pediatric Neck Pain
Common Causes Of Neck Pain In Children
Poor posture, which can be due to uncomfortable seating in a classroom for extended periods of time. Children might also slump over video games or computers, and this causes a strain on the neck and back.
Heavy book bags that children have to carry could cause the neck to be strained and the neck muscles to be pulled. These days, the weight of book bags have increased beyond the capacity that children can actually carry. This could cause severe, debilitating strains of the spine as well as of the neck muscles.
Children could get injured while playing or while falling, resulting in a sprain, a pulled muscle, or even a broken bone. Therefore, ascertaining what happened before the neck pain began is important, since, severe injuries would require immediate medical attention.
Children also suffer from stress, just as adults do. Tension can cause neck pain and headaches as well.
Medical Causes Of Neck Pain In Children
- Rheumatoid arthritis occurs not only in adults but also in children. This causes inflammation of the joints, including the neck.
- Meningitis is an infection of any of the membranes that surround the brain. This is one reason for neck pain in children.
- Viral illnesses can cause inflammation of lymph nodes on the neck and can result in neck pain.
- Throat infections are probably the most common causes of neck pains in children.
- Pharyngitis, which is an inflammation of the larynx, could cause neck pain.
- A cervical strain will result in extreme neck pain.
- Wear and tear of the vertebrae in the neck can also be a cause of neck pain.
- While thryoiditis was earlier only a condition that affected older people, children have also begun suffering from this.
- Myelopathy is a disease that affects the spinal cord and can cause severe neck pains.
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