The neck is one of the most vulnerable structures on the human
anatomy because of its flexibility and its role in supporting
the head.
Neck pain can be caused by
a variety of physiological and environmental circumstances,
including tumor, infection, injury, prolonged wear and tear,
or motor vehicle accident (whiplash).
Workplace factors may also may cause neck pain, a possibility
suggested by a recent study in the Journal of Occupational
and Environmental Medicine. Workers in Norway completed
a mailed questionnaire in 1990, and 78% of those workers completed
a second questionnaire in 1994.
Results showed that in workers with or without neck pain
in 1990, "little influence on own work situation" predicted
neck pain in 1994. The authors explain this association by
speculating that control at work enables workers to change
and reduce job demands that may contribute to injury or pain.
Your doctor of chiropractic can tell you more about the potential
causes of neck pain and evaluate any current neck pain you
might be experiencing.
Reference:
Eriksen W, Natvig B, Knardahl S, et al. Job characteristics
as predictors of neck pain: a 4-year prospective study. Journal
of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Oct. 1999:
Vol. 41, No. 10, pp893-902.
|