Cervical pain or neck pain is the feeling of discomfort in the region of the neck, including the muscles, nerves, vertebrae, joints and the discs between the vertebrae. Cervical pain can arise anywhere in the neck, from the base of the head to the top of the shoulders and can even radiate to the upper back or arms. It is very common, particularly in people above age 50. Cervical pain usually gets better within a few days and is rarely a cause for concern. If the symptoms persist for longer than three months, it is said to be chronic neck pain.
The most common causes of neck pain include twisting of neck while sleeping in an awkward position, bad posture, tension, an injury such as muscle strain, rheumatoid arthritis and wear and tear in the cervical bones as a normal part of ageing. Some rare medical problems associated with cervical pain are ruptured disc, cancer, infection of the spine, inflammatory diseases such as meningitis, spinal stenosis, fractures of the spine, osteoporosis and conditions such as fibromyalgia. The conventional treatments for cervical pain include use of pain killers, hot or cold compress, neck exercises and sleeping on a low, firm pillow.
Homeopathy is a holistic mode of treatment that aims to treat the whole individual rather then just symptomatic management. Homeopathic doctors also consider the physical and mental characteristics of the person along with their tendency to suffer from certain conditions to prescribe a unique remedy that suits the patient well. Some of the homeopathy medicines that are used for the treatment of cervical pain include aconitum napellus, belladonna, cimicifuga racemosa, conium maculatum, gelsemium sempervirens, guajacum officinale, hypericum perforatum, juglans cinerea and rhus toxicodendron.
(Read more: Home remedies for neck pain)