Is neck cracking good or bad, and what should you do about it?
Feb 02, 2024
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Xu Shuai
Introduction
Neck cracking sounds are not normal. Such sounds may be caused by poor posture, muscle strain, cervical spine degeneration, cervical arthritis, or cervical disc herniation. It is recommended to seek medical attention promptly and receive appropriate treatment under a doctor's guidance. In daily life, it is advisable to consume foods rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to help maintain overall health.
Cervical cracking is not normal. In general, cervical cracking may be caused by poor posture, muscle strain, cervical degeneration, cervical arthritis, cervical disc herniation, and other reasons. It is recommended to seek medical attention promptly and receive symptomatic treatment under a doctor's guidance. Specific analyses are as follows:
1. Poor Posture
If one maintains prolonged head-down positions, incorrect sitting postures, or uses pillows that are too high or too low during sleep, the biomechanical balance of the cervical spine may be disrupted. This can place uneven pressure on cervical joints and ligaments, leading to friction and tension, thereby causing cervical cracking sounds. These symptoms can be relieved by maintaining proper posture and performing regular cervical health exercises.
2. Muscle Strain
Prolonged maintenance of fixed neck positions may cause continuous muscle tension in the neck, resulting in muscle strain. This leads to reduced muscle tone and laxity, impairing the ability to stabilize small cervical joints, which then become loose and produce clicking or grinding noises. Therefore, cervical cracking may result from muscle strain. Patients may follow medical advice to take medications such as ibuprofen sustained-release capsules, aspirin enteric-coated tablets, or indomethacin capsules for symptom relief.
3. Cervical Degeneration
With aging, degenerative changes may occur in cervical joints, leading to cartilage wear and bone spur formation. Such degeneration may increase friction and impact during joint movement, producing audible sounds. Patients may follow medical advice to use medications such as etoricoxib tablets, celecoxib capsules, or meloxicam tablets to alleviate symptoms.
4. Cervical Arthritis
Cervical arthritis refers to inflammation and degeneration occurring in the cervical joints, often accompanied by discomforts such as neck and back pain, upper limb weakness, and blurred vision. During flare-ups, cartilage tissue between joints may be damaged, making joint surfaces uneven. As a result, cracking sounds may occur due to joint friction. Patients may follow medical advice to use medications such as eruxib tablet, loxoprofen sodium tablets, or diclofenac sodium sustained-release tablets for treatment.
5. Cervical Disc Herniation
Cervical disc herniation refers to the protrusion of the central portion of a cervical intervertebral disc beyond the annulus fibrosus due to degeneration, injury, or other causes, compressing the spinal cord or nerve roots. In severe cases, nerve root compression may lead to friction during cervical movement, causing cracking sounds. Thus, cervical cracking may be caused by cervical disc herniation. Under medical guidance, patients may use medications such as Gentongping granules, Shujin Huoxue tablets, or mecobalamin tablets to achieve symptom relief.
In daily life, it is recommended to consume foods rich in protein, various vitamins, and minerals, such as eggs, lean meat, tomatoes, apples, etc., to supplement energy required by the body and help maintain overall health.
