4 Medical Conditions That Affect The Head and Neck

Are you experiencing pain or discomfort in your head or neck?

Maybe you have noticed a lump or a rash on one of these areas of your body.

There is a wide range of head and neck disorders, some common and easily treatable, and others more serious and require urgent medical care.

Find out more about the four most common medical conditions that affect the head and neck below. Plus, what you need to do if you suspect that you have one of these health problems.

Cancer

Although relatively uncommon, cancer can develop in more than 30 head and neck areas, including the lips, mouth, throat, salivary glands, and nose.

Mouth cancer is the most common type of head and neck cancer and can affect the lips, tongue, cheeks, floor or roof of the mouth, and the gums.

The most common symptoms of mouth cancer are mouth ulcers and persistent lumps in the mouth.

If you are worried about head and neck cancer, you should make an appointment with your doctor urgently. Alternatively, you can make an appointment with the Moffitt Cancer Center, which can help you with all aspects of this disease, including diagnosis and the best treatments.

Arthritis

When you think about the symptoms of arthritis, you may think of painful and swollen fingers and creaky knees. However, neck pain is also common in people with this medical condition.

Typically, people with osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, experience a stiff neck and pain when turning their heads. They are also likely to experience pain in the lower back.

Arthritis is typically treated through lifestyle changes such as exercise, physiotherapy, and medication.

Migraines

Migraines affect around 1 in 10 people worldwide and are most common in those aged 20-50 years of age. They are around three times more prevalent in women than in men. They can be caused by any number of factors, from hormones, certain types of food, to environmental conditions.

Easily recognizable by a throbbing headache, usually on one side of the head, feeling nauseous, and sensitivity to light, migraines typically last between 4 hours and 3 days.

Although migraines predominantly cause head pain, they can also affect the face and neck.

While there is no cure for migraines, many treatments are available such as painkillers, triptans, and anti-emetics.

Grave’s disease

Grave’s disease is a condition that causes the thyroid gland to become overactive. It is a type of autoimmune disorder that causes the body to fight against itself and is typically more common in women than men. The exact cause of this disease is unknown, although it may occur at higher rates in certain families.

The most common symptoms of Grave’s disease are bulging eyes, eye redness, double vision or decreased vision, weight loss, anxiety, and a racing heartbeat.

If you are diagnosed with Grave’s disease, then some of the available treatments include daily medications, radioactive iodine, and thyroid surgery.