What is a neck injury?
A person with a neck injury has damage to a structure within the neck. Common neck injuries include a neck contusion, neck strain, neck sprain, and neck fracture. Common causes of neck injury include automobile accidents, falls, and sports injuries.

What are the symptoms of a neck injury?
Symptoms of a neck fracture include neck pain, neck tenderness near the spine, neck swelling, neck muscle spasm, and neck stiffness. Symptoms of a serious neck fracture include arm weakness, leg weakness, arm numbness, leg numbness, loss of bladder control, loss of bowel control, and an inability to walk.

How does the doctor treat a neck injury?
Treatment for a neck injury may include cold compresses, a cervical collar, narcotic pain medications, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, and muscle relaxants. Neck injuries that result in an injury to the spinal cord may require treatment with corticosteroids and surgery.

Neck injuries include:

• Neck sprain:
• Injury to the ligaments
• Neck strain:
• Injury to the muscles or tendons
• Neck fracture:
• Broken bones in the neck
• Neck contusion:
• Bruise to the neck
• Skin injuries:
• Neck laceration
• Neck abrasion
• Neck puncture wound

Neck injuries often involve some combination of the above injuries.