Teenager with episodes of neck pain radiated to the shoulder

Dear Ask The Doctor: I'm a 16 year old female, I have been having pretty severe neck pain for about the past week. Occasionally it will be in my shoulder as well. It is not constant, it comes in episodes that can last the whole day. I've also been feeling extremely hot (my neck feels quite warm to the touch as well) and feverish but I've had normal temperatures for the most part. Last night when I awoke with the pain again it was particularly uncomfortable because when I breath in it causes me very sharp and severe pain in my rib and the base of my neck (the pain is localized to my left side- breathing in did not affect the pain until today). Does anybody have any ideas of what could cause these types of symptoms? I was told by a chiropractor last year to get checked for scoliosis because I had a pretty significant rib hump and a slight curve in my spine, but my mom never got me a doctors appointment, I was wondering if the pain could be attributed to that?

Dear Eliza: Usually in young people common causes of neck pain include trauma from accidents, postural stresses, and working/studying in awkward positions or cramped spaces. The position of the low back strongly influences the posture of the neck, so the correct sitting posture is very important. You should also interrupt protruded head posture with regular intervals and postural relief exercises. The correct head posture whilst sitting requires you to keep the head retracted. The extreme of the retracted head position is that which gives the appearance of a double chin, and is actually a position of strain. Sitting comfortably and correctly requires you to hold your head just short of the extreme retracted posture. To find this position, first retract the head as far as possible and then release the last 10% of this movement. This is the correct head posture and can be maintained for any length of time. Postural stress in the lying position is another cause of neck pain. If you wake up in the morning with pain and stiffness in the neck that was not there the night before, the problem is possibly due to the sleeping surface or position in which you sleep. Your pillow functions to support your head and neck. You might need to change the material from which it is made, the thickness, or both. The pillow should fill the curve behind your neck without tilting the head or lifting it up. Ideally, the head should be able to rest on a "dish-shaped hollow" so you need to be able to adjust the contents of the pillow easily. Also, it is better if you can sleep on your back or your side. Some people prefer to sleep on their stomach and frequently wake up with a headache or neck pain and stiffness. The neck has a tough job - holding your head on top of your shoulders every day. Try to become more aware about the positions you find yourself in more frequently and asses yourself as to whether you are likely to be causing your neck unnecessary strain. If you can prevent neck pain from occurring, you won't ever have to worry about how to having it treated. Regarding your possible scoliosis, I suggest that you have a consultation with an Orthopedist and get the correspondent imaging studies done to see if you really have a scoliosis and if this has to be treated or just observed.