Everyone had a strong pain in their neck. No accident or spinal structure abnormalities are necessary for this. Improper workplace organization, sedentary lifestyle, intense physical activity - all of these can cause severe pain. With age, the manifestations of osteochondrosis can become more complicated and diseases of the internal organs only add to the problems.
Acute neck pain can occur suddenly, for example, with a sharp turn or tilt of the head. It can radiate to the head (mostly the back of the head), chest or even the shoulders. Such events are often the result of acute cramps in the cervix (cervix) or muscles. We stood in the project, we lifted hard - strong neck pains may last for 5-10 days, but then they disappear. If the pain lasts for more than 10 days, they have a sharp, painful or excruciating nature, significantly reduce the quality of life - you should seek treatment.
Since many lymphatic vessels, large veins and arteries pass through the cervical region, the problems in it must be carefully considered. The muscular cavity of the neck contains the thyroid gland, pharynx, the beginning of the esophagus, the larynx, and the upper part of the trachea. The neck muscles are involved in the movement of the head, shoulders and even the jaws. Therefore, if you have neck pain, you should immediately consult a doctor to find out the causes and avoid a number of serious problems.
Doctors will examine the condition of your spine and brain, get a radiograph, CT or MRI, check the degree of muscle tension in the neck, shoulders and upper back. Determining the cause of pain may lead to the need for treatment not at all in the cervical spine. You need to be prepared for exercise to become part of your daily life.
Severe cervical spine pain is a very important and practically significant problem in neurology. Its importance is determined by the following factors:
- Pain in the neck with osteochondrosis are the most common pathologies caused by non-infection.
- Painful sensations in the neck are prone to exacerbations with a chronic course. Frequent intense pain can lead to temporary or even permanent disability.
These factors determine the importance of seeking medical help in a timely manner. If you experience any discomfort or pain, you should see a specialist immediately. In such cases self-medication is unacceptable as this can lead to serious complications.
In addition, self-medication often leads to the need for surgical intervention and disability in adults.
Only a doctor can competently set up a therapy regimen, including pain.
Types of neck pain
Distinguish between cervical pain (cervicalgia) and cervical lumbago (cervicago). Cervical diseases are:
- Superficial somatic - associated with skin damage;
- Deep somatic - due to damage to the muscles of the cervix and spine;
- Visceral - diffuse, caused by infections or diseases of internal organs.
Cervical diseases that affect neighboring areas are divided into two types:
- Cervicobrachialgia - cervicobrachial syndrome with radiating pain from the neck to the shoulders;
- cervicocranialgia - Pain sensations begin directly in the cervix or occiput and extend to the scalp.
All types of cervix can be acute or chronic. The acute phase lasts for about 10 days, but without proper treatment can become chronic. Chronic pain lasts for more than three months.
The cervix is always a sharp pain sensation, localized in the cervical spine and does not allow you to escape.
If the discomfort is caused by neuropathic causes, it can be central (spinal cord injury) or peripheral (peripheral nerve damage).
Causes of neck pain
Conventionally, the causes of neck pain can be divided into two groups - caused by spinal diseases or other factors. The first is formed against the background of intervertebral hernias, arthrosis, joint dysfunction, as well as spinal subluxation (whip). The consequences of these injuries are felt throughout life. The second group includes neck pain caused by infectious and endocrine disorders, tumor processes, rheumatism.
Some of the most common causes of neck pain are:
- Myofascial syndrome.This occurs against the background of prolonged excessive tension of the neck muscles, stretching, hypothermia. They usually cause short-term painful sensations of moderate intensity, in which the movement of the head is often limited and the muscles spasm. Pressure and induration are felt when pressing. Often, the pain caused by myofascial syndrome disappears on its own within 4-5 days.
- Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.The disease is a degenerative-dystrophic lesion of the spine that occurs as a result of deformation and destruction of the intervertebral discs. As a result of loss of elasticity, compression and destruction of the discs, the joints of the joints become overloaded, arthrosis occurs and the nerve roots become stretched. This leads to the fact that the whole neck hurts a lot. With age, a decrease in cartilage hydrophilicity leads to a decrease in the distance between the spine and damage to the intervertebral joints.
- Dysfunction of the facial joints.Damage to the structure of the intervertebral joints is one of the most common causes of sore neck pain. Cartilage becomes thinner at the articular surfaces. This leads to bone growth - the formation of osteophytes. They narrow the lumen of the holes between the vertebral bodies, causing the nerve endings to contract. This is usually accompanied by dull pain (gradually increasing, with low intensity) in the neck, which intensifies in the morning after sleeping in an uncomfortable position - lying on a high pillow, on the abdomen. During movement, the pain may increase, but in the rest of the condition, it weakens. In this case it is possible to radiate pain in the back, ears, temples, shoulders.
- Hernia and protruding discs.Compression of the intervertebral discs, which have lost elasticity, leads to a rash - a rash in the spinal canal with the subsequent formation of a hernia. This causes compression of the spinal cord, which disrupts the sensitivity of the hands - numbness, burning sensation, weakness, accompanied by pain. Shooting (irregular one-sided) intensifies during bending, turning or throwing back. Therefore, a person should instinctively bend his head forward and on the opposite side of the pain localization.
- Cervical myelopathy. . . Prolonged compression of the hernia disrupts blood circulation to the spinal cord. Because of this not only the whole neck hurts a lot. But the disorder is accompanied by pain that radiates between the shoulder blades and in the shoulder area. They get worse during movement and do not disappear even after taking painkillers. Characteristic signs of cervical pain with cervical myelopathy include goosebumps, numbness of the bumps and hands, and minor motor disorders. Sometimes dizziness is possible, memory deteriorates, gait changes.
- Whiplash injuries.They arise as a result of a sharp bend in the back or front of the neck, followed by a reversal in the reverse direction. Such injuries often occur in the event of an accident, but even a simple fall on the back can provoke them. Trauma occurs as a result of stretching and damage to muscles, intervertebral discs, and cervical spine. The most severe cases are accompanied by dislocations and fractures. The result of the injury can be that the whole neck and shoulders are very painful, migraine occurs, muscle spasm. Accompanying symptoms are blurred vision, increased fatigue, and frequent attacks of headache.
In addition, neck pain can be caused by muscular tonic syndrome. It is a condition that causes prolonged spasms of several groups of muscles in the head, chest and neck. Compression of neuromuscular triggers causes attraction, sometimes very severe pain. In particular, genital muscle syndrome is a symptomatic complex accompanied by disturbances in the innervation of the neck muscles and circulatory disorders that extend from the cervical spine to the 1st and 2nd ribs. This syndrome is characterized by cervical pain and stiffness that most often occurs in the morning. The head in such cases is usually tilted forward and slightly tensed towards the muscle. Painful sensations can be mild, painful, but sometimes sharp, intensifying at night, with deep breathing while tilting the healthy side of the head. Sometimes it is possible to radiate pain to the shoulders, axial and intercapsular regions, as well as the anterior chest.
However, the causes of pain are not just spinal diseases. First of all, it is necessary to rule out infectious pathologies, in particular, nonspecific or tuberculous spondylitis, epidural abscess. Metastatic lesions of the spine may be accompanied by constant pain that does not subside but intensifies at rest. They are characterized by fever, general weakness and sweating. Even small pressures on spinous processes cause local pain attacks.
Risk factors that cause pain include flat feet, posture curve, and strenuous exercise. Cervicalgia can occur against the background of constant overload, vibration, prolonged immobility of the body (for example, with fractures).
In addition, pain can result from wearing tight and uncomfortable clothing, improper nutrition, and diseases of internal organs. Considering these factors, we accept a wide variety of clinical cases where cervicalgia develops.
Neck hurts: who to contact and what to do
If the neck hurts, traditional medicine offers drug treatment with different spectrum of action drugs. They are designed to fight pain, relieve infectious or inflammatory processes, and eliminate unpleasant symptoms. Surgery is performed only in very severe cases.
Medication is based on local anesthetics, analgesics (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), hormonal drugs (glucocorticoids), muscle relaxants (to relieve muscle tension), antioxidants and, if necessary, antidepressants. Treatment is based on painkillers - another group of drugs are prescribed as side effects that enhance the pain-relieving effect, relieve inflammation and swelling.
The disadvantage of drug treatment is the huge number of side effects and temporary relief of pain. In addition, such treatment is intended only to eliminate the symptoms, but in no way addresses the root cause of the pain.
Who should be entrusted with such an important part of the body - the neck? In case of severe pain, not one specialist is needed, but a whole team that carefully examines, makes the correct diagnosis and prescribes therapy.
An integrated approach is used based on a combination of the following non-narcotic methods:
- Physiotherapy.It is very difficult to train the neck muscles, so when choosing exercises, experts focus on the mobility of the chest region, shoulder girdle, as well as the even distribution of the load on the spine. Exercise therapy physicians select the optimal set of exercises aimed at eliminating posture formation and neck pain.
- Kinesiotherapy.Clinics use kinesitherapy systems. The installation allows you to deeply work the muscles of the cervical spine. Through closed-chain exercises, skeletal neuromuscular problems can be effectively managed and the functionality of the unit increased.
- Osteopathy.Osteopathic neck correction is safe and painless, it is suitable for adults and children, pregnant women and professional athletes. Unlike other therapeutic methods, osteopathic medicine not only eliminates the pain syndrome, but also relieves the patient from the source of pain, treats the underlying disease. This uses palpation and hand manipulation techniques on muscles, joints, nerves, connective tissue, vessels, and neck capillaries. Osteopathic medicine methods accelerate recovery, increase the effectiveness of therapeutic, prophylactic or rehabilitation measures.
- Manual therapy.It effectively relieves neck tension. Specialists gently act on biologically active points, exclude subluxations, move, perform manipulations aimed at relaxing the neck muscles, stretching the spine.
Competent selection and the right combination of therapy methods help to eliminate neck pain and discomfort. The integrated approach involves the well-coordinated work of various specialists - rehabilitation specialists, neurologists, traumatologists, orthopedists, psychologists. All of them pursue the common goal of relieving pain for the patient. An individual approach is important to everyone, it is a combination of osteopathic and physiotherapy procedures and even working on deep, mental causes because the whole neck hurts so much.