Everyone experienced severe pain in the neck. It is not necessary for this to have an accident or have anomalies in the structure of the vertebrae. Improper organization of the workplace, a sedentary lifestyle, intense physical activity - all this can lead to intense pain. With age, the manifestations of osteochondrosis can be complicated, and diseases of the internal organs only add problems.
Sharp neck pain can occur suddenly, for example with a sharp turn or tilt of the head. It can radiate to the head (mainly to the back of the head), the chest or even the shoulders. Such phenomena are often the result of a cervical lumbago (cervicago) or acute muscle spasms. We stood in a row, lifting a heavy - severe neck pain can last 5-10 days, but then they go away. If the pain lasts more than 10 days, they have a sharp, painful or pulling character, which significantly reduces the quality of life - you need to seek treatment.
As many lymph vessels, large veins and arteries pass through the cervical area, any problems in it must be treated carefully. The musculoskeletal 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 participate in the movement of the head, shoulders and even the jaws. Therefore, if you experience neck pain, consult a doctor immediately to find out the causes and prevent a number of serious problems.
Doctors will examine the condition of your back and brain, take x-rays, CT or MRI, check the degree of tension in the muscles of the neck, shoulders and upper back. Determining the cause of the pain can result in the need for treatment not at all in the cervix. You also need to be prepared for the fact that exercise becomes a part of your daily life.
Severe pain in the cervical spine is a very important and practically significant problem in neurology. Its significance is determined by the following factors:
- neck pain with osteochondrosis are the most common pathologies caused by non-infection.
- painful sensations in the neck are prone to a chronic course of exacerbations. Frequent intense pain can result in temporary or even permanent disability.
These factors determine the importance of timely seeking medical attention. If you experience discomfort or pain, see a specialist immediately. Self-treatment in such cases is unacceptable as it can cause serious complications.
In addition, self-medication often leads to the need for surgery and causes disability in adults.
Only a physician can competently devise a treatment regimen, including relieving pain.
Types of neck pain
Distinction between cervical pain (cervicalgia) and cervical lumbago (cervicago). Cervicalgias are:
- superficial somatic - associated with skin damage;
- deep somatic - due to damage to the cervical muscles and vertebrae;
- visceral - spread as a result of infections or diseases of internal organs.
Cervicalgias affecting neighboring countries are divided into two types:
- cervicobrachialgia - cervicobrachial syndrome with pain radiating from the neck to the shoulders;
- cervicocranialgia - pain sensations begin directly in the cervical or occipital area and spread to the head.
Cervicalgias of all types can be acute or chronic. The acute phase lasts approx. 10 days, but without proper treatment it can become chronic. Chronic pain is considered to last more than three months.
Cervicago is always an acute pain sensation localized in the cervix and does not allow you to turn your head.
If the discomfort is due to neuropathic causes, they can be central (with damage to the spine) or peripheral (damage to peripheral nerves).
Causes of neck pain
Conventionally, the causes of neck pain can be divided into two groups - due to diseases of the spine or due to other factors. The former is formed on the background of intervertebral hernia, osteoarthritis, dysfunction of the joints and subluxation of the vertebrae (whiplash). The consequences of these injuries can be felt throughout life. The second group includes neck pain caused by infectious and endocrine disorders, tumor processes, arthritis.
Some of the most common causes of neck pain include:
- Myofascial syndrome.It occurs on the background of prolonged excessive tension in the neck muscles, sprains, hypothermia. They usually cause short-term painful sensations of moderate intensity, where the mobility of the head is often limited and the muscles cramp. When you press it, you feel tenderness and induration. Often, pain caused by myofascial syndrome disappears on its own within 4-5 days.
- Osteochondrosis of the cervix.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 facet joints are overloaded, arthrosis occurs, and the nerve roots are pinched. This causes the whole neck to hurt a lot. With age, a decrease in the hydrophilicity of the cartilage leads to a decrease in the distance between the vertebrae and damage to the intervertebral joints.
- Dysfunction in the facet joints.Damage to the structure of the intervertebral joints is one of the most common causes of neck pain. Cartilage becomes thinner on the joint surfaces. This causes the appearance of bone growth - osteophytes. They narrow the gaps in the gaps between the vertebrae and cause the nerve endings to become compressed. As a rule, this is accompanied by a dull pain (gradually increasing with low intensity) in the neck area, which intensifies in the morning after sleeping in an uncomfortable position - on a high pillow lying on your stomach. During movement, pain may increase, but at rest it weakens. In this case, pain radiating to the back of the head, ear, temples, shoulders is possible.
- Herniated and protruding discs.As a result of compression of the intervertebral discs that have lost their elasticity, protrusions - protrusions occur in the spinal canal with the subsequent formation of a hernia. This leads to compression of the spinal cord, which disturbs the sensitivity of the hands - numbness, burning sensation, weakness accompanied by pain. Shooting (irregular one-sided) intensifies when you bend, turn your head, or throw back. Therefore, a person must instinctively tilt his head forward and to the sides opposite the localization of pain.
- Cervical myelopathy. . . Prolonged compression of hernia disrupts blood circulation in the spinal cord. Because of this, not only does the whole neck hurt a lot. But the violation is accompanied by pain radiating to the area between the shoulder blades and to the shoulder. They get worse during movement and do not go away even after taking painkillers. The characteristic signs of neck pain with cervical myelopathy are goosebumps, numbness in the arms and legs and disorders of fine motor skills. Sometimes dizziness is possible, memory worsens, gait changes.
- Whiplash injuries.They occur as a result of a sharp bend of the neck backwards or forwards, followed by a setback in the opposite direction. Such injuries often occur during an accident, but even a common fall on the back can provoke them. Trauma occurs as a result of stretching and damage to muscles, ligaments on intervertebral discs and uterine vertebrae. The most severe cases are accompanied by displacements and fractures. The consequence of an injury can be that the whole neck and shoulders are very sore, migraines occur, muscle spasms. Concomitant symptoms include blurred vision, increased fatigue and frequent attacks of headaches.
In addition, neck pain may be due to muscle tone syndrome. It is a condition that causes prolonged cramping in several muscle groups in the head, chest and neck. Compression of neuromuscular triggers leads to pulling, sometimes very intense pain. In particular, the scale muscle syndrome is a symptom complex accompanied by a violation of the innervation and blood circulation of the scales muscles in the neck, which go from the uterine vertebrae to the 1st and 2nd ribs. This syndrome is characterized by cervical pain and stiffness, which most often appears in the morning. In such cases, the head is usually tilted forward and slightly against the tense muscle. Painful sensations may be light, tender, but sometimes sharp, intensifying at night with deep breathing while tilting the head to the healthy side. Sometimes it is possible to radiate pain in the shoulders, in axillary and interscapular regions as well as in the anterior chest.
However, the causes of pain are not only diseases of the spine. First of all, it is necessary to exclude infectious pathologies, especially non-specific or tuberculous spondylitis, epidural abscesses. Metastatic lesions in the vertebrae can also be accompanied by persistent pain that does not subside but rather gets worse at rest. They are characterized by an increase in body temperature, general weakness and sweating. Even a slight pressure on the spinous processes causes attacks of local pain.
Risk factors that cause pain include flat feet, posture and strenuous exercise. Cervicalgia can occur on the background of constant overexertion, vibration, prolonged motionless position of the body (for example, with fractures).
In addition, pain can occur as a result of wearing tight and uncomfortable clothing, malnutrition and diseases of internal organs. Taking these factors into account, we get a wide range of clinical cases where cervicalgia is formed.
Neck hurts: who to contact and what to do
If the neck hurts, traditional medicine offers drug treatment with drugs with different spectrum of actions. They are designed to fight pain, to relieve infectious or inflammatory processes and eliminate unpleasant symptoms. Surgery is performed only in very severe cases.
Drug treatment is based on the administration of topical anesthetics, analgesics (NSAIDs), hormonal drugs (glucocorticoids), muscle relaxants (drugs to relieve muscle tension), antioxidants and, if necessary, antidepressants and anticonvulsants. The treatment is based on painkillers - drugs from other groups are prescribed as concomitant medications that improve the effect of pain relief, relieve inflammation and swelling.
The disadvantage of drug treatment is a large number of side effects and temporary relief of pain. In addition, such treatment is only aimed at eliminating the symptoms, but in no way aimed at the cause of the pain.
Who should have such an important department for the body - the neck? In case of severe pain, there is no need for a specialist, but an entire team that carefully examines, makes the correct diagnosis and prescribes therapy.
An integrated approach is used, based on a combination of the following non-drug methods:
- Physiotherapy.The neck muscles are very difficult to train, therefore experts focus on movement in the chest area, shoulder girdle and on an even distribution of the load on the spine when choosing exercises. Exercise doctors choose the optimal set of exercises aimed at shaping posture and eliminating neck pain.
- Kinesiotherapy.The clinics use kinesiotherapy systems. The installation allows you to deeply train the muscles of the cervix. With the help of exercises in closed chains, neuromuscular problems in the skeleton can be effectively controlled and the functionality of the department can be 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 pain syndrome, but relieves the patient from the source of pain, treats the underlying disease. For this, palpation and manual manipulation techniques are used on muscles, joints, nerves, connective tissue, vessels and neck hair. Methods of osteopathic medicine accelerate recovery, increase the effectiveness of therapeutic, prophylactic or rehabilitation measures.
- Manual therapy.It effectively relieves tension from the neck. Specialists gently affect biologically active points, eliminate subluxations, displacements, perform manipulations for the purpose of relaxing the neck muscles, stretching the spine.
Competent choice and the right combination of therapy methods help eliminate neck pain and get rid of discomfort. An integrated approach includes the joint well-coordinated work of various specialists - rehabilitators, neurologists, traumatologists, orthopedists, psychologists. They all follow the common goal of pain relief for the patient. An individual approach to all is important, a combination of osteopathic and physiotherapeutic procedures and even work on the deep, mental causes that hurt the whole neck.