According to the latest statistics, one in three people has experienced neck pain at some point. People's necks have become more common due to the emergence of new "sedentary" professions and computers. Discomfort, as a rule, can be painful if it constantly bothers you. Sometimes, when the cervical spine hurts, the following symptoms occur: decreased vision, dizziness, limited mobility, loss of sensitivity. In some cases, especially due to working in an uncomfortable position, neck pain spreads to the arms and heart area. Patients with neck discomfort complain of nausea, crackling when turning their head, and tinnitus. Sometimes the discomfort is accompanied by numbness in the back of the head. Neck pain today is a very common symptom, since many people do not exercise, are overweight and often face stress. Neck pain can also occur for other reasons, including serious illnesses that require urgent treatment. For example, meningitis, vascular infections and cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, arthritis due to inflammation of the intestines and other internal organs.
Cervical radiculitis ("pinched nerve")
In the cervical spine, radiculitis most commonly occurs when the nerve roots of the spinal cord are compressed.
This usually occurs due to spondylosis or herniation and protrusion of the intervertebral disc, when the annulus fibrosus ruptures and its nucleus pulposus protrudes into the spinal cord canal. The consequence of lack of treatment leads to irreversible complications, including paralysis. Sciatica appears in the neck sometimes due to the herpes virus and Lyme disease.
The pain occurs in the neck and often radiates to the arm, causing it to become numb and weak. Usually this diagnosis can already be made after an examination by a neurologist. However, in some cases it may be necessary to perform an electromyography or CT scan to evaluate the damage.
Ankylosing spondyloarthritis
A systemic inflammatory disease that affects almost all joints in the body and causes severe limitations in mobility due to the fusion of individual vertebrae, forming strong, immobile conglomerates.
Diffuse skeletal hyperostosis (Forestier disease)
People over 50 years of age mainly develop Forestier disease. It has been established that the accumulation of calcium salts in the ligamentous and musculoskeletal system of the spine is the most likely cause of the development of this disease.
Forestier's disease may not manifest itself in any way, but in some cases a person experiences pain and mobility of the neck decreases. To confirm the diagnosis, a doctor in a clinic of the highest category will need an X-ray examination, in some cases diagnostic procedures are also prescribed: computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). There is no specific treatment for this disease.
Degenerative diseases
discogenic syndrome- Perhaps the most popular cause of neck pain. The syndrome develops as a result of degenerative changes in the structure between the spinal discs due to unequal loading between the endplates and facet joints. In this disease, the pain can spread throughout the arm or shoulder, sometimes to the hands and fingers. The neck hurts when turning or tilting the head. If you keep your head in one position for a long time, the condition of your neck also worsens.
Due to degenerative changes in the neck area,spondylosisin the cervical spine. The removal of intervertebral discs leads to a gradual reduction in the space between the vertebrae, deformation of the bones and the formation of osteophytes as they grow; This deformation has a tremendous impact on the functioning of the entire body. With age, these changes in most cases do not cause unpleasant sensations. However, they sometimes cause pressure on the spinal nerve, causing numbness and pain in the neck and, in some cases, pain in the arm or shoulder. Numbness, impaired sensitivity and mobility, and attacks of unconsciousness are often observed, which indicates the development of neurological disorders.
Cervical spondylogenic myelopathy. The spinal cord becomes damaged and begins to function poorly due to degenerative changes in the cervical spine, leading to a narrowing of the central spinal canal. The result is acute pain in the neck, which constantly intensifies, mobility becomes difficult, coordination of movements is impaired, urination and defecation are not controlled, and general weakness and problems in the sexual sphere can also be observed. . The disease most often develops after the age of 55 and often requires surgical intervention.
Cervical spine injuries
The consequences of an injury can be pain in the cervical region and shoulders, migraines, neck muscle spasms, and mobility problems. In car accidents, people often suffer neck injuries due to the sudden movement of the head back and forth. As a result, the intervertebral discs, soft tissues, nerve fibers, posterior longitudinal ligament, facet joint (facet syndrome), etc. may be damaged. . After an injury, muscle spasm occurs and it becomes difficult to move the neck. Over time, the pain symptoms go away on their own, but sometimes it turns into chronic pain.
Muscle pain
Muscle spasms in the upper back and neck occur due to excessive physical exertion, uncomfortable postures, emotional stress during the work day, or spinal injuries. Muscles can also spasm, particularly due to the wrong pillow. Discomfort usually causes limited mobility, but this pain goes away within six weeks. To speed up the process, doctors recommend eliminating, if possible, the cause of muscle tension and also performing special exercises.
Myofascial pain syndrome
In myofascial syndrome, it is important to identify the most tender pain points that may appear after excessive exertion, hypothermia, emotional trauma or stress. These pressure points cause muscle tension and pain, which often becomes chronic.
Cervical osteochondrosis
Among the diseases that cause pain in the neck, osteochondrosis is a diagnosis that was made on the territory of the former Soviet Union and, in fact, all the diseases listed above (degenerative-dystrophic lesions of the spine) were usually attributed to it.
Almost everyone over the age of 40 experiences degenerative changes in the spine. This is not a reason to call a person completely sick and actively start treatment. If your neck bothers you, then this is just a symptom indicating the need to make a real diagnosis, after which medical therapy is prescribed.
Diagnosing the causes of neck pain is always complex. Includes:
- general and biochemical laboratory blood tests;
- determination of the level of thyroid hormones in the blood;
- Ultrasound with Dopplerography of the vessels of the neck, thyroid gland, salivary glands;
- X-ray of the cervical spine;
- electroneuromyography;
- CONNECTICUT;
- magnetic resonance.
Cervical osteochondrosis can affect cerebral circulation. This causes shooting pains in the head, vegetative-vascular dystonia and hypertension, problems with the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, hearing, vision and coordination.
If your neck hurts, when should you see a doctor?
If your neck is causing you discomfort, you should first contact a therapist, who will refer you for further examination. Determining the causes of neck pain and dystrophic condition, treating it and restoring its function will help: a surgeon, neurologist, vertebrologist, rheumatologist, cardiologist, traumatologist, orthopedist, endocrinologist and some other doctors.
The main reasons why consultation with a rheumatologist and a neurologist is necessary:
- intense headache;
- neck injury;
- uncontrolled urination or bowel movements;
- numbness, tingling, weakness in arms and legs;
- My neck has been hurting for a week and there is no improvement;
- lack of benefit in analgesics.
See your doctor immediately if:
- Meningitis, if your head hurts with a sharp increase in temperature, and your neck is so stiff that it hurts to turn it and you cannot reach your chest with your chin.
- A heart attack if there is chest discomfort, rapid breathing, sweating, nausea, vomiting, and pain in the arms or jaw.
Treatment for neck pain
- Medications that relieve pain and tension.. For this type of discomfort there is usually no specific treatment. In simple situations, the doctor recommends non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, chondroprotectors (medicines that promote the restoration of cartilage tissue) that relieve pain. If the spasm is severe, your doctor may prescribe a medicine to take at night to relax your muscles, such as a muscle relaxant. For chronic pain, the doctor prescribes tricyclic antidepressants, since botulinum blockades are ineffective. With conservative medical treatment, most muscle strains resolve within 2 to 3 weeks.
- Ice and heat. If your cervical spine is bothering you after an injury, it is recommended to apply ice to relieve pain in the first three days. If it is a muscle problem, use heat, including showering or bathing, or placing a wet towel on the neck.
- Physiotherapy:phonophoresis, carboxytherapy, ozone therapy, pressotherapy, RF currents, ultrasound therapy.
- Stretching exercises. Stretching exercise therapy is effective, especially for chronic pain. Qigong gymnastics will be useful, which must be done carefully and after consulting a specialist. First you need to warm up your neck. However, it is best to exercise in the morning or before bed. You should definitely consult your doctor about more common physical activities, such as yoga, running, and soccer.
- Relaxation techniques. Due to emotional stress, the neck begins to hurt more, so treatment cannot be delayed. Relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises, self-hypnosis, meditation, and psychotherapy can help reduce muscle tension.
- Changing habits. The position in which a person spends a lot of time during the working day must be corrected so that the neck does not hurt again. To do this, it is important to control your posture yourself. It is advisable to minimize tension by changing position, stretch your neck once an hour and place the computer at eye level. You should sit up straight with your shoulders back. The head and body should be at the same level during sleep and the neck needs support. Sleeping on your back is the ideal position, the worst position for your neck is if you sleep on your stomach.
- Massagerelieves muscle spasms and ensures normal blood flow, and when pressing it is useful to use a vibrating massager. However, it should be noted that massage for chronic pain is probably ineffective and is rarely performed.
- Manual therapy. In some cases, manipulations can completely worsen the condition, since they have no proven effectiveness. In combination only with physical exercise, it is recommended to resort to "soft" manual therapy, however, manual therapy helps to eliminate signs of radicular syndrome, improve the functioning of internal organs and especially the brain. It is best not to contact chiropractors if the central spinal canal is narrowed as a result of spondylotic myelopathy.
- Biofeedback (BFB). With this method, a person is assigned the task of "relieving tension in the neck muscles", the implementation of which is monitored using sensors. On the screen, the patient himself sees a cloudy image, which becomes clearer as his muscles relax. This is how a person learns to control the tension of the neck muscles.
- Corset, which fixes the neck vertebrae, although it relieves pain, it is recommended to use it for 1 to 3 hours a day, no more than 1 to 2 weeks, so that the neck muscles do not weaken.
- There are methods andosteopathic. According to some data, for example, traction of the neck muscles is ineffective, but acupuncture helps with chronic neck pain. Electromagnetic and low-frequency therapy, as well as electromyostimulation and laser therapy, also work. However, it is not recommended to ignore exercise while using all these methods. It is also important to eat properly so that the body receives all the substances and vitamins it needs. This will not only slow down the progression of the pathology, but will also contribute to faster regeneration processes.
- Surgery for neck pain. If your neck hurts, surgery is not required in most cases. At first only conservative treatment is used. If the cause of the pain is a narrowing of the central spinal canal or due to a "pinched nerve", that is, pressure on its root in the spinal cord, and conservative treatment does not help, surgical treatment is recommended.