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 to the problems.
Sharp neck pains can occur suddenly, for example, with a sharp turn or tilt of the head. It may radiate to the head (mainly to the back of the head), chest or even shoulders. Such phenomena are often the result of a cervical lumbago (cervicago) or acute muscle spasms. We stood in a draft, lifted a heavy one - severe neck pains can last 5-10 days, but then they go away. If the duration of the pain is more than 10 days, they have a sharp, aching or pulling character, significantly reduce the quality of life, you should seek treatment.
Since many lymphatic vessels, large veins and arteries pass through the cervical region, any problems in it should be treated carefully. The musculoskeletal cavity of the neck contains the thyroid gland, pharynx, the beginning of the esophagus, larynx, and the upper part of the trachea. The neck muscles take part in the movement of the head, shoulders and even the jaws. Therefore, if you experience neck pain, you should immediately consult a doctor to find out the causes and prevent a number of serious problems.
Doctors will examine the condition of your spine and brain, take X-rays, CT or MRI, check the degree of tension in the muscles of the neck, shoulders, and upper back. Establishing the cause of the pain may result in the need for treatment not at all in the cervical spine. You should also be prepared for exercise to become a part of your daily life.
Severe pain in the cervical spine 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 chronic course with exacerbations. Frequent intense pain can result in temporary or even permanent disability.
These factors determine the importance of timely seeking medical care. If you experience any discomfort or pain, you should immediately visit a specialist. 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 doctor can competently draw up a therapy regimen, including relieve pain.
Types of neck pain
Distinguish 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 - scattered, arising from infections or diseases of internal organs.
Cervicalgias affecting neighboring areas 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 region or occipital region, and spread to the head.
Cervicalgias of all types can be acute or chronic. The acute phase lasts about 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 cervical spine and not allowing you to turn your head.
If the discomfort is due to neuropathic reasons, they can be central (with damage to the spinal column) or peripheral (damage to peripheral nerves).
Causes of neck pain
Conventionally, the causes of neck pain can be divided into two groups - arising from diseases of the spine or due to other factors. The former are formed against the background of intervertebral hernias, arthrosis, dysfunction of the joints, as well as 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, rheumatism.
Some of the most common causes of neck pain include:
- Myofascial syndrome.It occurs against the background of prolonged excessive tension of the neck muscles, sprains, hypothermia. They usually cause short-term painful sensations of moderate intensity, in which the mobility of the head is often limited and the muscles spasm. When pressed, soreness and induration are felt. Often, 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, which 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 leads to the fact that the whole neck hurts a lot. With age, a decrease in the hydrophilicity of cartilage leads to a decrease in the distance between the vertebrae and damage to the intervertebral joints.
- Dysfunction of the facet joints.Damage to the structure of the intervertebral joints is one of the most common reasons that the entire neck hurts. Cartilage becomes thinner on the articular surfaces. This causes the appearance of bone growths - osteophytes. They narrow the lumen of the holes between the vertebrae, causing the nerve endings to be compressed. As a rule, this is accompanied by a dull pain (gradually increasing, of low intensity) in the neck region, 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 protruded discs.As a result of squeezing the intervertebral discs, which have lost their elasticity, protrusions occur - protrusions into 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 bending, turning the head or throwing back. Therefore, a person has to instinctively tilt his head forward and to the sides opposite to the localization of pain.
- Cervical myelopathy. . . Prolonged compression of the hernia disrupts blood circulation in the spinal cord. Because of this, not only the whole neck hurts 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 of the arms and legs, and fine motor disorders. Sometimes dizziness is possible, memory deteriorates, gait changes.
- Whiplash injuries.They arise as a result of a sharp bending of the neck backward or forward, followed by a recoil in the opposite direction. Such injuries often occur during an accident, but even an ordinary fall on the back can provoke them. Trauma occurs as a result of stretching and damage to muscles, ligaments of intervertebral discs and cervical vertebrae. The most severe cases are accompanied by dislocations and fractures. The consequence of an injury can be that the entire neck and shoulders are very sore, migraines occur, muscles spasm. Among the accompanying symptoms are blurred vision, increased fatigue, and frequent attacks of headaches.
In addition, neck pain can be caused by muscle-tonic syndrome. It is a condition that causes prolonged spasm of several muscle groups in the head, chest, and neck. Compression of neuromuscular triggers leads to pulling, sometimes very intense pain. In particular, the syndrome of the scalene muscle is a symptom complex, accompanied by a violation of the innervation and blood circulation of the scalene muscles of the neck, which go from the cervical vertebrae to the 1st and 2nd ribs. This syndrome is characterized by cervical pain and stiffness, which most often appear in the morning. The head in such cases is usually tilted forward and slightly towards the tense muscle. Painful sensations can be light, aching, but sometimes sharp, intensifying at night, with deep breaths, while tilting the head to the healthy side. Sometimes it is possible to radiate pain in the shoulders, in the 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, in particular, nonspecific or tuberculous spondylitis, epidural abscesses. Metastatic lesions of the vertebrae can also be accompanied by persistent pain, which 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, curvature of posture, and strenuous exercise. Cervicalgia can occur against 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 variety of clinical cases in which cervicalgia is formed.
Neck hurts: who to contact and what to do
If the neck hurts, traditional medicine offers drug treatment with drugs of different spectrum of action. They are designed to combat 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 local anesthetics, analgesics (NSAIDs), hormonal drugs (glucocorticoids), muscle relaxants (drugs to relieve muscle tension), antioxidants, and, if necessary, antidepressants and anticonvulsants. Treatment is based on pain relievers - drugs from other groups are prescribed as concomitant drugs that enhance the effect of pain relief, relieve inflammation and swelling.
The disadvantage of drug treatment is a huge number of side effects and temporary relief of pain. In addition, such treatment is aimed only at eliminating the symptoms, but in no way directed at the root cause of the pain.
Who should be entrusted with such an important department for 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 applied, based on a combination of the following non-drug methods:
- Physiotherapy.The neck muscles are very difficult to train, therefore, when choosing exercises, experts focus on the mobility of the thoracic region, shoulder girdle, as well as the even distribution of loads on the spine. Exercise therapy doctors select 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 work out the muscles of the cervical spine. With the help of closed chain exercises, neuromuscular problems of the skeleton can be effectively managed 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 techniques of manual influence on muscles, joints, nerves, connective tissue, vessels and capillaries of the neck are used. Osteopathic medicine methods accelerate recovery, increase the effectiveness of therapeutic, prophylactic or rehabilitation measures.
- Manual therapy.It effectively removes tension from the neck. Specialists gently affect biologically active points, eliminate subluxations, displacements, carry out 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 get rid of discomfort. An integrated approach includes the joint well-coordinated work of different specialists - rehabilitologists, neurologists, traumatologists, orthopedists, psychologists. They all follow the common goal of relieving the patient's pain. An individual approach to everyone is important, a combination of osteopathic and physiotherapeutic procedures and even work on the deep, mental reasons for the fact that the whole neck hurts a lot.