Neck pain is a common problem that worries many people. The symptom may be accompanied by limited mobility of the cervical spine, muscle tension and headaches. There are many causes of neck pain. A thorough diagnosis is necessary to select the appropriate treatment.
In this article we will tell you what to do if your neck hurts very much, what can be the cause of the pain and how to prevent it. Clinical physicians have extensive experience in the treatment of neck pain of various origins. Comprehensive therapy is selected individually, taking into account the patient's condition, the causes of pain and other factors influencing the treatment result.
Types of pain in the cervical spine
There are two types of neck pain:
- Vertebrogen— occur with damage to the intervertebral discs, compression of the spinal cord and spinal roots. The pain may spread from the neck to the back of the head and to the fingers. Muscle weakness and numbness in one or both arms may also be a concern.
- Non-vertebrogenic- appear due to an inflammatory process in the neck muscles. This also includes pain due to diseases of the thyroid gland and nearby lymph nodes. In this case, the inflammatory process may be accompanied by an increase in body temperature and aching pain.
If the discomfort does not disappear after a few days and intensifies with movement, you should consult a doctor. A specialist will determine the cause of neck pain and prescribe effective treatment.
Causes of neck pain
Pain in the neck muscles can be caused by many diseases: from muscle tension to serious pathologies of the spine and internal organs. Sometimes it is very difficult for the patient to independently determine the affected area - in the throat or in the upper spine, since the pain can be felt on all sides of the neck.
The most common causes of acute pain:
- Myositis- inflammation of one or more neck muscles, accompanied by severe pain, swelling and limited mobility of the head. Occurs as a result of infectious diseases, injuries and frequent uncomfortable body positions.
- Cervical osteochondrosis- degenerative-dystrophic disease of the spine. The cervical spine, like the lumbar spine, is very mobile. Due to constant stress, the nutrition of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs is disrupted. Bone tissue grows, intervertebral discs are damaged and protrude in the form of protrusions and hernias. The pain is caused by bulging discs compressing the spinal ligaments and spinal nerve roots. The pain is very strong, sudden and may only be felt in the neck on one or both sides. They can also radiate to other areas - to the head, back of the head, arms, back, under the shoulder blade.
- Intervertebral hernia- an advanced form of osteochondrosis, when compression of the nerve roots occurs. This disease is characterized by pronounced neurological manifestations: arm pain, decreased muscle strength and impaired sensitivity of the skin of the upper limbs.
- Spondylosis- an advanced stage of osteochondrosis, in which the edges of the vertebral bodies are invaded by bony protrusions - osteophytes. Subsequently, the vertebrae fuse with each other. In this case, the intervertebral discs are flattened and, in addition to pain, the patient experiences strong restrictions when moving his head.
- Rheumatoid spondylitis- autoimmune inflammatory process in the joints of the cervical spine. Due to a malfunction of the immune system, its cells begin to attack their own body. The disease develops gradually and spreads to all joints throughout the spine. The cervical region is rarely affected. The vertebrae are deformed and their mobility is impaired. Pain in the neck appears, stiffness of movements appears, which gradually disappears after performing active movements. Over time, the pain intensifies and the spine becomes immobile.
- Osteoarthritis of the facet joints of the cervical spine- destruction of the small joints located between the arches of the cervical vertebrae. In this case, the cartilaginous surfaces of two adjacent bones are destroyed. The distance between individual vertebrae decreases, one bone begins to rub against another, which causes pain. It often occurs following an accident or occupational illness; it develops during stationary work with the head tilted or forcibly turned. It manifests itself as pain at the site of the lesion, radiating to the shoulder and cracking during movement.
- Torticollis– congenital or acquired deformity of the neck with tilt or rotation of the head to one side. The disease is associated with pathology of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, located laterally along the anterolateral surfaces of the neck on both sides. It manifests as a tilt of the head and a raised shoulder on the affected side, accompanied by pain in the neck and back of the head when attempting to tilt the head in the opposite direction. Pain increases with physical activity and stress.
- Myofascial pain syndromeis a pain syndrome associated with the formation of local painful areas in the muscle, called "trigger points". This occurs due to prolonged muscle tension, uneven load distribution and pinching of the nerves by surrounding structures. In this case, the patient feels pain in the muscles at rest, which intensifies with physical activity, pressing on certain points of the muscles, which resemble quite hard compactions. Pain from these points can spread to other areas of the body.
- Compression fractureis a spinal injury in which compression of the vertebral body and damage to the spinal canal occurs. Occurs when playing traumatic sports, as well as in elderly people due to the fragility of bone tissue. May result from whiplash in an accident and can be seriously life threatening.
Rare causes of pain in the cervical spine include:
- Osteomyelitis- a purulent inflammation which affects the bone marrow, the periosteum and the bone itself. Most often this is due to infection and the functioning of the immune system.
- Spinal tuberculosis- a serious disease caused by Koch's bacilli and affecting various parts of the spine, most often affecting the thoracic region. Its first symptoms can appear several years after infection.
If discomfort and pain in the neck are accompanied by sore throat, fever and weakness, this may signal the development of a viral infection, laryngitis and other colds.
Neck pain can also be a manifestation of:
- benign and malignant tumors of the neck organs;
- gastrointestinal diseases;
- foreign bodies in the throat;
- thyroid diseases;
- angina, called angina pectoris;
- soft tissue abscess of the neck;
- lymph node diseases.
If the neck muscles on the sides hurt, the cause can be not only a spasm or injury, but also many other diseases. The clinics adhere to an evidence-based diagnostic approach. This allows you to accurately determine the origin of the symptom and prescribe effective treatment.
Diagnostic
In most cases, neck pain is nonspecific, that is, it is caused by pathology of the muscles and ligaments. In addition, pain syndrome often develops as a result of degenerative changes in the cervical spine - osteochondrosis. Therefore, first of all, you should contact a neurologist or vertebrologist.
To make a correct diagnosis and prescribe treatment, the doctor questions the patient in detail about their symptoms, their severity, their location and the conditions of their appearance. It also clarifies the presence of chronic and hereditary diseases, injuries and medications taken. The specialist then conducts a thorough visual examination, palpation of the neck and assessment of the neurological status, including determining muscle strength and sensitivity of the extremities. To confirm the diagnosis and exclude diseases not related to the spine, the patient is recommended to undergo comprehensive diagnostics. This may include:
- complete blood count, blood test for markers of inflammation levels, thyroid hormone levels;
- X-ray of the cervical spine;
- Ultrasound with examination of the condition of blood vessels;
- electroneuromyography;
- MRI, CT.
The most informative method is MRI. With its help, pathological diseases of the spine are identified at an early stage and signs of compression of the spinal cord or nerve roots are detected.
During the appointment at the clinic, the doctor will talk in detail about modern diagnostic methods, interpret the results of the study and prescribe the appropriate treatment.
Treatment of pain in the cervical spine
The doctor determines how to treat acute neck pain individually for each patient, taking into account all the characteristics of the body and the course of the disease.
People with the same diagnosis may be prescribed different treatments because they have different medical histories: chronic illnesses, level of physical development, intensity of pain, age.
To relieve severe neck pain associated with diseases of the musculoskeletal system, complex treatment is used. Therapy may include: medications, physical therapy, massage, exercise therapy.
Medical treatment- taking medications containing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, in some cases corticosteroids are used. The main goal of drug treatment is to reduce inflammation and relieve pain, thereby eliminating further tissue destruction.
Physiotherapy- a set of treatment methods based on the influence of natural and artificially created factors on the body - light, water, electric current, magnetic field, mechanical and thermal effects. These techniques initiate and accelerate the body's natural recovery processes.
Physiotherapeutic methods that help in the treatment of the cervical spine include:
- Laser therapy is a painless procedure; it helps eliminate pain, relieve local inflammation and swelling and improves tissue regeneration.
- Magnetic therapy helps relieve pain and inflammation.
- Shock wave therapy improves spinal mobility, relaxes muscles and also accelerates tissue recovery.
- Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that provides effective and rapid relief of pain and muscle tension.
Manual therapy- treatment of a disease with the hands, in which the doctor performs certain gentle jerky movements. Thanks to this method, mobility of the joints and spine is restored, muscles are relaxed and pain is reduced. Manual therapy is based on oriental spinal treatment techniques.
Massage- one of the best-known and most popular methods of treating osteochondrosis and other diseases of the spine. With the help of massages, you can relieve neck pain during sudden movements, relieve tension and restore mobility to the joints of the spine. Massage relaxes spasmed muscles, strengthens them and reduces pain. It is also used to prevent cervical spine diseases.
Healing Fitness— is prescribed individually, taking into account the type of disease and its stage. The course includes some special techniques and exercises that help improve joint mobility, relieve swelling, muscle tension, and then strengthen the muscle corset to prevent progression of the disease.
Prevention
A sedentary lifestyle, prolonged work at a computer and many other factors lead to problems with the musculoskeletal system, which causes neck pain. Simple prevention recommendations will help avoid the development of serious diseases of the cervical spine and their complications:
- Perform a short warm-up every 30-40 minutes during breaks from working on the computer.
- Sleep on an orthopedic mattress and an orthopedic pillow.
- Pay great attention to the ergonomics of the workplace: the chair should be comfortable with a special neck cushion, the computer should be placed at eye level or slightly higher.
- Don't talk on the phone with your cheek against your shoulder.
- Distribute the load evenly across both hands if you are carrying something heavy.
- Eat a balanced and varied diet, include a large amount of vegetables and fruits in your diet.
- Move more, give your body enough activity.
Regular yoga classes and swimming in the pool relieve neck pain. It is recommended to carry out the exercises with an instructor, who will draw up a suitable training program and monitor the correctness of its implementation.