Everyone experienced severe pain in the neck. For this it is not necessary that there are accidents or anomalies in the structure of the vertebrae. Improper organization of the workplace, a sedentary lifestyle, intense physical activity - all this can cause acute pain. With age, the manifestations of osteochondrosis can become complicated, and diseases of 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 may radiate to the head (mainly at the back of the head), chest or shoulders. Such phenomena are often a cervical lumbago (cervical) or intense muscle spasms. We stood in a draft, lifted a heavy one - severe neck pain can last for 5-10 days, but then they go away. If the pain periodmore than 10 days, then 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 with it should be treated with caution. The musculoskeletal cavity of the neck contains the thyroid gland, pharynx, the beginning of the esophagus, the larynx and the upper part of the tracheaNeck muscles participate 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 cause and prevent many more serious problems. needed.
The doctor 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 results in cervical spine treatmentMay not be needed at all. You should also be prepared for exercise to be a part of your daily life.
Severe pain in the cervical spine is a very important and practically important problem in neurology. Its importance is determined by the following factors:
- Neck pain with osteochondrosis is the most common pathology caused by non-infection.
- Painful sensations in the neck are prone to a chronic course with diarrhoea. Repeated acute pain may result in temporary or even permanent disability.
These factors determine the importance of receiving medical care in a timely manner. If you experience any discomfort or pain, you should immediately go to a specialist. Self-treatment in such cases is unacceptable, as it can lead to serious complicationsMay be.
In addition, self-medication often leads to the need for surgery and causes disability in adults.
Only a doctor can competently prepare a medical regimen, which also includes pain relief.
types of neck pain
Distinguish between cervical pain (cervicalgia) and cervical lumbago (cervicago). Cervicitis are:
- superficial somatic - associated with skin damage;
- deep somatic - due to damage to the cervical muscles and vertebrae;
- Visceral - scattered, resulting from infection or diseases of internal organs.
Cervicalgia affecting neighboring areas is divided into two types:
- cervicobrachialgia - syndrome of the cervix with pain from the neck to the shoulders;
- Cervical pain - The pain sensation starts directly in the cervical region or occipital region, and spreads to the head.
All types of cervicalgia can be acute or chronic. The acute phase lasts about 10 days, but without proper treatment it can become chronic. Chronic pain is thought to last for more than three months.
Cervicago is always a feeling of intense pain that is localized in the cervical spine and does not allow you to turn your head.
If the discomfort is due to neuropathic causes, they may be central (with damage to the spinal column) or peripheral (damage to the peripheral nerves).
causes of neck pain
Traditionally, the causes of neck pain can be divided into two groups - arising from diseases of the spine or due to other factors. Prior intervertebral hernias, arthrosis, joint dysfunction, as well as the background of subluxation of the vertebrae (whiplashThe 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 head movement is often limited and muscle spasms occur. When pressed, pain and sensation are felt. 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, resulting from deformation and destruction of the intervertebral discs. As a result of loss of elasticity, compression and destruction of the discs, the facial joints become overloaded, arthrosis occurs, and nervesThe roots are pinched. This leads to the fact that the whole neck is very painful. 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.
- facet joints laxity.Damage to the structure of the intervertebral joints is one of the most common reasons that the entire neck hurts. The cartilage on the articular surfaces becomes thinner. This causes the appearance of bone growths - osteophytes. They block the lumen of the pores between the vertebrae. narrow, thereby compressing the nerve endings. As a rule, it is accompanied by a dull pain (slowly increasing, of low intensity) in the neck region, which is accompanied by sleeping in an uncomfortable position in the morningintensifies after - lying on your stomach, on a high pillow. During movement, the pain may increase, but it weakens when resting. In this case, the back of the head, ears, temples, shouldersPain is possible.
- Herniated and protruding disc.As a result of compression of the intervertebral discs, which have lost their elasticity, protrusions occur - protrusions in the spinal canal with the subsequent formation of a hernia. This leads to compression of the spinal cord, which reduces the sensitivity of the hands. Disturbing - numbness, burning, weakness, accompanied by pain. The shooting (irregular unilateral) intensifies when bending, turning the head or throwing back. Therefore, a person instinctively turns his head forward and opposite the localization of paindirection has to be tilted.
- cervical myelopathy. . . Prolonged compression of the hernia impairs blood circulation in the spinal cord. This not only causes severe pain throughout the neck. But the infringement is accompanied by pain in the area between the shoulder blades and the shoulder. Walking- These get worse during movement and do not go away even after taking painkillers. Typical symptoms of neck pain with cervical myelopathy are goosebumps, numbness of the arms and legs, and fine motor disorders. Occasional dizzinessIt is possible to come, memory deteriorates, gait changes.
- whiplash injuries.They arise as a result of a sharp bending of the back or forward of the neck, followed by retraction in the opposite direction. Such injuries often occur during an accident, but even a simple fall on the back can inflame them. Trauma musclesOccurs as a result of strain and damage to the ligaments of the intervertebral discs and cervical vertebrae. The most severe cases are accompanied by dislocations and fractures. The result of the injury can be severe pain throughout the neck and shoulders, migraines, Muscle cramps occur. Concomitant symptoms include blurred vision, increased fatigue, and frequent attacks of headache.
In addition, neck pain can be caused by muscle-tonic syndrome. This is a condition that causes prolonged spasms in several muscle groups in the head, chest, and neck. Pulling from compression of neuromuscular triggers, sometimes-There is sometimes very intense pain. In particular, the syndrome of the scalene muscle is a symptom complex, characterized by a violation of blood circulation and innervation of the scalene muscles of the neck, which run from the cervical vertebrae to the first and second ribs. This syndrome is characterized by cervicalCharacterized by pain and stiffness, which often appears in the morning. In such cases the head is usually tilted forward and slightly tilted towards the tense muscle. Painful sensations may be mild, aching, but sometimes sharp, at night with sharp, deep breaths, 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, non-specific or tuberculous spondylitis, epidural abscesses. There may also be persistent pain with metastatic lesions of the vertebrae, Which does not subside, but worsens at rest. They are characterized by increased body temperature, general weakness and sweating. The slightest pressure on the spinous processes causes attacks of local pain.
Risk factors that cause pain include flat feet, curvature of the posture and strenuous exercise. Cervicalgia can occur against a background of constant hypertrophy of the body, tremors, prolonged sedentary position (eg, with fractures).
In addition, pain can occur as a result of wearing tight and uncomfortable clothing, malnutrition and diseases of the internal organs. Taking these factors into account, we find a variety of clinical cases in which the cervix is formed.
Neck pain: whom to contact and what to do
If the neck hurts, then traditional medicine offers drug treatment with drugs of a variety of actions. They are designed to cope with pain, relieve infectious or inflammatory processes and eliminate unpleasant symptoms. SurgeryOnly in very serious 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. TreatmentBased on painkillers - drugs from other groups are prescribed as concomitant drugs that enhance the pain-relieving effect, relieve swelling and inflammation.
The disadvantage of drug treatment is a large number of side effects and temporary relief from pain. In addition, such treatment is aimed only at eliminating the symptoms, but is in no way directed at the root cause of the pain.
To whom should such an important department for the body be assigned - the neck? In case of severe pain, not a specialist is needed, but a whole team who carefully examines it, makes the correct diagnosis and prescribes therapy.
An integrated approach is applied based on a combination of the following non-drug methods:
- Physiotherapy.Neck muscles are very difficult to train, therefore, when choosing exercises, specialists focus on the mobility of the thoracic region, the shoulder girdle, as well as the uniform distribution of the load on the spine. Exercise medicine practitioners focus on shaping posture and neckLet's choose the optimal set of exercises aimed at relieving pain.
- Kinesiotherapy.Clinics use kinesitherapy systems. The installation allows you to deeply work the muscles of the cervical spine. With the help of closed chain exercises, skeletal neuromuscular problems can be effectively managed and the functionality of the department can be increased. could.
- Osteoarthritis.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. IS, treats the underlying disease. For this, palpation and manual manipulation techniques are used on the muscles, joints, nerves, connective tissue, vessels and capillaries of the neck. Methods of osteopathic medicine accelerate recovery, therapeutic, increase the effectiveness of prophylactic or rehabilitative measures.
- manual therapy.It effectively relieves tension from the neck. Experts gently affect biologically active points, eliminate subluxation, dislocation, perform manipulations aimed at relaxing the muscles of the neck, stretching the spine.
Competent selection and the right combination of medical methods helps to eliminate neck pain and get rid of discomfort. An integrated approach involves the combined well-coordinated work of various specialists - rehabilitation specialists, neurologists, traumatologists, orthopedists, psychologistsThey all follow the common goal of relieving pain for the patient. An individualized approach is important for all, a combination of osteopathic and physiotherapeutic procedures and even the fact that the whole neck hurts a lot, Works on deep, mental causes.