Neck pain is a common problem that worries many people. The symptom may be accompanied by limited mobility in the cervical spine, muscle tension and headache. There are many causes of neck pain. A thorough diagnosis is required to select the appropriate treatment.
In this article, we will tell you what to do if your neck hurts a lot, what can cause the pain and how to prevent it. Clinic doctors have extensive experience in treating neck pain of various origins. Comprehensive therapy is selected individually, taking into account the patient's condition, causes of pain and other factors that affect the outcome of treatment.
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 can spread from the neck to the back of the head and to the fingers. Muscle weakness and stiffness in one or both arms can also be a concern.
- Nonvertebrogenic- appear due to the inflammatory process in the neck muscles. This includes pain due to thyroid disease and nearby lymph nodes. In this case, the inflammatory process can be accompanied by an increase in body temperature and aching pain.
If the discomfort does not disappear within a few days and increases with movement, it is necessary to consult a doctor. The specialist will determine the cause of neck pain and prescribe an effective treatment.
Causes of neck pain
Pain in the neck muscles can be caused by many diseases: from muscle strain 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 part of the spine, because 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 intense pain, swelling and limited mobility of the head. It occurs as a result of infectious diseases, injuries and frequent uncomfortable positions of the body.
- Cervical osteochondrosis- degenerative-dystrophic disease of the spine. The cervical spine, together with the lumbar spine, is very mobile. As a result of constant stress, the nutrition of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs is disturbed. Bone tissue grows, intervertebral discs are damaged and protrude in the form of protrusions and hernias. The pain is caused by the fact that the bulging discs compress the spinal ligaments and spinal nerve roots. The pain is very strong, sudden and can be felt only in the neck on one or both sides. They can also radiate to other areas - to the head, nape of the neck, arm, back, under the shoulder blade.
- Intervertebral hernia- an advanced form of osteochondrosis, when nerve roots are compressed. This disease is characterized by pronounced neurological manifestations: pain in the hand, reduced muscle strength and impaired sensitivity of the skin of the upper extremities.
- Spondylosis- an advanced stage of osteochondrosis, in which the edges of the vertebral bodies are overgrown with bony protrusions - osteophytes. After that, the vertebrae are fused to each other. In this case, the intervertebral discs become flattened, and in addition to pain, the patient also experiences severe limitations when moving the head.
- Rheumatoid spondylitis- autoimmune inflammatory process in the joints of the cervical spine. As a result of the dysfunction of the immune system, its cells begin to attack its own body. The disease develops gradually and spreads to the joints of the entire spine. The cervical region is rarely affected. The vertebrae are deformed and their mobility is impaired. Pain appears in the neck, stiffness of movements occurs, which gradually disappears after performing active movements. Over time, the pain intensifies and the spine becomes immobile.
- Arthrosis of the facet joints of the cervical spine- destruction of the small joints located between the arches of the neck vertebrae. In this case, the cartilaginous surfaces of two bones that are next to each other are destroyed. The distance between individual vertebrae decreases, one bone begins to rub against another, which causes pain. It often occurs after injuries or is an occupational disease, develops when working in a stationary position with the head bowed or forcibly turned. It is manifested by pain at the site of the lesion, radiation to the shoulder, and creaking when moving.
- Torticollis- congenital or acquired deformity of the neck with tilting or turning the head to one side. The disease is associated with the pathology of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, located laterally along the anterolateral surfaces of the neck on both sides. It is manifested by 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 trying to tilt the head in the opposite direction. The pain increases with physical activity and stress.
- Myofascial pain syndromeis a pain syndrome associated with the formation of local painful areas in the muscles, which are called "trigger points". It occurs due to long-term muscle tension, uneven load distribution and pinching of nerves by surrounding structures. In this case, the patient feels pain in the muscles at rest, which are intensified by physical activity, by pressing on certain points in the muscles, which feel like rather tight contractions. Pain from these points can spread to other parts of the body.
- Compression fractureis a spinal injury that causes compression of the vertebral body and damage to the spinal canal. It occurs when engaging in traumatic sports, as well as in the elderly due to the fragility of bone tissue. It can be the result of an injury to the tailbone in an accident and can be seriously life-threatening.
Rare causes of cervical spine pain include:
- Osteomyelitis- purulent inflammation affecting the bone marrow, periosteum and the bone itself. It most often occurs due to infection and the functioning of the immune system.
- Tuberculosis of the spine- a severe disease caused by Koch's bacilli that affects different parts of the spinal column, most often affecting the thoracic part. Its first symptoms may appear several years after infection.
If the discomfort and pain in the neck is accompanied by a 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;
- gastrointestinal diseases;
- foreign bodies in the throat;
- diseases of the thyroid gland;
- angina pectoris, called angina pectoris;
- soft tissue abscesses of the neck;
- diseases of the lymph nodes.
If the neck muscles hurt on the side, the cause can be not only a spasm or an injury, but also many other diseases. Clinics adhere to an evidence-based approach to diagnosis. This allows you to accurately determine the origin of symptoms and prescribe effective treatment.
Diagnostics
In most cases, neck pain is non-specific, that is, it is caused by the pathology of muscles and ligaments. Also, the 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.
In order to make a correct diagnosis and prescribe treatment, the doctor interviews the patient in detail about his symptoms, their severity, location and conditions of occurrence. It also explains the presence of chronic, hereditary diseases, injuries and medication. The specialist then performs a detailed visual examination, palpation of the neck, and assessment of neurological status, including determination of muscle strength and limb sensitivity. In order to confirm the diagnosis and exclude diseases not related to the spine, the patient is recommended to undergo a comprehensive diagnosis. This may include:
- complete blood count, blood test for inflammatory markers, thyroid hormone levels;
- x-ray of the cervical spine;
- Ultrasound with an 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 in the early stages and signs of compression of the spinal cord or nerve roots are detected.
At the appointment in the clinic, the doctor will discuss modern diagnostic methods in detail, interpret the results of the study and prescribe the appropriate treatment.
Treatment of pain in the cervical spine
How to treat acute pain in the neck, the doctor determines 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 anamnesis: chronic diseases, level of physical development, intensity of pain, age.
Complex treatment is used to alleviate severe neck pain associated with diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Therapy may include: medication, physical therapy, massage, exercise therapy.
Drug treatment- taking drugs 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, eliminating further tissue destruction.
Physiotherapy- a set of treatment methods based on the influence of natural and artificially created factors on the organism - light, water, electric current, magnetic field, mechanical and temperature effects. These techniques trigger and accelerate the body's natural recovery processes.
Physiotherapy methods that help treat the cervical spine include:
- Laser therapy is a painless procedure, helps to eliminate pain, relieve inflammation and local swelling and improves tissue regeneration.
- Magnetic therapy helps relieve pain and inflammation.
- Shock wave therapy improves spinal mobility, relaxes muscles, and also speeds up tissue recovery.
- Acupuncture is a technique of traditional Chinese medicine that can effectively and quickly relieve pain and muscle tension.
Manual therapy- treatment of diseases with hands, during which the doctor makes specific, gentle, jerking movements. Thanks to this method, the mobility of the joints and spine is restored, the muscles relax, and the pain decreases. Manual therapy is based on oriental spine treatment techniques.
Massage- one of the most famous and popular methods of treatment of osteochondrosis and other diseases of the spine. With the help of massage, you can relieve neck pain during sudden movements, relieve tension and restore the mobility of the joints of the spinal column. Massage relaxes spasmodic muscles, strengthens them and reduces pain. It is also used to prevent diseases of the cervical spine.
Healing Fitness— is prescribed individually, taking into account the type of disease and its stage. The class consists of certain techniques and special exercises that help improve joint mobility, relieve swelling, muscle tension, and then strengthen the muscle corset to prevent the progression of the disease.
Prevention
A sedentary lifestyle, prolonged work at the computer and many other factors lead to problems with the musculoskeletal system - this causes neck pain. Simple recommendations for prevention will help avoid the development of serious diseases of the cervical spine and their complications:
- Do a short warm-up every 30-40 minutes during computer breaks.
- Sleep on an orthopedic mattress and orthopedic pillow.
- Pay close attention to the ergonomics of the workplace: the chair should be comfortable with a special pillow for the neck, the computer should be at eye level or slightly higher.
- Do not talk on the phone face to face.
- Distribute the load evenly on both hands if you are carrying something heavy.
- Eat a balanced, 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 help with neck pain. It is recommended to perform exercises with an instructor, who will create a suitable training program and monitor the correctness of its execution.