Neck pain is a common problem that affects 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 comprehensive diagnosis is necessary to choose 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. Complex 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:
- Vertebrogenic— 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 numbness in one or both arms can also be a concern.
- Non-vertebrogenic- appears due to the inflammatory process in the neck muscles. It also includes pain due to diseases of the thyroid gland and nearby lymph nodes. In this case, the inflammatory process can be accompanied by an increase in body temperature and painful pain.
If the discomfort does not go away within a few days and worsens 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 upper spine, because pain can be felt all over the neck.
The most common causes of acute pain are:
- Myositis- inflammation of one or more neck muscles, accompanied by severe pain, swelling and limited head mobility. It occurs as a result of infectious diseases, injuries and often uncomfortable body positions.
- Cervical osteochondrosis- degenerative-dystrophic disease of the spine. The cervical spine, along with the lower back, is very mobile. As a result of constant stress, nutrition of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs is disturbed. Bone tissue grows, intervertebral discs are damaged and come out in the form of protrusions and tears. The pain is due to the bulging discs compressing the spinal ligaments and spinal nerve roots. The pain is very strong, sudden and can be felt only on one or both sides of the neck. They can also radiate to other areas - the head, back of the head, arm, back, under the shoulder blade.
- Intervertebral hernia- an advanced form of osteochondrosis, when compression of nerve roots occurs. This disease is characterized by obvious neurological manifestations: pain in the arm, 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 covered with bone protrusions - osteophytes. Later, the vertebrae are fused together. In this case, the intervertebral discs are aligned and, in addition to pain, the patient experiences severe limitations when moving his 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 their own body. The disease develops gradually and spreads to the joints of the entire spine. The cervical region is rarely affected. 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 cervical vertebrae. At this time, 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 after injuries or is an occupational disease; develops when working in a stationary position with the head bent or forcibly rotated. The pain at the site of the lesion spreads to the shoulders and manifests itself as a crunch when moving.
- Torticollis– congenital or acquired deformation 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 manifests itself as a raised shoulder on the affected side, accompanied by pain in the neck and back of the head when tilting the head and trying to bend 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". Prolonged muscle tension occurs due to uneven distribution of load and compression of nerves by surrounding structures. In this case, the patient experiences pain in the muscles at rest, which is intensified by physical activity, pressing on certain points of the muscles, it feels like a rather hard compression. Pain from these points can spread to other areas of the body.
- Compression fractureis a spinal cord injury, in which compression of the vertebral body and damage to the spinal canal occurs. It occurs when engaging in traumatic sports, as well as in elderly people due to the fragility of bone tissue. In the event of an accident, whiplash can occur as a result of injury and pose a serious threat to life.
Rare causes of pain in the cervical spine are:
- Osteomyelitis- purulent inflammation affecting bone marrow, periosteum and bone itself. It often occurs due to infection and immune system dysfunction.
- Spinal tuberculosis- A serious disease caused by Koch's bacillus that affects different parts of the spine, most commonly the chest region. Its first symptoms may appear several years after infection.
If discomfort and pain in the neck is accompanied by a sore throat, fever and weakness, this may indicate the development of a viral infection, laryngitis and other colds.
Neck pain can also be a manifestation of:
- benign and malignant tumors of neck organs;
- gastrointestinal diseases;
- foreign bodies in the throat;
- thyroid diseases;
- angina pectoris called angina pectoris;
- abscesses of the soft tissues of the neck;
- diseases of the lymph nodes.
If the neck muscles hurt on the sides, the reason may be not only spasm or injury, but also many other diseases. Clinics follow an evidence-based approach to diagnosis. This allows you to accurately determine the origin of the symptom 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, 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 has a detailed conversation with the patient about his symptoms, their severity, location and conditions of occurrence. It also clarifies the presence of chronic, hereditary diseases, injuries and medications taken. The specialist then performs a neurological assessment, including a thorough visual examination, palpation of the neck, and determination of muscle strength and sensation in the extremities. 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 tests for markers of inflammation, 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.
At the reception of the clinic, the doctor will talk in detail about modern diagnostic methods, interpret the results of the research 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 diseases, level of physical development, pain intensity, age.
Complex treatment is used to eliminate severe neck pain associated with diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Therapy may include: drug therapy, physical therapy, massage, exercise therapy.
Drug treatment- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, and in some cases corticosteroids are used. The main goal of drug treatment is to reduce inflammation and relieve pain, to eliminate the subsequent destruction of tissues.
Physiotherapy- a set of treatment methods based on the effect of natural and artificial factors - light, water, electric current, magnetic field, mechanical and temperature effects on the body. These methods activate and accelerate the body's natural recovery processes.
Physiotherapy methods that help in the treatment of the cervical spine include:
- Laser therapy is a painless procedure, helps to get rid of pain, eliminate inflammation and local swelling, improves tissue recovery.
- Magnetic therapy helps relieve pain and inflammation.
- Shock wave therapy improves the mobility of the spine, relaxes the muscles, and also accelerates tissue regeneration.
- Acupuncture is a method of traditional Chinese medicine that can effectively and quickly relieve pain and muscle tension.
Manual therapy- manual treatment of the disease in which the doctor makes certain, gentle, bending 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 methods for the treatment of the spine.
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 movement, relieve tension and restore mobility of the joints of the spine. Massage relaxes spasmodic muscles, strengthens them and reduces pain. It is also used to prevent diseases of the cervical spine.
Therapeutic Fitness— determined individually, taking into account the type and stage of the disease. The class consists of certain techniques and special exercises that help to improve joint mobility, relieve swelling, muscle tension, and then strengthen the muscle corset to prevent the development of the disease.
Prevention
A sedentary lifestyle, long hours of work at the computer and many other factors cause problems with the musculoskeletal system - this causes neck pain. Simple recommendations for prevention will help prevent the development of serious diseases of the cervical spine and their complications:
- Do a short warm-up every 30-40 minutes during breaks while working at the computer.
- Sleep on an orthopedic mattress and orthopedic pillow.
- Pay great attention to the ergonomics of the workplace: the chair should be comfortable with a special pillow for the neck, the computer should be placed at eye level or slightly above.
- Don't talk on the phone with your cheek on your shoulder.
- If you are carrying something heavy, distribute the load equally between both hands.
- Eat a balanced, varied diet, including plenty 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 the exercises with an instructor who designs a suitable training program and monitors the correctness of its implementation.