Neck pain is a common problem that worries many people. The symptom can be accompanied by limited mobility of the cervical spine, muscle tension and headaches. There are many causes of neck pain. To select the appropriate treatment, a thorough diagnosis is required.
In this article, you'll learn what you can do if your neck hurts a lot, what may be causing the pain, and how you can prevent it. Clinicians have extensive experience treating neck pain of various origins. Comprehensive therapy is selected individually, taking into account the patient's condition, the causes of pain and other factors affecting the result of treatment.
Types of pain in the cervical spine
There are two types of neck pain:
- Vertebrogenic— 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 to the fingers. Muscle weakness and numbness in one or both arms can also be a problem.
- Nonvertebral- occur due to an inflammatory process in the neck muscles. This also includes pain due to diseases of the thyroid and surrounding lymph nodes. In this case, the inflammatory process may be accompanied by an increase in body temperature and aching pain.
If the symptoms do not go away within a few days and get worse with exercise, you should see 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 diseases of the spine and internal organs. Sometimes it is very difficult for the patient to independently determine the affected area - in the neck or in the upper spine - because pain is 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 head mobility. Occurs as a result of infectious diseases, injuries and frequent uncomfortable postures.
- Cervical osteochondrosis- degenerative-dystrophic disease of the spine. The cervical spine, together with the lumbar spine, is very mobile. Constant stress leads to a disruption in the nutrition of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs. Bone tissue grows, intervertebral discs become damaged and protrude in the form of protrusions and hernias. The pain occurs when bulging discs compress the ligaments of the spine and the roots of the spinal nerves. The pain is very strong, sudden and only felt on one or both sides of the neck. They can also radiate to other areas - to the head, back of the head, arm, back, under the shoulder blade.
- Intervertebral hernia- an advanced form of osteochondrosis, in which compression of the nerve roots occurs. This disease is characterized by pronounced neurological manifestations: pain in the arm, 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 bone protrusions - osteophytes. The vertebrae then fuse together. This leads to a flattening of the intervertebral discs and, in addition to the pain, the patient experiences severe restrictions on head movement.
- Rheumatoid spondylitis- Autoimmune inflammatory process in the joints of the cervical spine. As a result of a dysfunction of the immune system, its cells begin to attack your own body. The disease develops gradually and spreads to the joints of the entire spine. The neck region is rarely affected. The vertebrae are deformed and their mobility is limited. Pain appears in the neck, stiffness of movements occurs, which gradually disappears after performing active movements. Over time, the pain increases and the spine becomes immobile.
- Osteoarthritis of the facet joints of the cervical spine- Destruction of small joints between the arches of the cervical vertebrae. The cartilage surfaces of two neighboring bones are destroyed. The distance between individual vertebrae decreases and one bone begins to rub against another, causing pain. It often occurs after injuries or is an occupational disease and occurs when working at a standstill with the head lowered or violently turned. It is manifested by pain at the site of the lesion, radiating to the shoulder and crunching when moving.
- Torticollis– congenital or acquired neck deformity with side tilt or rotation of the head. The disease is associated with pathology of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, which is located laterally along the anterolateral surfaces of the neck on both sides. It is manifested by a tilt of the head and a hunched 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. 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". It arises from prolonged muscle tension, uneven load distribution and the pinching of nerves by surrounding structures. In this case, the patient feels pain in the resting muscles, which increase during physical activity and press on certain points of the muscles, which feel like quite hard compactions. Pain originating from these points can spread to other areas of the body.
- Compression fractureis a spinal injury that causes compression of the vertebral body and damage to the spinal canal. Occurs during traumatic sports, as well as in the elderly due to the fragility of bone tissue. Can result from whiplash 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. Most often it occurs due to infection and immune system function.
- Spinal tuberculosis- a serious disease caused by Koch bacilli that affects various parts of the spine, most commonly the thoracic region. The 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 the neck organs;
- gastrointestinal diseases;
- Foreign body in throat;
- thyroid diseases;
- Angina pectoris, also 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 cause can be not only a spasm or injury, but also many other diseases. Clinics take an evidence-based approach to diagnosis. This allows you to accurately determine the origin of the symptom and prescribe effective treatment.
diagnosis
In most cases, neck pain is nonspecific, that is, it is caused by pathologies of the muscles and ligaments. In addition, a pain syndrome often arises as a result of degenerative changes in the cervical spine - osteochondrosis. Therefore, you must first contact a neurologist or vertebrologist.
To make a correct diagnosis and prescribe treatment, the doctor questions the patient in detail about his symptoms, their severity, location and conditions of occurrence. In addition, the presence of chronic, hereditary diseases, injuries and medications taken are clarified. The specialist then conducts a thorough visual examination, palpation of the neck and an assessment of the neurological status, including determining muscle strength and sensitivity in the extremities. In order to confirm the diagnosis and rule out diseases that do not affect 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 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 detected in the early stages and signs of compression of the spinal cord or nerve roots are detected.
At the clinic appointment, 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 the treatment of 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.
To relieve severe neck pain associated with diseases of the musculoskeletal system, complex treatment is used. Therapy may include: medications, physiotherapy, massage, exercise therapy.
Medication- Taking medications containing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants and, in some cases, corticosteroids. The main goal of drug treatment is to reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and prevent further tissue destruction.
physical therapy- a set of treatment methods based on the influence on the body of natural and artificially created factors – light, water, electric current, magnetic field, mechanical and temperature effects. These techniques start and accelerate the body's natural recovery processes.
Physiotherapy methods that help treat the cervical spine include:
- Laser therapy is a painless procedure; it helps eliminate pain, relieve inflammation and local swelling and improve tissue regeneration.
- Magnetic therapy relieves pain and inflammation.
- Shock wave therapy improves the mobility of the spine, relaxes the muscles and also accelerates tissue regeneration.
- Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that can effectively and quickly relieve pain and muscle tension.
Manual therapy- Treating an illness with the hands, in which the doctor makes certain, gentle, jerky movements. Thanks to this method, mobility of the joints and spine is restored, the muscles are relaxed and pain is relieved. Manual therapy is based on oriental techniques for treating the spine.
massage- one of the most famous and popular methods of treating osteochondrosis and other diseases of the spine. With the help of massage, you can relieve neck pain during sudden movements, relieve tension and restore mobility of the joints of the spine. The massage relaxes tense muscles, strengthens them and relieves 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 course consists of certain techniques and special exercises that help improve joint mobility, relieve swelling and 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 leads to neck pain. Simple recommendations for prevention will help avoid the development of serious diseases of the cervical spine and their complications:
- During breaks from work at the computer, do a short warm-up every 30-40 minutes.
- Sleep on an orthopedic mattress and orthopedic pillow.
- Pay special attention to the ergonomics of the workplace: the chair should be comfortable and have a special neck pillow, the computer should be placed at eye level or slightly higher.
- Don't talk on the phone with your cheek on your shoulder.
- When carrying something heavy, distribute the load evenly between both hands.
- Eat a balanced and varied diet and include plenty of vegetables and fruit in your diet.
- Move more, give your body enough activity.
Regular yoga classes and swimming in the pool help relieve neck pain. It is recommended to carry out the exercises with a trainer who will create an appropriate training program and monitor its correct implementation.