Neck pain is an unpleasant problem that can significantly affect your mood and quality of life.The symptom occurs in 30-40% of the population and can lead to loss of movement and disability.
Depending on the causes, treatment methods also differ.Early diagnosis and quality treatment, started after the problem is discovered, will help you forget about this unpleasant symptom.
Why does your neck hurt?
The etiopathogenesis (development mechanism) of pain is divided into three main groups:
- somatogenic.This includes pain due to injuries and inflammation, ischemic processes and mechanical damage to tissues.
- neurogenic.Occurs when the structure and function of the central and peripheral nervous systems are disrupted.
- psychogenic.In this case, psychological and social factors play a role.Emotional activity can trigger reflex muscle contraction, resulting in pain.
The pain can be acute or chronic.If your neck hurts extremely, it is probably a normal reaction to an injury.For the pain to stop, you must wait until the tissues are completely healed or speed up this process.Chronic pain has a different mechanism of development: damage constantly occurs and maladaptation occurs.The body cannot cope with the damaging factor on its own.
The causes of pain are divided into two main groups: vertebrogenic (those associated with the spine) and non-vertebrogenic.They can develop by both somatogenic and neuropathic mechanisms.in the first case, the structures of the spine and muscles are involved in the process, and in the second, the roots of spinal nerves and peripheral nerve endings.The psychogenic mechanism comes into play a little later and aggravates the current situation.
Vertebrogenic neck pain can be divided into the following subtypes:
- myogenic.Pain occurs when muscles are stretched or compressed.Also, the cause may be prolonged contraction of muscle fibers.
- arthrogenic.The damage occurs in the joints connecting the vertebrae.The distance between the structural elements of the spine decreases, constant mutual damage occurs, which causes pain.
- discogenic.Occurs when discs protrude, shift, and herniate.
- spondylogenic.The cause of pain in this case is damage to the structures of the vertebra, its tissues or processes.It can be a destructive process or a large tumor influenced from the outside.
- neuropathic.The neck hurts due to compression of a nerve root or ending.The reasons may be a large tumor, hernia or hypertrophy of individual structures.
Non-vertebrogenic neck pain is divided into:
- myofascial syndrome;
- pain caused by psychological factors;
- irradiation of pain during a pathological process to other parts of the body;
- symptoms of inflammatory processes.
We will consider individual causes of pain below, but for now, familiarize yourself with the risk factors that can cause this symptom:
- incorrect position when working;
- lack of anatomical position of the spine during sleep;
- low level of physical activity;
- too much stress on the spine;
- overweight;
- lack of a rational approach to nutrition;
- impaired drinking regime;
- frequent stress;
- bad habits (alcohol consumption, nicotine).
Causes of neck pain
Let's consider the main causes of pain and the mechanism of development of symptoms in these conditions.
Osteochondrosis
With this pathology, the connections between the joints of the spine are disrupted, disc protrusion occurs and herniations are formed.This disease occurs in those who have a hereditary predisposition and do not take care of their posture, diet and lifestyle.In addition to neck pain, a person experiences general weakness and tinnitus.Fainting and disturbances of consciousness occur.Pain may occur in the arms, back of the head, and in the area between the shoulder blades.Joints may creak when turning the head and numbness may be felt.
The pain associated with this disease is chronic and painful.It can reach such intensity that it becomes difficult to sleep.In the early stages, the process can be easily corrected, but the further the pathology progresses, the more difficult it is to correct it.
Osteoarthritis of the cervical spine
The disease is destructive in nature - the intervertebral joints are destroyed, their structure is disrupted and an overgrowth of bone tissue occurs.The neck may hurt on one side, the pain also radiates to the upper limb and chest.
Violation of blood vessels and nerve endings leads to hearing and visual impairment, a person becomes more tired, experiences memory loss and absent-mindedness.Lack of effective treatment can lead to complications and disability.
Herniated disc
The pathology begins with swelling of the contents of the disc, then exceeding its normal anatomical position.Even a slight displacement can manifest itself as a pronounced symptom.The spinal canal is narrow and all the nerve roots are very close together.As soon as a hernia begins to appear, the neck and back hurt.If the patient tries to eliminate the pain with conventional painkillers, the symptom disappears, but the problem persists and, over time, is remembered.
Neck muscle tension
Almost everyone has encountered this problem - prolonged tension in the cervical spine or intense training after a while results in severe muscle pain.The pain is sharp and often begins to bother you after sleep.swelling and swelling are visible on the injured side of the neck.It becomes difficult to turn the head, the patient tries to give his head the most comfortable position so as not to feel pain.The pain will go away on its own, you just need to give the damaged area some rest.To remedy the situation, consult a doctor: he or she may recommend a compress or ointment containing an analgesic.
Spondylosis
The disease is a complication of osteochondrosis that could not be treated.The disease is serious and can cause a person to be limited in their physical activity.In addition to osteochondrosis, spondylosis can be caused by trauma.The patient constantly feels pain, it can move to the back of the head and collar.Sometimes the neck hurts throbbing, accompanied by stiffness and difficulty turning the head.
To eliminate the disease, complex treatment is required, combining an effect on the cause and individual symptoms of the disease.
Cervical myelopathy
In this case, the patient experiences neck pain due to the narrowing of the spinal canal.In order to recognize the pathology in time, it is necessary to pay attention to the following symptoms: the patient feels weakness, numbness and tingling in the limbs.The condition is accompanied by problems with speech, coordination and balance.Gait becomes unstable, the position of the body in space is disturbed.If you have recently suffered injuries, falls or car accidents, it is probably myelopathy.
Whiplash
In this case, the neck hurts due to soft tissue damage.The mechanism of occurrence is strong flexion followed by extension.The patient usually feels pain after a fall or fight.An injury can be recognized by the following sign: the head protrudes slightly forward and the physiological curves of the cervical spine are disrupted.
Trauma
The causes of injuries are impacts, accidents and unsuccessful dives.The patient feels aching pain in the neck and back of the head.Motor activity is sharply limited, soft tissues swell, hematomas and bruises appear.
Infectious diseases
The inflammatory response, which is a response to an infectious disease, results in acute pain.The mechanism of development is lymph node enlargement.lymphatic vessels that put pressure on the muscles and lead to their spasms.This condition is seen with sore throats and rubella.
Meningitis is an infectious disease in which neck pain is the main symptom.The pathology is accompanied by tension in the muscles of the back of the head, the patient cannot bend his head and it is in an abnormally extended position.
Diseases of internal organs
Certain conditions of the internal organs can cause pain radiating to the neck.This is facilitated by the peculiarities of innervation and reflex mechanisms.So, pain in the gallbladder, esophagus and heart can radiate to the neck.Also, pain is observed in pathologies of the thyroid gland, larynx and pharynx.
Some pathologies can occur normally and are easily treatable.But sometimes the neck hurts due to serious pathologies requiring emergency care.
Other reasons
The neck may be sore after the patient has been in a draft or has become very cold.This leads to muscle spasms, accompanied by pain.It also happens that a person simply “goes to bed” by sleeping in an uncomfortable position.After prolonged work, stress or intense training, this symptom may also occur.
Types of neck pain
This symptom can be divided into the following subtypes:
- cervicago.This is a sharp pain and limitation of movement, also known as “cervical lumbago”.
- neck pain.Neck pain due to diseases of internal organs, spine and other causes.You can divide pain based on the cause, as described above.Also, the type of pain depends on its nature: acute or chronic.
There is a special commission to study neck pain.She suggested identifying the following types of pain, depending on the stage:
Step 1
Short-term neck pain, which stops after a while on its own or after a lifestyle change.There are no symptoms indicating structural damage.Additional diagnostic and treatment methods are not required.
Step 2
There are no signs of serious violations of anatomical structures, however, the patient's daily activity is impaired: it is necessary to take painkillers.The condition can be corrected through lifestyle changes and some exercise.
Step 3
Neurological symptoms appear, additional diagnostics and comprehensive treatment are required.
Step 4
Signs of organic damage appear.The patient is bothered by intense and severe pain, which corresponds to tumors, myelopathy or systemic pathology.Comprehensive, high-quality diagnostics and specialized treatment are necessary.
Basic Principles of Neck Pain Treatment
How to treat neck pain depends on the specific situation and the mechanisms of development of the disease.Furthermore, the choice of method is influenced by the stage of the process and its nature.The attending physician can determine the tactics after a comprehensive examination and additional diagnostic methods.
The start of any treatment is lifestyle modification.It depends solely on the patient and determines the success of other treatment procedures.
These methods also apply to preventative measures aimed at preventing neck pain:
- gymnastics and warming up the neck muscles, which relieve muscle tension;
- general strengthening of the back muscular corset;
- correct position at the table, during work and rest;
- if you do sedentary work, get up periodically and do simple exercises;
- place a cushion under the lower back during prolonged sitting;
- Adjust the position of the monitor so as not to strain your neck.This applies to both computer and phone;
- if you talk on the phone often, use a headset or speakerphone;
- when working with documents, use a stand so that the papers are at eye level;
- Pay attention to your bed - choose an orthopedic mattress and pillow.
- always use a seat belt when traveling - this avoids injury and strain on the neck muscles;
- Make sure your diet is balanced and rational.In addition to the normal combination of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, foods should contain trace elements, minerals and vitamins;
- drink enough clean water, in addition to tea, coffee and fruit juices;
- avoid stress or learn to react to it correctly;
- give up nicotine and other bad habits.
Pain treatment should be comprehensive, affecting not only the symptoms, but also the cause of its development.If you have neck pain, conservative methods, medications and physiotherapy are used.In severe stages of certain conditions, surgical treatment is recommended.
Medicines used to treat pain:
- non-steroidal medications relieve inflammation, swelling and pain;
- ointments to reduce pain;
- muscle relaxers;
- glucocorticosteroids;
- vitamin injections.
Physiotherapeutic methods are also effective for neck pain.You should consult your doctor first, as these methods are used depending on the stage of the process.
The following methods are considered effective:
- massages;
- exercise therapy;
- acupuncture;
- medicinal baths;
- healing shower;
- mud therapy.
Treatment of neck pain should be timely and high-quality - only then can one count on success and elimination of pain.