Neck pain is an unpleasant problem that can significantly ruin 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 was discovered, will help you forget about this unpleasant symptom.
Why does your neck hurt?
The etiopathogenesis (mechanism of development) of pain is divided into three main groups:
- somatogenic.This includes pain due to injury and inflammation, ischemic processes and mechanical tissue damage.
- neurogenic.It 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, which leads to pain.
The pain can be acute or chronic.If your neck pain is sharp, it is most likely a normal reaction to an injury.In order for the pain to stop, it is necessary to wait for the complete healing of the tissues or to accelerate this process.Chronic pain has a different mechanism of development: damage occurs constantly and maladaptation occurs.The body cannot cope with the harmful 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 through 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 the 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.Furthermore, the cause could be a prolonged contraction of the muscle fibers.
- artrogenic.The damage occurs in the joints that connect the vertebrae.The distance between the structural elements of the spine decreases, constant mutual damage occurs, which causes pain.
- discogenic.It 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.This can be a destructive process or a voluminous neoplasm influenced from the outside.
- neuropathic.The neck hurts due to compression of a nerve root or ending.The reasons may be a bulky neoplasm, 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.
Below we will look at the individual causes of pain, but for now, familiarize yourself with the risk factors that can cause this symptom:
- incorrect position during work;
- 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;
- altered drinking regime;
- frequent stress;
- bad habits (drinking alcohol, 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 hernias are formed.The condition 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 impaired consciousness occur.Pain may occur in the arms, back of the head, and the area between the shoulder blades.Your joints may creak when you turn your head and you may feel numbness.
The pain associated with this disease is chronic and painful.It can reach such an intensity that it makes it difficult to sleep.In the initial stages, the process can be easily corrected, but the more the pathology progresses, the more difficult it will be to correct it.
Osteoarthritis of the cervical spine
The disease is destructive in nature: intervertebral joints are destroyed, their structure is disrupted, and excessive growth 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 impaired hearing and vision, a person becomes more tired, experiences memory loss and distraction.Lack of effective treatment can lead to complications and disability.
Herniated discs
The pathology begins with the swelling of the contents of the disc, and then goes beyond its normal anatomical position.Even a slight shift 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 remains and, over time, recurs.
Neck muscle strain
Almost everyone has encountered this problem: prolonged tension in the cervical spine or intense training after some time is reflected in severe muscle pain.The pain occurs acutely and often begins to bother you after sleep.swelling and swelling are noticeable on the injured side of the neck.It becomes difficult to turn the head, the patient tries to give the head the most comfortable position so as not to feel pain.The pain will disappear on its own, you just need to give the damaged area rest.To alleviate the situation, consult a doctor: he may recommend a compress or ointment with an analgesic.
Spondylosis
The disease is a complication of osteochondrosis, which cannot be cured.The disease is serious and can lead to limitation of a person's 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 the collar area.Sometimes the neck hurts throbbingly, accompanied by stiffness and difficulty turning the head.
To eliminate the disease requires complex treatment that combines the effect on the cause and individual symptoms of the disease.
Cervical myelopathy
In this case the patient experiences neck pain due to narrowing of the spinal canal.To recognize the pathology in time, you need to pay attention to the following symptoms: the patient feels weakness, numbness and tingling in the limbs.The condition is accompanied by impaired speech, coordination and balance.The gait becomes unstable, the position of the body in space is disturbed.If you have recently suffered an injury, fall, or car accident, it is most likely myelopathy.
Whiplash
In this case, the neck hurts due to soft tissue damage.The mechanism of onset is strong flexion and subsequent extension.The patient usually feels pain after a fall or struggle.An injury can be recognized by the following signs: the head protrudes slightly forward and the physiological curves of the cervical spine are interrupted.
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 severely limited, soft tissues swell, hematomas and bruises appear.
Infectious diseases
The inflammatory response, which is a response to an infectious disease, leads to acute pain.The mechanism of development is the enlargement of the lymph nodes.lymphatic vessels that put pressure on the muscles and lead to their spasm.This condition is observed with sore throat and rubella.
An infectious disease for which neck pain is the main symptom is meningitis.The pathology is accompanied by tension in the muscles of the back of the head, the patient cannot bend his head and is in an unnaturally extended position.
Diseases of the internal organs
Some internal organ conditions can lead to pain that radiates to the neck.This is facilitated by the peculiarities of innervation and reflex mechanisms.Then, pain in the gallbladder, esophagus and heart can radiate to the neck.Additionally, pain is observed with pathologies of the thyroid, larynx and pharynx.
Some pathologies can occur normally and are easily treatable.But sometimes the neck hurts due to serious pathologies that require emergency treatment.
Other reasons
The neck may hurt after the patient has been exposed to drafts or has gotten very cold.This leads to muscle spasm, which is accompanied by pain.It also happens that a person simply "lies down" while 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 acute pain and limitation of movement, also known as “cervical low back pain”.
- cervicalgia.Neck pain due to diseases of the internal organs, spine and other causes.You can divide pain by 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.He suggested identifying the following types of pain, depending on the stage:
Phase 1
Short-term cervical pain, which resolves on its own after some time or after a lifestyle change.There are no symptoms indicating structural damage.No additional diagnostic and therapeutic methods are needed.
Phase 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 with lifestyle changes and some exercise.
Phase 3
Neurological symptoms appear, further diagnosis and comprehensive treatment are required.
Phase 4
Signs of organic lesions appear.The patient is disturbed by intense and severe pain, which corresponds to tumors, myelopathies or systemic pathologies.Comprehensive, high-quality diagnostics and specialized treatment are needed.
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 phase of the process and its nature.The attending physician can determine the tactics after a comprehensive examination and additional diagnostic methods.
The beginning of any treatment is a change in the way of life.This depends only on the patient and determines the success of other therapeutic procedures.
These methods also apply to preventive measures to prevent neck pain:
- gymnastics and warming up for the neck muscles, which relieves muscle tension;
- general strengthening of the back muscle corset;
- correct position at the table, during work and rest;
- if you have a sedentary job, get up periodically and do simple exercises;
- place a pillow under your lower back during prolonged sitting;
- Adjust the position of the monitor so as not to strain your neck.This applies to both the computer and the phone;
- if you often talk on the phone, use a headset or speakerphone;
- when working with documents, use a stand so that the documents are at eye level;
- Pay attention to your bed: give preference to an orthopedic mattress and pillow.
- always use the seat belt when traveling: this prevents injuries and strains of the neck muscles;
- Make sure your diet is balanced and rational.In addition to the normal combination of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, food should contain trace elements, minerals and vitamins;
- drink enough clean water, as well as tea, coffee and juice;
- avoid stress or learn to react correctly to it;
- give up nicotine and other bad habits.
Pain treatment should be comprehensive, affecting not only the symptoms, but also the cause of development.If your neck hurts, conservative methods, medications and physiotherapy are used.In severe stages of some conditions, surgical treatment is recommended.
Medicines used to treat pain:
- nonsteroidal drugs relieve inflammation, swelling and pain;
- ointments to reduce pain;
- muscle relaxants;
- glucocorticosteroids;
- vitamin injections.
Physiotherapeutic methods are also effective for neck pain.You must first consult your doctor, because these methods are used depending on the stage of the process.
The following methods are considered effective:
- massage;
- physical therapy;
- acupuncture;
- medicinal baths;
- healing shower;
- mud therapy.
Treatment of neck pain must be timely and of high quality: only then can you count on success and elimination of pain.