Neck pain is a common symptom that every person has encountered at least once in their life. It may indicate a disease of internal organs, stretching of muscles and ligaments, or occurs against the background of hypothermia. If your neck hurts, you should seek medical attention. Only after examination and other diagnostic measures can you determine the cause of the disease and choose the right treatment.
Neck pain can occur for many different reasons. If your neck hurts, you need to see a doctor
Why do adults have neck pain?
Pain in the neck area is divided into 2 types:
- cirvicalgia - a spasm occurs in one place, is characterized by a gradual course and varying degrees of intensity;
- cervicago - manifested by unexpected pain with sudden head movements or with prolonged stay in one position.
Doctors identify the following causes of neck pain:
- Cervical osteochondrosis. The disease develops with a sedentary lifestyle and improper diet. Patients complain of pain in the neck and head from behind, tinnitus and dizziness occur, it becomes difficult to turn the neck, movements are accompanied by a crunch.
- Herniated discs. With such a pathology, the neck on the left side hurts, the disc sticks out, provoking pain in the lower back. A hernia can be cured with vacuum therapy and acupressure.
- Crick. After intense physical exertion, a person may feel acute pain in the neck. The affected area swells, it becomes impossible to turn the head, the risk of fainting increases. To alleviate the condition, the patient is given an anesthetic drug, a hot or cold compress is made, and the stretched area is massaged.
- Cervical spondylosis. A dangerous disease that often leads to disability. It is often diagnosed in athletes with trauma or in the elderly. They complain that the neck and back of the head constantly hurt, and there is discomfort when turning their head. To relieve inflammation and pain requires taking medications, physiotherapy in combination with physiotherapy exercises to restore working capacity.
- Cervical myelopathy. It develops after narrowing of the spinal cord canal. the person feels weakness and pain in the neck. His speech slows down and coordination of movements is impaired. The cause of the pathology can be a traffic accident or a fall from a height. The patient is advised to undergo physiotherapy, wear a soft neck collar and perform strengthening exercises.
- Whiplash injury. Occurs after a fall, accident or fight. It is accompanied by a sharp pain in any area of the neck. With a whiplash injury, the ligaments are damaged, which leads to the loss of the cervical lordosis and the protruding position of the head. Treatment can last from 1 month to six months.
- Cervical spine injury. A person notices that his neck constantly hurts and hematomas appear. In this case, it is necessary to wear a special collar for 3 to 6 months.
- Infectious diseases. Skin infections cause severe pain and inflammation. With rubella or sore throat, the lymph nodes in the neck expand and hurt.
- Diseases of the internal organs. If the pain syndrome occurs in the right hypochondrium, and the neck hurts on the right side, then the cause may be cholecystitis. If the neck hurts and gives off to the whiskey in the morning, then this is a symptom of hypertension. With angina pectoris and myocardial infarction, the neck and arms hurt. Neck cramps and pain in the front can signal an esophageal and thyroid disorder. Nerve damage is observed in case of poisoning with poisonous substances. With severe pain in the cervical spine, jumps in blood pressure are possible. If the neck on the right hurts and it is impossible to move it, these are signs of meningitis. With laryngitis and pharyngitis, pain can be localized both to the right and to the left.
Often, the neck hurts after sleeping due to an uncomfortable position of the body or a hard pillow.
Frequent stress and psycho-emotional stress can cause discomfort in the neck and back. Pain and tingling in your neck and shoulders will require an injection or anesthetic medication.
If the neck hurts under the jaw, then this may signal a fracture, osteomyelitis of the jaws, or dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint. With a broken lower jaw, the patient feels a strong pain syndrome, his soft facial tissues swell, it becomes painful or impossible to chew. Osteomyelitis is accompanied by an infectious and inflammatory process, fever, headache and chills.
Causes of neck pain in a child
In a child, neck pain may occur against the background of such reasons:
- Overexertion of muscles or sprains when playing sports.
- Pain after a fall or car accident.
- An uncomfortable position while sleeping or sitting at the computer.
- Meningitis: accompanied by increased irritability, headache, fever, photosensitivity, decreased appetite, nausea and vomiting. If untreated, the disease can lead to serious complications and death.
- Lyme disease. The pathology often spreads through tick bites, so it is necessary to check the neck for signs of a bite while outdoors.
Pain medications are prescribed to treat neck pain and inflammation in children. Applying a heating pad to your neck for 20 minutes will help reduce muscle spasm. Also, the child should sleep with a towel around his neck or a padded collar to prevent frequent head movement.
Diagnostics
To determine why the neck muscles hurt, the doctor conducts an examination with palpation, after which additional examination methods are used:
- radiography;
- myelography;
- neurological examination of reflexes and sensitivity;
- computed tomography of the spine;
- MRI;
- nuclear magnetic resonance.
If you suspect osteomyelitis of the jaws, you will need to consult an otolaryngologist and dentist. In addition to the X-ray, the patient must undergo a blood test to identify the source of the infection.
Drug treatment
When the neck hurts with osteochondrosis, the doctor prescribes complex therapy, including a special diet, a set of exercises, medications and preventive measures. To relieve pain and treat the disease, the following groups of drugs are used:
- Anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Antispasmodics.
- Antioxidant drugs: ascorbic acid, vitamins E and N.
- Means for improving blood circulation.
- Preparations for the prevention of degenerative changes in cartilage tissue.
Medicines can be used in various forms. In acute complications, nerve blockade will be required. There are several types of blockages: intraosseous, paravertebral, facet and epidural. All of them help relieve muscle-tonic syndrome.
In combination with drugs, it is useful to perform physiotherapy procedures. They relieve pain and increase the therapeutic effect of drugs. The most effective procedures are considered to be magnetotherapy, laser therapy and treatment with low-frequency currents. To correct posture and strengthen the ligamentous apparatus, kinesitherapy and physiotherapy exercises are prescribed. If you regularly perform exercises, then metabolic processes will normalize, the location of the vertebrae and discs will be restored, the load will be evenly distributed in the musculoskeletal system.
The principle of the diet for osteochondrosis is to add to the diet foods that contain large quantities of polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants to improve metabolic processes. Meals should be fractional, up to 6 times a day.
It is recommended to include the following products in the menu:
- lean meat and fish;
- fresh fruits and vegetables;
- dairy and fermented milk products;
- cereals;
- nuts;
- seeds;
- mushrooms;
- olive oil.
It is advisable to steam, boil or bake the dishes. You should also limit the consumption of flour products, spices, smoked meats, canned goods, saturated meat broths, confectionery and fruits with a high sugar content.
Important!It is necessary to replace strong black tea with herbal decoctions, unsweetened fruit drinks and dried fruit compotes. Limit alcohol and carbonated drinks completely.
Permanent pain often makes the patient irritable, so the doctor prescribes sedatives and antidepressants. If the neck on the left hurts, you can relieve the symptom with a warm heating pad or wrapping a scarf around your neck.
For cervical myelopathy, decongestants and anti-inflammatory drugs are used. If the nerve endings are compressed, then injections of steroid hormones will be required. When an infectious agent is detected in the body, antibiotics are included in the course of treatment.
Note!In ischemic cervical myelopathy, it is effective to use neuroprotectors and drugs that have a vasodilating effect.
If a patient is diagnosed with cervical spondylosis, then he is prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs and chondroprotectors. With intense pain, analgesics are used, with severe muscle spasms, muscle relaxants. Manual therapy and gentle massage are also indicated. With a sharp pain syndrome, blockades of the affected areas are recommended. In combination with medicines, it is useful to carry out physiotherapeutic procedures - electrophoresis with novocaine, ultrasound treatment and special complexes of physiotherapy exercises.
Complications
If the neck hurts due to osteochondrosis, then improper treatment or its absence can lead to serious complications:
- intervertebral hernia;
- kyphosis;
- protrusion of the intervertebral disc;
- radiculitis;
- salt deposits in the spine;
- spinal stroke;
- circulatory disorders;
- amyotrophy;
- paralysis of the lower extremities.
Prophylaxis
To prevent neck pain, a number of guidelines should be followed:
- Avoid hypothermia.
- Quit smoking.
- Correct weight.
- Perform physiotherapy exercises daily.
- Take a contrast shower.
- Visit the pool.
- Do not jerk weights.
- Monitor your posture.
- Warm your neck during the cold season.
- If you are in a static position for a long time, take breaks every 50 minutes and restore blood circulation with a warm-up.
- Choose an orthopedic mattress and pillow for sleeping.
- Wear comfortable shoes to reduce stress on the spine.
- Walking barefoot on uneven surfaces in summer to strengthen the muscles of the foot and relieve tension from the musculoskeletal system.
- Stick to proper nutrition.
- Take massage courses.
- Learn methods of relaxation with increased anxiety and emotionality.