In medicine, neck pain is commonly called cervicalgia.According to the results of numerous screening studies, throughout the year they occur in 12-72% of people of working age.This means that the sensationsfamiliar to almost every person.In 1.7-11.5% of people, cervicalgia ultimately leads to disability.Let's find out their most common causes and methods of treatment.
Classification of cervicalgia
All pain in the neck is divided into acute and chronic.The first ones arise suddenly and have a pronounced character.They usually appear after hypothermia, heavy physical activity or heavy lifting.Chronic pain bothers a person constantly, over a long period of time.They are mild, aching in nature and worsen after prolonged sitting or sleeping in an uncomfortable position.
Depending on locationpain can be visceral, somatic superficial and deep.The first occurs due to damage to internal organs.Visceral (referred) pain may indicate a sore throat, diseases of the esophagus or pharynx, acute thyroiditis, dissection of the vertebral or carotid arteries.
Superficial somatic pain occurs in the skin due to injuries or minor scratches, while deep pain is localized in the tissues.The cause of the latter is usually muscle strain or pathology of the spinal column.
How to distinguish visceral pain from somatic pain?The first are diffuse in nature, that is, a person cannot determine their exact localization: they radiate to other parts of the body, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fever, etc.
In 2008, the Neck Pain Task Forse proposed the following:stages of cervicalgia:
- The patient has no symptoms that would indicate structural abnormalities.A person’s daily activity is not limited, and he does not require additional examination or treatment.Such cervicalgia disappears after minimal lifestyle correction.
- The person has no signs of serious structural damage to the spine or cervical organs, but his daily activities are slightly impaired.The patient sometimes needs painkillers.To prevent loss of ability to work, he needs lifestyle changes and special exercises.
- The person has no signs of serious organic damage, but there are neurological symptoms.The patient needs additional examination and comprehensive treatment of the identified pathology.
- The patient notes the appearance of signs of organic changes.He is concerned about severe pain in the neck, which most often indicates injuries, tumors, myelopathies, systemic diseases, etc. The patient requires serious examination and specialized treatment.
In the neck, pain can be central and neuropathic.Cervicalgia of central origin occurs with meningitis, acute cerebrovascular accidents, head injury, increased intracranial pressure, and intracerebral tumors.Neuropathic pain appears due to pinched spinal roots, tunnel neuropathies, traumatic nerve injuries, polyneuropathy, multiple sclerosis, etc..
Main causes of neck pain
Pain in the neck area can appear occasionally or bother a person every day.Periodic cervicalgia, occurring every few months, is most often harmless and does not indicate any pathology.They quickly pass after proper rest or the use of anesthetic ointment.
But constant aching or sudden severe pain in the neck should cause serious concern in a person.
Table 1. Main reasons
| Cause | Mechanism of development of pain syndrome | Characteristic signs of pathology |
|---|---|---|
| Hard work or training at the gym | The formation of large amounts of lactic acid in the muscles.It is this substance that causes pain | Pain occurs the next morning after intense physical activity.Unpleasant sensations intensify when moving your arms or turning your head.Goes away in a few days |
| Hypothermia | Development of neuralgia – pain in the area of innervation of the occipital nerves | Usually a person has pain under the ear, in the neck and in the back of the head.In most cases, occipital neuralgia is unilateral: pain appears on only one side |
| Psychosomatics | Formation of muscle blocks - spastic contractions of the muscles of the neck and shoulder girdle | A person has a sore neck for no apparent reason.With a full examination, doctors are unable to detect signs of damage to the spine or diseases of the internal organs |
| Pathological biomechanics of the shoulder girdle | Disruption of the normal functioning of the muscles of the upper limb girdle.Trapezius muscle strain and spasm | Mild mobility impairment in the shoulders and cervical spine.Aching pain that intensifies after prolonged sitting in the same position or performing physical work |
| Cervical osteochondrosis | The appearance of pathological changes in one or more spinal motion segments.Impaired spinal mobility, development of myofascial pain syndromes and pinching of spinal roots | Pain, paresthesia and motor disturbances in the cervical region, which spread to the back of the head and upper limbs.Detection of characteristic changes in the spine on MRI and radiographs (osteophytes, decreased distance between vertebrae, signs of damage to intervertebral joints) |
| Cervicobrachial radiculitis | Development of an inflammatory process in the nerves that form the brachial plexus | Unilateral sharp pain that radiates to the upper limb.The patient complains of a burning sensation and numbness in the hands and back of the head.Unpleasant symptoms occur after hypothermia or heavy physical work |
| Acute thyroiditis | Formation of inflammatory or purulent foci in the thyroid gland with subsequent development of pain syndrome | Sharp pain and swelling in the thyroid area.Upon palpation, you can feel an enlarged, painful, nodular thyroid gland |
| Colds and infectious diseases | Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the pharynx, larynx, trachea due to inhalation of cold air or under the influence of infectious factors | The appearance of pain and sore throat, headache, runny nose, increased body temperature.General weakness, apathy, decreased ability to work |
| Burns of the pharynx or esophagus | Exposure to the mucous membrane of chemicals, high or low temperatures with further development of the inflammatory process | Severe pain along the esophagus, which intensifies when swallowing |
| Tension headaches | Constant overstrain of the shoulder girdle muscles, frequent stress, depression | Aching diffuse pain in the head, radiating to the cervical region |
| Subarachnoid hemorrhage | Irritation of the membranes of the brain by blood spilling into the subarachnoid space | Sharp pain in the back of the head, reminiscent of a blow to the head |
| Multiple sclerosis | Damage to myelin fibers of the brain and spinal cord with further development of neurological symptoms | Sudden pain in the neck, radiating to the spine.The patient himself describes his sensations as “electric shock” |
| Tumors of the spine, lungs, neck organs | Compression of tissue, nerves or organs by a malignant neoplasm | Aching pain that persists for a long time.If you have tumors of the pharynx or esophagus, a person has difficulty swallowing food |
| Inflammation of the lymph nodes | Development of the inflammatory process in the lymph nodes in response to infection, hypothermia, etc. | Painful sensations on the sides of the neck.When palpating along the sternocleidomastoid muscle, you can feel enlarged, painful lymph nodes |
Overwork or hypothermia
If your neck hurts after training, physical activity or prolonged monotonous work, muscle strain is to blame.Intense physical activity leads to the formation of lactic acid, which causes severe pain.The discomfort completely disappears after 3-4 days.
Neck pain that radiates to the ear may occur after hypothermia.Due to the effect of low temperature, neuralgia of the occipital nerve develops.The pathology is characterized by paroxysmal, shooting, burning pain in the back of the head.The pathology can be unilateral or bilateral.
Some people often have neck pain after sleep.The reason for this may be the wrong choice of pillow.However, painful sensations may also indicate cervical osteochondrosis.Therefore, if your neck hurts after sleep, the first thing to do is change your pillow.If the pain does not disappear, you need to go to a traumatologist or vertebrologist.
Psychosomatic pain
If you constantly have neck pain for no apparent reason, it may be due to psychosomatics.Muscle blocks can occur due to suppressed emotions, stubbornness, and one-sided thinking.People with psychosomatic cervicalgia regularly experience pain and strain in the muscles of the cervical spine, but doctors cannot discover the cause of this phenomenon even after a thorough examination.
Recent scientific research has established a relationship between personality characteristics and the occurrence of vertebrogenic cervicalgia.As it turned out, increased anxiety and aggressiveness contribute to the development of cervical osteochondrosis.The discovered relationship can be used for more effective treatment of vertebrogenic pain in the shoulders and neck in people with neuroses or neurosis-like diseases.
Violation of the biomechanics of the shoulder girdle
The reason that your neck and shoulders hurt may be due to improper functioning of the muscles of the shoulder girdle.Functional weakness of the deltoid and overload of the trapezius muscles leads to the appearance of myofascial trigger points, which cause the development of pain.At first, there is soreness in the neck muscles, but over time, organic changes in the spine develop.
Improper distribution of the load on the muscles of the shoulder girdle is a common cause of cervicalgia.It is necessary to eliminate the cause of the pathologies, that is, restore normal biomechanics in the upper limb girdle.To achieve this, you need to carefully monitor your posture and perform special exercises.
Osteochondrosis of the spine and its complications
Does your neck and spine between your shoulder blades constantly hurt?This may be a signal of the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.The pathology is characterized by gradual destruction of the nuclei of the intervertebral discs with the subsequent development of protrusions, hernias, spondyloarthrosis, and cervical spondylosis.
Characteristic signs of osteochondrosis:
- pain in the neck muscles, collar area;
- numbness in the back of the head;
- limited mobility in the cervical spine;
- sensory disturbances in the upper extremities;
- slight weakness in the arms;
- tinnitus, frequent dizziness, headaches.
A person with osteochondrosis not only has pain in the spine in the neck area.Due to reflex muscle tension, he develops myofascial pain syndromes.They are characterized by the appearance of pain, paresthesia and a feeling of numbness in the muscles of the back, shoulder girdle, and upper limb.
In the initial stages, osteochondrosis is detected using MRI.Later, pathology can be diagnosed using radiography.On radiographs of the cervical spine, a decrease in the distance between the vertebrae, pathological changes in the facet joints, and osteophytosis become noticeable.
Many people complain that they cannot turn their neck due to severe pain that appears after suddenly lifting something heavy.This phenomenon indicates the formation of a herniated disc.The cause of pain in the back, neck and upper limb is pinching of one of the nerve roots emerging from the spinal cord.
Cervicobrachial radiculitis
The disease is characterized by inflammation of the spinal nerves involved in the formation of the brachial plexus.The cause of the inflammatory process may be acute intoxication, hypothermia, pinching of a nerve root by spasmodic muscles,intervertebral hernias or osteophytes.
People with sciatica experience severe pain in the neck, back of the head, shoulder and even the upper limb.Painful sensations occur acutely and have a burning character.Many people complain of a feeling of numbness in the back of the head, crawling on the arm, sensory and motor disturbances in the upper limb.
What to do if your neck hurts, it hurts to turn your head, it’s difficult to move your arm?Seek medical attention immediately.Cervicobrachial radiculitis requires serious treatment, which you cannot provide for yourself.
Thyroid diseases
Most thyroid pathologies are not accompanied by pain.And only people with acute thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid gland) have pain in the front of their neck.Patients also experience increased body temperature, chills, general weakness, body aches and other signs of intoxication.With a more thorough examination, you can feel an enlarged and painful thyroid gland.In some cases, several dense infiltrates are found in it.
Many people have neck pain after a diagnostic puncture of the thyroid gland.Unpleasant sensations persist for several days.The cause of pain is trauma to soft tissues during the procedure.
Inflammatory diseases of the cervical organs
With inflammatory diseases of the pharynx and larynx, a person often has a sore throat, and the lymph nodes in the neck become inflamed.The cause of the pathology may be hypothermia, infections, consumption of low-quality alcohol, or accidental contact with the mucous membranes of chemicals.Damage to the pharynx, larynx or esophagus is indicated by neck pain that gets worse when swallowing.
Diseases that cause neck and throat pain:
- pharyngitis;
- laryngitis;
- angina;
- diphtheria;
- infectious mononucleosis;
- scarlet fever;
- epiglottitis;
- pharynx abscess;
- chemical burn of the esophagus.
The sides of the throat and neck most often hurt when you have a cold.The causes of the disease are hypothermia, sudden inhalation of cold air or a long walk in the cold.Good rest, warm tea and a few analgesic tablets help to cope with the disease.
If you have a sore throat in the lower neck, you should suspect pharyngitis or tracheitis (inflammation of the larynx or trachea).The development of diseases is provoked by a viral infection, inhalation of hot, cold or polluted air.If the throat and back of the neck hurt, a retropharyngeal abscess is possible.The pathology is characterized by fever, difficulty swallowing, loss of appetite, general weakness and apathy.
Damage to the central or peripheral nervous system
Severe pain occurs with subarachnoid hemorrhages.The person himself describes them as a “blow to the head” and a feeling of pulsation in the back of the head.The patient develops nausea, vomiting, confusion, and meningeal signs.Neck stiffness develops approximately 6 hours after the first pain appears.
Meningitis has a similar clinical picture..A person with inflammation of the meninges has very severe neck and head pain.Painful sensations intensify with movement.During the examination, tension in the occipital muscles is detected in the patient.Because of this, a person cannot bring his chin to his chest even with outside help.At the same time, a characteristic rash appears on the patient’s body.
Neck pain can be caused by damage to the spinal cord or peripheral nerves, tumors of the central nervous system, demyelinating diseases, etc. All these diseases have a polymorphic clinical picture, and pain is one of the symptoms of the pathology.
Pain in the back and spine can be one of the early signs of multiple sclerosis, a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system.People with this pathology develop the so-called Lhermitte symptom.It is characterized by a feeling of electric shock to the back of the head that occurs when the head is tilted forward.
Malignant or benign neoplasms
Various tumors of the cervical spine, pharynx, esophagus, thyroid gland or other organs can also cause pain.Pain can also occur in people with Pancoast cancer, a malignant neoplasm located subpleurally in the apex of the lung.
Muscle damage
In some cases, the lateral neck muscles hurt in people with myositis, polymyalgia, and fibromyalgia.These diseases are characterized by damage to skeletal muscles of any location.If a person notices tenderness in the muscles of the neck on the side for no apparent reason, he may have one of these diseases.
If you have sore muscles in the front of your neck near your larynx, think about whether you recently had to shout loudly, sing loudly, or talk for a long time.Then the cause of the discomfort is overstrain of the vocal cords.
Other possible causes of cervicalgia
Pain on the left side of the chest and collarbone, extending into the neck, usually indicates heart disease.In persons with a similar pain syndrome, angina pectoris, arrhythmias, heart failure or heart attack are detected.
The sides of the neck may hurt in people with caries, diseases of the oropharynx or nasopharynx.Unpleasant sensations can occur with tonsillitis - inflammation of the tonsils.If pain is noted in the shoulders near the neck, this may be a consequence of scoliosis of the cervical and/or thoracic spine.
Why do the lymph nodes in the neck hurt?
The cervical lymph nodes are located on the sides of the neck, along the sternocleidomastoid muscle.Normally they are small in size and can be difficult to feel.However, in some cases, the lymph nodes in the neck may become enlarged and painful.This phenomenon should be alarming, since it can indicate serious illnesses and even malignant tumors.
Most often, pain in the lymph nodes in the neck occurs due to their inflammation (lymphadenitis).Pathology develops against the background of tonsillitis, rhinitis or acute respiratory viral infection.The reason may be their damage by metastases of tumors of the pharynx, esophagus, lungs or other organs.
Signs of cervical lymphadenitis:
- enlarged lymph nodes.In some cases, their size can increase to 2-3 or more centimeters;
- the appearance of hyperemia and edema.Lymphadenitis is usually accompanied by redness of the skin and swelling in the area of the inflamed lymph nodes;
- painful sensations.A person has pain behind the ear and neck on one or both sides.It may be difficult for the patient to turn his head and perform active shoulder movements;
- symptoms of intoxication.Body temperature rises, chills, general weakness, apathy, and headaches appear.Intoxication phenomena appear in the acute form of lymphadenitis.
The cervical lymph nodes can become inflamed after a long stay in a draft.Most often, pain is felt in the ear and under the ear on the neck.Under the patient's skin, you can feel slightly enlarged and painful lymph nodes.
Are your lymph nodes in your neck swollen and painful, but you don’t know what to do?It is best to go to the doctor immediately.The specialist will carefully examine you and prescribe additional examination.Having passed the necessary tests, you can find out the cause of the pathology.
Reasons why the head and neck hurt most often
According to statistics, 70% of people with frequent headaches (cephalgia) have pain not only in their head, but also in their cervical region.Cervicalgia can be caused by irradiation of painful sensations or have a vertebrogenic nature.Many men and women with osteochondrosis have neck pain that radiates to the head.Among all headaches, 15-20% are of cervicogenic nature.
Reasons why a person has pain in the neck, head and temples:
- overwork;
- impaired blood circulation in brain tissue;
- diseases of the cervical spine;
- inflammation of the paranasal sinuses;
- high blood pressure;
- heart disease;
- menopause period;
- migraine;
- overstrain of the muscles of the shoulder girdle.
The most common type of cephalalgia is tension-type headache (TTH).It occurs due to mental stress, heavy mental activity or prolonged spasm of the muscles of the neck, back and upper limb girdle.For tension headaches, neck massage, reflexology, and short-term use of painkillers can help.
If you often have neck pain and dizziness, do not hesitate to get treatment.Massage of the cervical-collar area and acupuncture can help cope with tension-type headaches.If after a course of massage you continue to feel pain, you need a full examination.Perhaps there is a serious problem hiding behind a banal headache.
What are the reasons for a child's neck pain?
A baby’s sore throat occurs with sore throat, acute respiratory viral infections, rubella, mumps, meningitis and some other infectious diseases.If a child has neck pain on only one side, the cause may be otitis media, retropharyngeal abscess, lymphadenitis, or trauma.
Speaking about childhood diseases, we should mention torticollis.The pathology is characterized by congenital shortening of the sternocleidomastoid muscle.Due to the defect, the baby's head takes a forced position.It is constantly turned up and in the direction opposite to the defective muscle.A child with torticollis also has pain on the side of the neck.The main reason for this is constant muscle strain.
What to do?Immediately grab your baby and go to the hospital.Timely seeking medical help will help to identify the problem in time and begin treatment.
Which doctor should I contact?It's best to go to the pediatrician first.After the examination, the pediatrician will make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment or send you for a consultation with a specialist.
How to relieve acute neck pain
Some people, after hypothermia or lifting heavy objects, complain: “My neck hurts, I can’t turn my head...”.This symptom indicates acute inflammation of the spinal roots or neuralgia of the occipital nerve.If such pain occurs, you should always consult a doctor.
To relieve pain, you can use tablets, gels or a patch.In this case, it is best to use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids or warming ointments.Dry heat (a heating pad, a bag of heated sand or cereal) also has a good effect.
Don't know which doctor to contact if you experience unbearable neck pain?Since such cervicalgia usually indicates inflammation or pinched nerves, it is best for you to immediately go to a neurologist.He will prescribe adequate treatment and, if necessary, perform a drug blockade.Injectable corticosteroids can quickly and effectively relieve pain.
How to treat vertebrogenic neck pain
Neck pain is treated by an orthopedic traumatologist or vertebrologist.After injuries and operations in the cervical region, doctors prescribe the patient to wear a Shants collar.To relieve pain, painkillers and muscle relaxants are used.In order to relieve muscle spasms and restore normal biomechanics of the shoulder girdle, experts recommend a set of exercises.Therapeutic gymnastics allows you to develop muscles and restore normal mobility to the spine.
Which doctor should you go to if your neck hurts during pregnancy?First of all, you should visit your treating gynecologist.He will examine you and send you for consultation with a specialist who will prescribe adequate treatment.