Neck pain

26 January 2024

There is no adult who has never felt neck pain in his life. Every fourth woman and every sixth man constantly experience it. A sedentary lifestyle and time spent at the computer exacerbate the problem. Neck pain can also occur due to arthrosis of the shoulder joint and any other disease in this area, in the upper back and arms or in the back of the head. From this article you can learn everything about neck pain and how to eliminate it.

Causes of neck pain

The most common causes are the following diseases:

Cervical osteochondrosis, complicated by protrusion or herniation of the intervertebral discs. The most common and important cause of neck pain. The pain is associated with compression of the nerve roots of the spine by partially or completely destroyed intervertebral discs. The pain is very strong, sudden, can be localized only in the neck (on one or both sides) or spread to other areas - in the head, back of the head, arm, back, under the shoulder blade, etc. . The treatment consists of pain therapy, restoration of cartilage tissue of the discs and strengthening of the neck muscles. Sometimes such patients require the help of a neurosurgeon to remove the destroyed disc.
Ankylosing spondylitis (rheumatoid spondylitis, ankylosing spondylitis) is an autoimmune inflammatory process in the joints of the cervical spine. The disease usually develops gradually without being noticed, spreading along the spine from the bottom up. The cervical region is the last to be affected. It appears as pain in the neck, stiffness in movement, which goes away after starting physical activity. Over time, the pain intensifies and the spine becomes immobile. Long-term treatment with a rheumatologist will help.
Arthrosis of the facet joints of the cervical spine (uncovertebral arthrosis). The cause of pain in the neck and back of the head in this case is the degenerative-dystrophic changes in the small joints that connect the cervical vertebrae. It often has an occupational origin, develops when working in a stationary state with the head bent or turned with force, or after injuries. Symptoms: pain at the site of the lesion, radiating to the shoulder and tingling when moving, sometimes headache, dizziness, high or low blood pressure, hearing impairment. Treatment by a neurologist and rheumatologist.
Torticollis is a change in the position of the neck that prevents turning the head and other movements. It can be congenital (in children) and acquired (in adults) after injuries, against the background of rough skin wounds, constant spasms of the cervical and occipital muscles during degenerative-dystrophic and inflammatory processes in the spine and tissuessoft all around. Symptoms: head tilt and raised shoulder on the affected side, pain in the neck and back of the head when trying to tilt the head in the opposite direction. The pain increases with physical activity and stress. Treatment can be conservative (for spasms) or surgical, performed by an orthopedic surgeon or traumatologist.
Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is associated with irritation of the nerve endings in the muscles, which leads to their spasms and pain.

Clinical anatomy of the neck

In case of degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the spine, as well as joint arthritis (between individual vertebrae), bone growths or swollen soft tissues can press the vertebral artery, which leads to impaired blood supply to the brain, painheadache and dizziness. . The pain can also be the result of compression of the spinal roots that extend from the spinal cord. Along the plexus of the brachial nerve such pain radiates to the arm.

First aid for neck pain - what to do

Neck pain can increase gradually, but sometimes it appears acutely, suddenly in the form of a lumbago with radiation to other areas. It is difficult to endure such suffering. What to do, how to get rid of them?

Tablets and ointments for neck pain

Emergency self-help algorithm:

Take a sedative - panic only worsens the situation; you can take: 20 drops of soothing drops or a tablet with the substance levomenthol solution in menthyl isovalerate under the tongue; these drugs not only relax, but also dilate blood vessels, which helps reduce muscle spasm and associated pain; You can also take 1-2 tablets of valerian extract or any other sedative you have on hand.
Take pain medication (optional).
To get rid of the aching pain, you can use external pain relievers: ointments, gels, patches.

Exercises for neck pain

If the pain is not very strong, aching in nature and is combined with stiffness, then you can try to get rid of it with the help of exercises. They should be performed smoothly, without making sudden movements. A rough set of exercises that relieve pain:

initial position (IP) - lying on your back, head on a flat pillow; Press your head firmly against the pillow and hold for a count of 5; take a break and repeat; do 5 - 7 approaches;
IP - lying on your left side, head on a flat pillow; raise your head and hold it in this position until the count of 5; take a short break, and then at least five approaches;
IP - lying on your side to the right; repeat the previous exercise on the right side;
IP - lying on the stomach, hands tied behind the head; lift your head up, resisting with your hands; each approach - 5 seconds with a short rest, repeat 5 - 7 times.

It is contraindicated to relieve severe acute pain with exercise.

In such cases, it is better to keep the neck still, using, for example, a Shants collar. But prolonged immobilization leads to weakening of the muscle corset and worsening of the situation. Therefore, the Shants collar can be used to reduce pain before consulting a doctor. Only a specialist can determine the duration of immobilization.

After you have completely or partially eliminated the pain syndrome itself, you should go to the doctor, otherwise it will return and it will be quite difficult to relieve it.

Exercises for neck pain

What not to do if you have neck pain

If you often have neck pain, you should remember that you should not:

being in a forced position for a long time with a tense neck - a painful muscle spasm develops;
lift weights, perform heavy work - microtrauma occurs in the spine with tissues located near it, the gradual destruction of cartilaginous and bone structures;
often exposed to stress - they are associated with vascular spasms, which negatively affects blood circulation and the condition of the spine;
smoking, frequent drinking of alcohol - contributes to continuous vasoconstriction;
hypothermia - the muscles located near the spine become inflamed, myositis develops;
sleeping on a high soft pillow means staying in an uncomfortable static position for a long time;
make sudden turns of the head - sudden pinching of the nerve and the appearance of severe pain are possible.

When you should go to the doctor urgently

Do not hesitate to seek medical help if:

neck pain occurs regularly and is not always completely relieved by sedatives;
you have experienced a painful attack for the first time or have repeatedly experienced it, when every movement brings severe suffering;
pain syndrome is accompanied by general disorders: fever, chills, etc. ;
suddenly there was a short-term acute pain in the neck on the left, radiating to the arm, shoulder blade or the back of the head - a sign of an acute blood circulation disorder in the heart muscle area (angina attack);
sudden attacks of headache and dizziness appeared, sometimes with loss of consciousness - a sign of compression of the vertebral artery.

If such symptoms appear, there is no point in treating yourself: it will only worsen the problem. No folk remedies or grandmother's advice will help.

Only a doctor can help relieve pain by developing an individual treatment plan based on examination and establishing an accurate diagnosis. If you are in doubt about which doctor to contact, go to an appointment with a therapist, he will understand the situation and, if necessary, will refer you to another specialist.

Types of neck pain and how to treat it

The pain syndrome can appear in different ways: only on one side of the neck or everywhere, locally or radiating to other parts of the body. Let's try to understand what the appearance of pain indicates and what to do in each specific case.

Severe neck pain due to coronavirus and ARVI

Any viral infection can be accompanied by neck pain. This is due to intoxication caused by the infectious agent. Once the person recovers, these symptoms go away.

But in some people, after a few days or weeks after a viral infection, the pain syndrome appears again, sometimes accompanied by swelling in the spine and stiffness of movement (the head has difficulty turning to the side) in the morning.

This condition requires immediate examination, as it may be associated with autoimmune processes in the facet joints (connecting vertebrae) of the spine.

The coronavirus infection has a serious impact on the immune system, causing various interruptions in its functioning. If a person has a predisposition to an autoimmune process (close relatives suffering from such diseases), then it is quite possible that a viral infection serves as a starting point (trigger) for its onset. What to do: visit a therapist or rheumatologist.

Severe neck pain and fever

If severe pain in the neck appears suddenly and is accompanied by fever, then this indicates the presence of an acute inflammatory process:

viral infection or worsening of some chronic inflammatory processes (bronchitis, sinusitis, etc. ) - in this case, the disease is accompanied by catarrhal symptoms - cough and runny nose; what to do: if the pain is not too strong and the temperature is not high, you can wait to see a doctor; persistence of pain after recovery should be a reason to consult a doctor;
bacterial purulent inflammatory processes - abscesses, phlegm; what to do: consult a surgeon, as the symptoms can only be eliminated through surgery;
autoimmune process in the joints of the cervical spine; the first symptoms appear a few days or weeks after the acute inflammatory process, there are no catarrhal symptoms; what to do: consult a doctor immediately; self-medication is contraindicated.

Severe pain in the neck, radiating to the head

Sometimes acute, sudden pain appears in the neck in the spinal region, radiating to the head (cervicocranialgia), accompanied by compression of the spinal roots extending from the 1st and 2nd cervical vertebra (C1 - C2) with the transmission of painin the trigeminal nerve. , the nuclei of which are located in the upper sections of the spinal cord. This is the so-called radicular pain syndrome, it can be very strong and long-lasting. What to do: as self-help, you can take a sedative tablet and apply an anesthetic patch to the injured area.

If the pain does not go away, then call an ambulance; the doctor can temporarily relieve the pain. But after removing them, you should definitely consult a neurologist.

Painful pain in the neck and back of the head can be the result of compression of the vertebral artery. In such cases it is often accompanied by dizziness and fainting, as the brain suffers from a lack of oxygen.

Similar pain can occur with high blood pressure (BP). The attack is accompanied by nausea and vomiting. What to do: pain in the neck and back of the head is dangerous, so if they appear, you should call an ambulance.

Neck and shoulders hurt

Aching pain in the neck can radiate to the shoulders. Typically, pain in the neck and shoulders is accompanied by spasms and muscle tension when the neurovascular group is compressed between the scalene muscles. Stiffness appears in the morning, due to the constant pain of pain, the head is in a forced position: it is slightly tilted forward and towards the affected side. If a blood vessel is also constricted, dizziness, blurred vision and fainting may occur. Radiating pain from the neck to the shoulders is also characteristic of osteochondrosis and arthrosis of the facet joints of vertebrae 5-6 (C5-C6). When the pathological focus is localized at C5, the pain radiates along the front outer surface of the shoulder, so the patient is unable to move the arm to the side.

What to do: you cannot tolerate such symptoms; you cannot cure them yourself; you should consult a neurologist.

Neck pain on the right or left side

If your neck hurts on one side:

very strong sudden attack- a sign of damage to the spinal roots on the right or left side; A patch with lidocaine can help, but this is a temporary measure, it is necessary to contact a neurologist;
Sudden paroxysmal short but sharp pain in the left neck- it can be a symptom of angina pectoris; if such symptoms recur, you should seek help from a therapist or cardiologist;
aching pain in the left or right side- often develops with prolonged tense position of the head due to spasm of the neck muscles; To relieve spasms, use soothing ointments and patches; When painful muscle spasms appear, you should monitor your posture and avoid work in which your head is in a static tense position for a long time.

What to do: if you have persistent or regularly recurring pain on the right or left side of the neck, it is best to start by consulting a therapist.

Severe back and neck pain

Painful sensations in the back, transmitted to the neck, are usually a consequence of osteochondrosis of the cervicothoracic spine. There is a gradual destruction of the shock-absorbing intervertebral cartilage cushion - the disc. The disc becomes thinner, ruptures and can partially or completely extend beyond the spine, squeezing the nerve roots, which is accompanied by severe back pain that radiates to the neck. Painful sensations are aggravated by back and neck muscle spasms.

When C6 is affected, the neck pain radiates to the scapula, shoulder girdle, shoulder, forearm and 1 finger. At the same time, muscle strength decreases and hand movements require additional effort. Damage to C7 - waves of pain are transmitted to the scapula, the back of the hand, the index and middle finger. Symptoms of damage to C8 - possible radiation of pain along the inner surface of the back of the hand to the little finger.

What to do: to relieve the pain, you need to take an anesthetic by mouth and apply an anesthetic gel to the skin. After the pain has subsided, consult a neurologist.

Such pain in the back of the neck can also occur with scoliosis - a lateral curvature of the spine. Scoliosis can lead to squeezing and compression of the vertebrae, pinched nerves and constant back pain. What you need to do: the treatment is carried out by an orthopedic traumatologist.

Severe radiating neck pain

Sometimes neck pain spreads to other areas. These are the so-called referred pains, in which pain impulses from the main focus spread along nerve fibers that connect specific parts of the body and internal organs.

Painful waves can radiate:

in the ear -painful sensations have different origins; most often they are related:

with inflammatory diseases of ENT organs - sore throat, chronic tonsillitis, laryngitis, pharyngitis; usually this is a sore throat and ear, accompanied by symptoms such as fever, sore throat, cough; in chronic inflammatory processes, the disease is not so acute, without fever, the pain is moderate;
with degenerative-dystrophic disease of the cervical spine (osteochondrosis) and its consequences - disc protrusion and herniation; cervical pain syndrome is associated with compression of the spinal roots by a disc that protrudes beyond the spinal column or increased bone tissue of the vertebrae; Referred pain in the ear with osteochondrosis is a sign of compression of the nerve root of the third cervical vertebra (C3);
with arthritis (inflammation) or arthrosis (metabolic disorders) in the facet joints C3 - C4, which connect the cervical vertebrae;

In the teeth -painful radiation in the teeth:

usually accompanied by osteochondrosis - damage to the C3 – C4 vertebrae;
have a reflective character; this is due to dental problems: deep caries and periodontitis of the teeth of the lateral part of the indentation of the upper jaw; various malocclusions; pain can radiate from the oral cavity to the neck, often there is a feeling that it is the neck that hurts, radiating to the teeth on the right or left; what to do: treat or remove damaged teeth, restore the bite; reflected pain syndrome can be associated with arthritis or arthrosis of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) - it seems that your teeth hurt and the pain radiates to the neck;

In the eye -if the upper cervical vertebrae are affected (osteochondrosis, arthritis or arthrosis of the facial joints), pain along the sensitive branches of the nerves in the neck may radiate to the eyes or tissues around the eyeball;

In the temple -often a sign of cervical osteochondrosis or TMJ arthrosis (arthritis);

In your hand -with cervical osteochondrosis or arthritis (arthrosis) of the C6-C8 joints, as well as cervical muscle spasms;

On the shoulder blade &ndah;damage to C6 – C7, as well as glenohumeral periarthritis;

in the clavicle -the pain syndrome can develop after an injury to the clavicle and be transmitted along the nerve fibers of the brachial plexus in the neck, as well as with arthritis or arthrosis of the shoulder joint.

When pain waves radiate to other organs and tissues, it is difficult for the patient himself to understand what hurts and which specialist to contact. Therefore, it is better to start with a therapist; he will figure out where to direct the patient next.

Severe pain in the neck muscles

Pain in the neck muscles is usually associated with various injuries and diseases of the spine, but it can also appear as an independent disease - myofascial pain syndrome.

What to do: treatment can be started by a neurologist, but a consultation with a rheumatologist may be required.

The back of the neck hurts a lot

Pain in the back of the head and neck is most often associated with cervical osteochondrosis and pathology of the facet joints of the cervical vertebrae. This is accompanied by a painful spasm of the neck muscles.

What to do: it is better to start by consulting a neurologist; perhaps after the examination he will refer the patient to a rheumatologist.

Pain in the front of the neck in the area of the larynx

Painful sensations in the anterior cervical region, combined with impaired swallowing, may appear with the growth of thyroid tissue (inflammatory process, goiter). At the same time, the external growth is not always visible, since the goiter can grow behind the sternum.

What to do: contact an endocrinologist urgently.

The larynx can be damaged due to acute and chronic diseases of the ENT organs. Such diseases are accompanied by cough, sore throat and sometimes an increase in body temperature. Laryngitis is particularly dangerous, accompanied by pain, barking cough and risk of swelling of the larynx.

What to do: contact a therapist or otolaryngologist.

Neck pain when turning or bending

Myofascial pain syndrome with reflection in the area of the ear and head of the eye during turning

Painful twists and turns of the head can be the result of:

osteochondrosis and spinal root damage; the pain syndrome is strong and sudden, it is almost impossible to turn or tilt the head; what to do: see a neurologist urgently;
acute neck injury or prolonged microtrauma; in the absence of bone changes (fracture, displacement), the pain syndrome is accompanied by spasm and subsequent inflammation of the neck muscles; what to do: seek help from a neurologist;
curvature of the spine - scoliosis; the pain is aching in nature and intensifies when you bend your neck; what to do: contact an orthopedist-traumatologist.

Neck pain after sleep

Typically, such pains rarely appear out of nowhere; more often they are associated with some hidden disease of the spine or cervical muscles. After sleep, they appear with prolonged wrong position of the head, which leads to compression of blood vessels and nerves. After sleep, this manifests as aching pain, numbness and limitation of movement. After a while this passes.

What to do: contact a neurologist and make sure you don't have a serious pathology.

Severe pains and cracking in the neck

The causes of neck pain accompanied by a creak can be osteochondrosis, arthrosis of the fasta joints or increased mobility of the cervical vertebrae. In any case, this is a sign of a pathological process, which can be determined only after an examination.

What to do: contact a neurologist, but you may also need help from other specialists.

Treatment of diseases that cause neck pain

There are pain relievers for temporary pain relief, but to completely relieve the patient from suffering, the doctor must conduct an examination and find out the cause of the pain. The patient cannot do this on his own, he must go to a clinic.

Diagnosing

Clinical examination of the neck - the first stage of diagnosis

During the initial appointment, the doctor performs a clinical examination of the patient and, based on his results, may prescribe the following additional studies:

Laboratory tests- general clinical, biochemical and immunological analyzes of blood. The obtained data make it possible to identify inflammatory, metabolic and autoimmune processes.
Instrumental diagnostic methods:X-rays of the affected part of the spine, if necessary– shoulder joint;Soft tissue ultrasound;MRI or CT– more detailed examination of the cervical region;electroneurmyography– to assess the condition of the spinal nerve roots.

After the examination, the doctor can make the correct diagnosis and prescribe the treatment.

Methods for treating neck pain

Treatment of cervical pain syndrome can only be individual, as it depends on the identified disorders and the final diagnosis. Associated diagnoses must also be taken into account - the presence of various other diseases in the patient.

The combination of modern and traditional oriental techniques allows the patient to immediately relieve acute pain.

This restores hope for a normal life even in patients with severe long-term pain syndrome. After the course, they regularly come to the clinic for preventive treatment, which allows them to completely get rid of the pain and live a normal life. Contact the medical center, the doctors will definitely help you!