Neck pain is a common symptom that everyone encounters at least once in their life. It may indicate internal organ disease, muscle and ligament stretching, or it occurs in the context of hypothermia. If you have neck pain, you should seek medical attention. Only through examination and other diagnostic measures can the cause be determined and the correct treatment method can be selected.
Neck pain can be caused by many different reasons. If your neck hurts, you need to see a doctor
Why do adults have neck pain?
There are two types of neck pain:
- cirvicalgia-cramps occur in one place and are characterized by a gradual process and varying degrees of intensity;
- Cervicago-manifested as unexpected pain when the head moves suddenly or stays in one position for a long time.
The doctor determines the following causes of neck pain:
- Cervical osteochondrosis. This disease develops with a sedentary lifestyle and inappropriate diet. The patient complained of pain from the back of the neck and head, tinnitus, dizziness, difficulty in turning the neck, and crunching sound during activities.
- Herniated disc. In this pathological situation, the left side of the neck is painful and the intervertebral disc is herniated, causing lower back pain. Hernias can be cured by vacuum therapy and acupressure therapy.
- Creek. After strenuous exercise, a person may experience severe neck pain. The affected area is swollen, the head cannot be turned, and the risk of fainting increases. In order to relieve the condition, the patient is injected with anesthetics, hot or cold compresses, and the stretched area is massaged.
- Cervical spondylosis. A dangerous disease that often leads to disability. It is usually diagnosed in traumatized athletes or elderly people. They complained of constant pain in the neck and back of the head, and discomfort when turning their heads. To relieve inflammation and pain, it is necessary to take drugs, physical therapy combined with physical therapy exercises to restore the ability to work.
- Cervical spondylotic myelopathy. It develops after the spinal canal narrows. The person felt weak and painful in the neck. His language slowed down and his motor coordination was impaired. The pathological cause may be a traffic accident or a fall from a height. It is recommended that patients receive physical therapy, wear a soft collar and perform strengthening exercises.
- Whipped wound. Occurs after a fall, accident, or fight. It is accompanied by severe pain in any part of the neck. Whiplash injuries can cause damage to the ligaments, leading to loss of cervical lordosis and a prominent head position. Treatment can last from 1 month to 6 months.
- Cervical spine injury. One person noticed that his neck was often injured and had hematomas. In this case, a special collar needs to be worn for 3 to 6 months.
- Infectious diseases. Skin infections can cause acute pain and inflammation. With rubella or a sore throat, the lymph nodes in the neck will expand and be injured.
- Visceral diseases. If the pain syndrome occurs in the right flanks and the right neck is painful, the cause may be cholecystitis. If your neck hurts and drink whiskey in the morning, it is a symptom of high blood pressure. With angina and myocardial infarction, neck and arms were injured. Neck cramps and anterior pain may be signs of esophageal and thyroid disease. Nerve damage is observed in the case of poisoning by toxic substances. Blood pressure may increase when there is severe pain in the cervical spine. If the neck on the right is painful and unable to move, these are signs of meningitis. For laryngitis and pharyngitis, the pain can be on the right and left.
Usually, due to uncomfortable body posture or too hard pillow, neck pain after sleep.
Frequent stress and emotional stress can cause neck and back discomfort. Pain and tingling in the neck and shoulders require injections or anesthetics.
If the neck is painful under the jaw, this may be a sign of fracture, jaw osteomyelitis, or temporomandibular joint dysfunction. When the mandible is fractured, the patient will feel a strong pain syndrome, his soft facial tissue swells and becomes painful or unable to chew. Osteomyelitis is accompanied by infection and inflammatory processes, fever, headache and chills.
Causes of neck pain in children
In children, neck pain may occur in the context of:
- Excessive muscle strain or sprain during exercise.
- Pain after a fall or a car accident.
- An uncomfortable posture when sleeping or sitting in front of a computer.
- Meningitis: accompanied by irritability, headache, fever, photosensitivity, decreased appetite, nausea and vomiting. If left untreated, this disease can lead to serious complications and death.
- Lyme disease. Pathology is usually transmitted by tick bites, so it is necessary to check the neck for signs of bites outdoors.
Analgesics are used to treat neck pain and inflammation in children. Putting a heating pad on your neck for 20 minutes will help reduce muscle cramps. In addition, children should wear a towel or padded collar around their neck when sleeping to prevent frequent head movement.
diagnosis
In order to determine the cause of neck muscle pain, the doctor performs a palpation examination and then uses other examination methods:
- Radiography
- Myelography
- Neurological examination of reflexes and sensitivity;
- Computed tomography of the spine;
- Nuclear magnetic resonance
- Nuclear magnetic resonance.
If you suspect jaw osteomyelitis, you need to consult an otolaryngologist and dentist. In addition to X-ray examinations, patients must also undergo blood tests to determine the source of infection.
medical treatement
When the neck is severely painful due to osteochondrosis, the doctor will prescribe complex treatments, including special diets, a series of exercises, medications, and preventive measures. In order to relieve pain and treat diseases, the following groups of drugs are used:
- Anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Antispasmodic.
- Antioxidant drugs: ascorbic acid, vitamin E and N.
- Means to improve blood circulation.
- A preparation to prevent degenerative changes in cartilage tissue.
The medicine can be used in various forms. In acute complications, nerve block is required. There are several types of obstruction: intraosseous obstruction, paravertebral obstruction, facet joint obstruction, and epidural obstruction. All of these help to relieve muscle rigidity syndrome.
Used in combination with drugs, it can be used for physical therapy procedures. They reduce pain and increase the therapeutic effect of drugs. The most effective methods are considered to be magnetic therapy, laser therapy and low-frequency current therapy. In order to correct the posture and strengthen the ligament device, exercise therapy and physical therapy exercises are prescribed. If you exercise regularly, the metabolic process will return to normal, the position of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs will be restored, and the load will be evenly distributed in the musculoskeletal system.
The dietary principle of osteochondrosis is to add foods containing a lot of polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants to the diet to improve the metabolic process. Meals should be piecemeal, 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 products and fermented dairy products;
- cereals;
- nut;
- seed;
- mushroom;
- olive oil.
It is recommended to steam, boil or bake dishes. You should also limit the consumption of flour products, spices, bacon, canned foods, saturated broths, sweets and fruits that are high in sugar.
important!It is necessary to replace strong tea with herbal decoctions, unsweetened fruit drinks and dried fruit compotes. Limit alcohol and carbonated beverages completely.
Permanent pain often makes patients irritable, so doctors prescribe sedatives and antidepressants. If the left neck hurts, you can use a warm heating pad or wear a scarf around your neck to relieve the symptoms.
For cervical spondylotic myelopathy, decongestants and anti-inflammatory drugs are used. If the nerve endings are compressed, you need to inject steroids. When infectious pathogens are detected in the body, antibiotics are included in the treatment.
notes!In ischemic cervical spondylotic myelopathy, it is effective to use neuroprotective agents and drugs with vasodilation effects.
If the patient is diagnosed with cervical spondylosis, he will be prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs and chondroprotectants. For severe pain, use analgesics, severe muscle cramps, and muscle relaxants. Manual therapy and gentle massage are also pointed out. For severe pain syndromes, it is recommended to seal off the affected area. In combination with drugs, it is useful to perform physical therapy procedures-a special complex of electrophoresis, ultrasound therapy and physical therapy exercises with Novocaine.
complication
If the neck is injured due to osteochondrosis, improper treatment or absence can lead to serious complications:
- Intervertebral hernia;
- Humpback
- Herniated disc;
- Radiculitis;
- Salt deposits in the spine;
- Spinal stroke;
- Circulatory disorders;
- Muscular dystrophy;
- Paralysis of the lower limbs.
prevention
To prevent neck pain, some guidelines should be followed:
- Avoid hypothermia.
- Quit smoking.
- The correct weight.
- Perform physical therapy exercises every day.
- Take a contrast shower.
- Visit the swimming pool.
- Don't yank the weight.
- Monitor your posture.
- Warm your neck in the cold season.
- If you stay in a static position for a long time, take a break every 50 minutes to restore blood circulation by warming up.
- Choose orthopedic mattresses and pillows to sleep.
- Wearing comfortable shoes can reduce the pressure on the spine.
- Walking barefoot on uneven ground in summer can strengthen the foot muscles and relieve the tension of the musculoskeletal system.
- Adhere to proper nutrition.
- Take a massage course.
- Learn ways to relax, increase anxiety and mood.