Sore throat

There are no adults who have not experienced neck pain in their lifetime. Every fourth woman and every sixth man constantly experience it. A sedentary lifestyle and spending time on the computer exacerbates the problem. Neck pain can also occur due to arthrosis of the shoulder joint and any other disease in this region, the upper back and arms, or the back of the head. From this article, you can learn all about neck pain and how to get rid of it.

Causes of neck pain

The most common causes are the following diseases:

• Cervical osteochondrosis complicated by protrusion or rupture of intervertebral discs. The most common and important cause of neck pain. Pain is associated with compression of the spinal nerve roots by partially or completely destroyed intervertebral discs. The pain is very strong, sudden, localized only in the neck area (one or both sides) or to other areas - head, back of the head, arm, back, under the shoulder blade, etc. can be radiated. Treatment consists of the following. pain treatment, restoration of cartilage tissue of discs and strengthening of neck muscles. Sometimes such patients need 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 progresses imperceptibly, spreading along the spine from the bottom to the top. The cervical region is the last to be affected. It manifests itself as pain in the neck, stiffness of movement, which disappears 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). In this case, the cause of pain in the back of the neck and head is degenerative-dystrophic changes in the small joints connecting the cervical vertebrae. It often has a professional origin, develops when working in a stationary position with a bent or forcibly turned head or after an injury. Symptoms: pain at the site of injury, radiating to the shoulders and wheezing 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 interferes with turning the head and other movements. It can be congenital (in children) and acquired after injuries (in adults), rough skin scars, against the background of continuous spasm of the neck and occipital muscles during degenerative-dystrophic and inflammatory processes in the spine and surrounding soft tissues. Symptoms: tilting of the head 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. Pain increases with physical activity and stress. Treatment can be conservative (for spasms) or surgical, performed by a surgeon or orthopedic traumatologist.
• Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is associated with irritation of the nerve endings in the muscles, which causes them to spasm and ache.

Clinical anatomy of the neck

During degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the spine, as well as arthritis of the facet (between individual vertebrae), bone growths or swelling of soft tissues can compress the spinal artery, which leads to impaired blood supply to the brain, headaches and dizziness. . Pain can also be the result of compression of spinal roots extending from the spinal cord. Such pain in the brachial nerve plexus spreads to the arm.

First aid for neck pain - what to do

Neck pain can increase gradually, but sometimes it appears acute, suddenly, in the form of lumbago with radiation to other areas. Such suffering is hard to bear. What to do, how to get rid of them?

Tablets and ointments for neck pain

Emergency aid algorithm:

• Take a sedative - panic only aggravates the situation; you can take: 20 drops of sedative drops or a tablet with levomenthol solution in menthyl isovalerate under the tongue; these drugs not only calm, but also dilate blood vessels, which in turn helps to 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 painful pain, you can use external pain relievers: ointments, gels, patches.

Exercises for neck pain

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

• starting position (IP) - lying on the back, head straight on the pillow; Press your head firmly on the pillow and hold for a count of 5; pause and repeat; Do 5-7 approaches;
• IP - lying on your left side, putting your head flat on a pillow; raise your head and keep it in this position until the count of 5; take a short break and then at least five approaches;
• IP - lying on the right side; repeat the previous exercise on the right side;
• IP - lying on the stomach, hands together behind the head; raise your head up, resisting with your hands; each approach - 5 seconds with a short break, repeat 5-7 times.

Exercising severe acute pain with exercises is contraindicated.

In such cases, it is better to immobilize the neck using, for example, a Schantz collar. However, long-term immobilization leads to weakening of the muscle corset and aggravation of the condition. Therefore, a Shunt collar can be used to reduce pain before going to the doctor. Only a specialist can determine the duration of immobilization.

After completely or partially eliminating the pain syndrome, you should consult a doctor, otherwise it will return and it will be quite difficult to eliminate it.

Exercises for neck pain

What not to do if you have neck pain

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

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

When you need to see a doctor urgently

Do not hesitate to seek medical attention if:

• neck pain occurs regularly and is not always completely relieved by painkillers;
• you experienced a painful attack for the first time or experienced many times when any movement caused severe suffering;
• pain syndrome is accompanied by general disorders: fever, chills, etc. ;
• suddenly there was a sharp short-term pain on the left side of the neck, spreading to the arm, shoulder blade or back of the head - a sign of an acute circulatory disorder in the area of the heart muscle (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 make the problem worse. No folk remedies or grandmother's advice will help.

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

Types of neck pain and how to deal with it

Pain syndrome can manifest itself 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 an infectious agent. These symptoms disappear after the person recovers.

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

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

The coronavirus infection has a serious effect on the immune system, causing various disturbances in its functioning. If a person has a tendency to an autoimmune process (close relatives suffer from such diseases), it is quite possible that a viral infection serves as a starting point (trigger). What to do: consult a therapist or rheumatologist.

Severe neck pain and fever

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

• viral infection or exacerbation of some chronic inflammatory process (bronchitis, sinusitis, etc. ) - in this case, the disease is also 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 consult a doctor; persistence of pain after recovery should be a reason to consult a doctor;
• bacterial purulent inflammatory processes - abscesses, phlegmons; what to do: consult a surgeon, because the symptoms can only be eliminated by 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-treatment is contraindicated.

Severe pain in the neck, radiation to the head

Sometimes there is a sharp, sudden pain in the neck in the spinal region, spreading to the head (cervicocranialgia), due to the pinching of the spinal roots extending from the 1st and 2nd cervical vertebrae (C1 - C2) with the transmission of pain to the trigeminal nerve. , the nuclei are located in the upper parts of the spinal cord. This is the so-called radicular pain syndrome, which can be very strong and long-lasting. What to do: as self-help, you can take a painkiller tablet and apply an anesthetic patch to the painful area.

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

Aching 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, because 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 spread to the shoulders. Typically, pain in the neck and shoulders is associated with spasm and muscle tension when the neurovascular bundle between the scalene muscles is compressed. Morning stiffness appears due to constant aching pain, the head is in a forced position: slightly forward and bent to the affected side. If the blood vessel is also compressed, 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 the 5-6 vertebrae (C5-C6). When the pathological focus is localized at C5, the pain spreads along the anterior outer surface of the shoulder, so the patient cannot move the arm to the side.

What to do: you cannot tolerate such symptoms, you cannot treat 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 spinal cord injury on the right or left side; A patch with lidocaine can help, but this is a temporary measure, you need to contact a neurologist;
• sudden paroxysmal short but sharp pain in left neck- may be a sign of angina pectoris; if such symptoms are repeated, it is necessary to seek help from a therapist or cardiologist;
• aching pain on the left or right side- often develops with a long tense head position due to spasm of the neck muscles; Use pain-relieving ointments and patches to relieve spasms; When painful muscle spasms appear, it is necessary to 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 constant or regularly recurring pain on the right or left side of the neck, it is better to start consulting a therapist.

Severe back and neck pain

Painful sensations in the back, transmitted to the neck, are usually the result of osteochondrosis of the cervicothoracic spine. There is a gradual destruction of the cartilaginous intervertebral shock-absorbing cushion - the disc. The disc thins, cracks and can partially or completely protrude from the spinal column, compressing the nerve roots, which is accompanied by severe back pain that spreads to the neck. Painful sensations are aggravated by back and neck muscle spasms.

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

What to do: to relieve pain, it is necessary to take an anesthetic by mouth and apply an anesthetic gel to the skin. After the pain subsides, consult a neurologist.

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

Severe neck pain with radiation

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

Pain waves can spread:

in the ear -painful sensations have different origins; are often associated with:

1. with inflammatory diseases of the ENT organs - sore throat, chronic tonsillitis, laryngitis, pharyngitis; usually it is a sore throat and earache 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;
2. degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the cervical spine (osteochondrosis) and its consequences - protrusion and disc herniation; cervical pain syndrome is associated with compression of the spinal roots by a disc protruding from the enlarged bone tissue of the spine or vertebra; referred pain in the ear with osteochondrosis is a sign of compression of the nerve root of the 3rd cervical vertebra (C3);
3. with arthritis (inflammation) or arthrosis (metabolic disorders) in the C3 - C4 facet joints connecting the cervical vertebrae;

In the teeth -painful radiation to the teeth:

1. usually associated with osteochondrosis - damage to C3-C4 vertebrae;
2. having a reflected character; it is related to dental problems: deep caries and periodontitis of the teeth of the lateral part of the teeth of the upper jaw; various defects; pain can spread from the oral cavity to the neck, often spreading to the teeth on the right or left, there is a feeling of a sore neck; what to do: treat or remove damaged teeth, restore 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 spreads to the neck;

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

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

in your handscervical osteochondrosis or arthritis (arthrosis) of C6-C8 joints, as well as with spasm of cervical muscles;

To the shoulder blade &ndah;C6 - C7 damage, as well as glenohumeral periarthritis;

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

When pain waves spread to other organs and tissues, it is difficult for the patient to understand what hurts and which specialist to contact. Therefore, it is better to start with a therapist, who will know where to send the patient next.

Severe pain in neck muscles

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

What to do: treatment can be initiated by a neurologist, but 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. It is accompanied by a painful spasm of the neck muscles.

What to do: it is better to start by consulting a neurologist, maybe after the examination he will send the patient to a rheumatologist.

Pain in the front of the neck in the larynx region

Painful sensations in the anterior cervical region, along with swallowing disorders, may appear with the growth of thyroid tissue (inflammatory process, goiter). At the same time, external growth is not always noticeable, because the goitre can grow behind the sternum.

What to do: contact an endocrinologist urgently.

Acute and chronic diseases of the ENT organs can cause pain in the larynx. Such diseases are accompanied by cough, sore throat, and sometimes an increase in body temperature. Laryngitis is especially dangerous, accompanied by pain, barking cough and the risk of swelling of the larynx.

What to do: contact a therapist or otorhinolaryngologist.

Neck pain when turning or bending

Myofascial pain syndrome reflected in the region of the ear and eyeball when turning

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

• osteochondrosis and disruption of spinal roots; the pain syndrome is severe and sudden, it is almost impossible to turn or bend the head; what to do: consult a neurologist urgently;
• acute neck injury or long-term microtrauma; in the absence of bone changes (fractures, dislocations), the pain syndrome is associated with spasm of the neck muscles and subsequent inflammation; what to do: seek help from a neurologist;
• curvature of the spine - scoliosis; the pain is painful in nature and intensifies when the neck is bent; what to do: contact an orthopedic traumatologist.

Neck pain after sleep

Typically, such pains rarely appear anywhere, more often they are associated with some hidden diseases of the spine or cervical muscles. After sleep, it appears with a long-term wrong position of the head, which causes compression of blood vessels and nerves. After sleep, it manifests itself as aching pain, numbness and restriction of movement. After a while it disappears.

What to do: contact a neurologist and make sure there is no serious pathology.

Severe pain and tightness in the neck

The causes of neck pain accompanied by a crisis can be osteochondrosis, arthrosis of the facet joints or increased mobility of the cervical vertebra. In any case, this is a sign of a pathological process that can be determined only after examination.

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

Treatment of diseases that cause neck pain

There are painkillers to temporarily relieve the pain, 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 it himself, he has to go to the clinic.

Diagnostics

Clinical examination of the neck - the first stage of diagnosis

During the initial admission, the doctor conducts a clinical examination of the patient and, based on its results, may prescribe the following additional studies:

• Laboratory tests– general clinical, biochemical and immunological blood tests. The obtained data allow identifying inflammatory, metabolic and autoimmune processes.
• Instrumental diagnostic methods:If necessary, X-ray of the affected part of the spine- shoulder joint;Ultrasound of soft tissues;MRI or CT- a more detailed examination of the cervix;electroneuriography- assess the condition of the spinal nerve roots.

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

Methods of treating neck pain

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

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

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