Neck pain is a common problem that worries many people. The symptom may be accompanied by limited mobility in the cervical spine, muscle tension and headache. There are many causes of neck pain. A thorough diagnosis is required to choose the appropriate treatment.
In this article we will tell you what to do if your throat hurts a lot, what might be causing the pain and how to prevent it. The clinic's doctors have extensive experience in treating neck pain of various origins. Comprehensive treatment is selected individually, taking into account the patient's condition, the causes of pain and other factors that affect the treatment result.
Types of cervical spine pain
There are two types of neck pain:
- Vertebral— occur with damage to the intervertebral discs, compression of the spinal cord and spinal roots. The pain can spread from the neck to the back of the head and to the fingers. Muscle weakness and numbness in one or both arms can also be a concern.
- Non-vertebrate- appear due to an inflammatory process in the muscles of the neck. This also includes pain due to diseases of the thyroid gland and nearby lymph nodes. In this case, the inflammatory process may be accompanied by an increase in body temperature and pain.
If the discomfort does not subside within several days and worsens with movement, you should consult a doctor. A specialist will determine the cause of neck pain and prescribe effective treatment.
Causes of neck pain
Pain in the neck muscles can be caused by many diseases: from muscle strain to serious pathologies of the spine and internal organs. Sometimes it is very difficult for the patient to independently determine the affected area - in the neck or upper spine, as the pain can be felt on all sides of the neck.
The most common causes of acute pain:
- Myositis- inflammation of one or more neck muscles, accompanied by severe pain, swelling and limited head mobility. It occurs as a result of infectious diseases, injuries and frequent unpleasant postures.
- Osteochondrosis of the cervix- degenerative-dystrophic disease of the spine. The cervical spine, along with the lumbar spine, is very mobile. As a result of constant stress, the nutrition of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs is disturbed. The bone tissue grows, the intervertebral discs are damaged and protrude in the form of protrusions and hernias. The pain is caused by the bulging discs compressing the spinal ligaments and spinal nerve roots. The pain is very strong, sudden and felt only in the neck on one or both sides. They can also radiate to other areas - the head, the back of the head, the arm, the back, under the shoulder blade.
- Intervertebral hernia- an advanced form of osteochondrosis, when nerve root compression occurs. This disease is characterized by severe neurological manifestations: pain in the hand, reduced muscle strength and reduced sensitivity of the skin of the upper extremities.
- Spondylosis- an advanced stage of osteochondrosis, in which the edges of the vertebral bodies are overgrown with bone protrusions - osteophytes. The vertebrae then fuse together. In this case, the intervertebral discs are flattened and in addition to pain, the patient faces severe limitations when moving his head.
- Rheumatoid spondylitis- autoimmune inflammatory process in the joints of the cervical spine. As a result of the malfunctioning of the immune system, its cells begin to attack their own body. The disease gradually develops and spreads to all the joints of the entire spine. The cervical region is rarely affected. The vertebrae are deformed and their mobility is reduced. Pain in the neck appears, stiffness of movements appears, which gradually disappears after performing active movements. Over time the pain intensifies and the spine becomes immobile.
- Arthropathy of the joints of the cervical spine- destruction of small joints located between the arches of the cervical vertebrae. In this case, the cartilaginous surfaces of two adjacent bones are destroyed. The distance between individual vertebrae decreases, one bone begins to rub against another, which causes pain. It often occurs after injuries or is an occupational disease; it develops when you work in a stationary position with a bent or forcibly turned head. It manifests as pain at the site of the lesion, radiating to the shoulder and cramping when moving.
- Torticollis– congenital or acquired deformity of the neck with a tilt or turn of the head to one side. The disease is associated with pathology of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, located laterally along the anterolateral surfaces of the neck on both sides. It manifests as a tilt of the head and a raised shoulder on the affected side, accompanied by 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.
- Myofascial pain syndromeis a pain syndrome associated with the formation of local painful areas in the muscles, which are called "trigger points". It occurs due to prolonged muscle tension, uneven distribution of the load and pinching of the nerves by the surrounding structures. In this case, the patient feels pain in the muscles at rest, which intensifies with physical activity, pressing certain points of the muscles, which feel like quite hard compressions. Pain from these points can spread to other areas of the body.
- Compression fractureis a spinal injury in which compression of the vertebral body and damage to the spinal canal occurs. It occurs when engaging in traumatic sports, as well as in older people due to the fragility of bone tissue. It can result from whiplash injury in an accident and can be seriously life-threatening.
Rare causes of cervical spine pain include:
- Osteomyelitis- purulent inflammation affecting the bone marrow, periosteum and the bone itself. Most of the time it happens due to infection and the functioning of the immune system.
- Tuberculosis of the spine- a serious disease caused by Koch's bacilli and affecting various parts of the spine, most often affecting the thoracic region. The first symptoms may appear several years after infection.
If the discomfort and pain in the neck is accompanied by a sore throat, fever and weakness, this may signal the development of a viral infection, laryngitis and other colds.
Neck pain can also be a manifestation of:
- benign and malignant tumors of the neck organs.
- gastrointestinal diseases;
- foreign bodies in the throat.
- thyroid diseases;
- angina pectoris, called angina pectoris.
- abscesses of the soft tissues of the neck.
- diseases of the lymph nodes.
If the neck muscles on the sides hurt, the cause can be not only a spasm or injury, but also many other diseases. Clinics adhere to an evidence-based approach to diagnosis. This allows you to accurately determine the origin of the symptom and prescribe effective treatment.
Diagnostics
In most cases, neck pain is non-specific, that is, it is caused by muscle and ligament pathology. Also, the pain syndrome often develops as a result of degenerative changes in the cervical spine - osteochondrosis. Therefore, first of all, you need to contact a neurologist or a spondylologist.
To make a correct diagnosis and prescribe treatment, the doctor interviews the patient in detail about his symptoms, their severity, location and circumstances of their occurrence. It also clarifies the presence of chronic, hereditary diseases, injuries and medications taken. The specialist then conducts a thorough visual examination, palpation of the neck and evaluation of the neurological status, including the determination of muscle strength and sensitivity in the extremities. To confirm the diagnosis and exclude diseases unrelated to the spine, it is recommended that the patient undergo a comprehensive diagnosis. This may include:
- complete blood count, blood test for markers of inflammation levels, thyroid hormone levels.
- X-ray of the cervical spine.
- Ultrasound with examination of the condition of the blood vessels.
- electroneuromyography?
- MRI, CT.
The most informative method is magnetic resonance imaging. With its help, pathological diseases of the spine are detected in the initial stages and signs of compression of the spinal cord or nerve roots are detected.
At the appointment at the clinic, the doctor will talk in detail about modern diagnostic methods, interpret the results of the study and prescribe the appropriate treatment.
Treatment of cervical spine pain
The doctor determines how to treat acute neck pain individually for each patient, taking into account all the characteristics of the body and the course of the disease.
People with the same diagnosis may be prescribed different treatments because they have different medical history: chronic diseases, level of physical development, intensity of pain, age.
To relieve severe pain in the neck associated with diseases of the musculoskeletal system, complex therapy is used. Treatment may include: medication, physical therapy, massage, exercise therapy.
Pharmaceutical treatment- taking drugs containing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, in some cases corticosteroids are used. The main goal of drug therapy is to reduce inflammation and relieve pain, eliminating further tissue damage.
Physiotherapy- a set of treatment methods based on the effect of natural and artificially created factors on the body - light, water, electric current, magnetic field, mechanical and temperature effects. These techniques catalyze and accelerate the body's natural recovery processes.
Physiotherapy methods that help treat the cervical spine include:
- Laser treatment is a painless procedure, helps relieve pain, relieve inflammation and local swelling and improves tissue regeneration.
- Magnetic therapy helps relieve pain and inflammation.
- Shockwave therapy improves spinal mobility, relaxes muscles and also speeds up tissue recovery.
- Acupuncture is a technique of traditional Chinese medicine that can effectively and quickly relieve muscle pain and tension.
Manual therapy- treatment of a disease with the hands, in which the doctor makes certain, gentle, convulsive movements. Thanks to this method, joint and spine mobility is restored, muscles are relaxed and pain is reduced. Manual therapy is based on oriental techniques for the treatment of the spine.
Massage- one of the most famous and popular methods of treatment of osteochondrosis and other diseases of the spine. With the help of massage, you can relieve neck pain during sudden movement, relieve tension and restore mobility of the spinal joints. The massage relaxes spasmodic muscles, strengthens them and reduces pain. It is also used to prevent diseases of the cervical spine.
Healing Fitness— prescribed individually, taking into account the type of disease and its stage. The class consists of certain techniques and special exercises that help to improve the mobility of the joints, relieve swelling, tone the muscles and then strengthen the muscle corset to prevent the progression of the disease.
Prevention
A sedentary lifestyle, prolonged work at the computer and many other factors lead to problems with the musculoskeletal system - this causes neck pain. Simple recommendations for prevention will help to avoid the development of serious diseases of the cervical spine and their complications:
- Do a short warm-up every 30-40 minutes during breaks from computer work.
- Sleep on an orthopedic mattress and orthopedic pillow.
- Pay close attention to the ergonomics of the workplace: the chair should be comfortable with a special pillow for the neck, the computer should be placed at eye level or slightly higher.
- Don't talk on the phone with your cheek on your shoulder.
- Distribute the load evenly in both hands if you are carrying something heavy.
- Eat a balanced, varied diet, include plenty of vegetables and fruits in your diet.
- Move more, give your body enough activity.
Regular yoga classes and swimming in the pool help with neck pain. It is recommended to perform the exercises with an instructor, who will draw up an appropriate training program and monitor the correctness of its implementation.