Many important musculoskeletal plexuses, nerves and arteries pass through the cervical region. Various types of pain in the neck, caused by mechanical stress or nerve damage. In addition, the neck can ache after prolonged static stress. Let's consider the most likely situations that give pain to the cervical spine, create symptoms and signs of neurological diseases, and also determine how to relieve pain with the most effective methods of treatment, including at home.
The reason - why does the neck hurt?
The cervical spine consists of seven vertebrae, the seventh of which is distinguished by its greatest mobility from the other osteoarticular segments of the spine. In addition, the fragile area of the intervertebral cervix is always under strong pressure from a heavy head, and therefore all prerequisites are created for pain in the cervical spine, shoulder girdle and back. The anatomical structure of the cervix is not only muscles and ligaments, articular cartilage, nerve fibers and vascular plexuses, but also other life support organs - larynx, esophagus, trachea, lymph nodes and thyroid gland. Any inflammation or regional injury causes varying degrees of pain in the neck.
Therefore, it is possible to conditionally divide why the cervical spine hurts:
- mechanical injuries of the back and neck;
- systemic diseases of vital organs;
- defeat by infectious agents;
- degenerative transformation of the spinal region;
- symptoms of reflective pain;
- as a result of qualitative changes in life or work.
Neurological pathologies that determine cause and effect relationships, why the back muscles hurt, and why the spine in the neck hurts, including:
- vertebral disc deformity conditions;
- intervertebral hernia;
- spinal nerve compression;
- osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
Systemic etiology, why the neck can hurt:
- psoriatic or rheumatoid arthritis;
- fibromyalgia;
- diabetic neuropathy;
- tumor formation that is benign or malignant.
If the neck is very sore due to an infectious lesion, then the following clinic is determined:
- meningitis;
- acute or chronic forms of thyroiditis explain why the anterior neck is sore;
- dry cough;
- it is painful to swallow, and sometimes the neck and ears ache with inflammation of the cervical lymph nodes - lymphadenitis.
Other etiological factors include:
- passive lifestyle;
- excessive overstrain of muscle areas;
- nervous exhaustion;
- improper bed arrangement, when the neck hurts even after orthopedic pillows.
In addition, the neck is always sore after a seemingly insignificant cervical bruise, for example, after an accident in an accident, after a fall or collision.
The cause of neck pain can occur with alcohol syndrome. After enough alcohol intoxication, there is also acute pain in the cervical vertebrae, which often radiates to the ears, head (at the base of the skull and temples).
symptoms
If the neck pain is due to osteochondrosis or a complicated neurological pathology (intervertebral hernia), then the symptoms of pain are expressed as follows:
- the pain begins to emit in a painful or pulling manner on the side to the cervical vertebrae;
- severe back and neck pain, especially in the collarbone area;
- tilting and / or turning the head gives acute or sharp pain in the cervical region;
- having difficulty swallowing;
- there is a strong stiffness of movement;
- with pain, there are general signs of cervicalgia.
With infectious lesions on the cervical segment of the spine, discomfort is expressed by the following symptoms:
- there is a local increase in temperature with cold neck, temperature 37 ° and above;
- due to metabolic disorders, sometimes abdominal pain occurs;
- metabolic processes affect the work of the gastrointestinal tract (stomach may ache, sometimes nausea and vomiting appear);
- neck damage may be expressed by tonic muscle syndrome;
- there is an increase in irritation and rapid body fatigue.
Often, painful symptoms affect adolescents or young children, in the case of cervical lymphadenitis or parotitis, when the salivary glands of the ear become inflamed. A small patient begins to ache behind the ears, difficulty swallowing and radiate pain at the base of the skull, while the neck aches not only from the sides, but also along the entire periphery. Parents should pay attention to the clarity of the cervical contours, which are significantly modified, they swell, and upon palpation, a slight compaction of the skin is felt. It is not difficult to draw conclusions.
The listed symptoms of possible complications caused by a painful cervical attack seem too frightening to an uninformed person, so you should not engage in self-diagnosis, but you should immediately see a doctor. Often, these pain symptoms are most actively shown during pregnancy in women. Only a qualified specialist will determine what to do with neck pain and how to treat this or that clinical pathology.
What to do?
Excluding all possible clinical pathologies of neck pain, we will consider the method of treatment of the most common neurological problem - osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
The classical medical definition of a neuralgic condition is a degenerative-dystrophic lesion in the articular cartilage of the movable part of the spine of the cervix. It is possible to correct the situation with medication, methods of physiotherapy, special training, massage and treatment with folk remedies at home. In cases of acute exacerbations, anti-inflammatory and analgesic pharmacological treatments are used.
After completing a course of mandatory treatment with medications, complex rehabilitation therapy can be continued at home.
Neck gymnastics
The main rule when doing physiotherapy exercises for the cervical spine is a non-hurried, slow and smooth movement. The medical and rehabilitation complex consists of the following simple physical exercises:
- You should start by tilting the head forward and backward, with a gradual increase in amplitude. Enough for the first session 3-5 times.
- The next exercise is a circular movement and turning the neck to the right and left.
- Subsequent training will take a bit of effort. A gymnastic stick is applied under the chin, and with force, you should press it as hard as possible. Exercises are performed 2-3 times.
Attention!If pain in the neck spreads to the arms, shoulder girdle or clavicle, exercise should be stopped and the treating physician should be reported.
Massage treatment is also an effective way to relieve pain in the cervical vertebrae. The goal of therapeutic and prophylactic measures is to restore blood circulation and weaken muscle spasms. The massage therapist should begin the treatment with a light rubbing motion along the neck. However, you should not get too carried away, exercise on your own neck, and rub it intensively, because sometimes the neck hurts after a massage, which is not always a sign of quality.
Relieve pain according to the method of academics
There are special author methods for dealing with pain in cervical osteochondrosis, developed by academics. As a functional solution, a conventional pencil is used, which acts on the so -called cervical area, represented in the thumb area. This area is located between the fold of the palm of the hand and the fold of the superior articular of the thumb. The distance between these segments, the authors call the cervical space. Pain is relieved by intensive rubbing with a pencil, until the appearance of a stable heat, the projection of the cervical spine. Such prophylactic treatments and procedures can be performed in almost any situation, even outdoors. Some physicians reject the effectiveness of this method, however, many patients, using this development, believe that such a procedure brings little relief.
What to do at home?
To relieve muscle tension, ensure healthy blood flow in the cervical canal, facilitate the work of the articular elements of the spine, the following homemade recipes will allow:
- Bath salts containing magnesium sulfate are an effective means of relaxation for narrow neck areas.
- Boil the pine nuts. For 100 grams of forest produce, 200 ml of water is taken. The whole composition is brought to a boil, and stored for another 4-5 hours in a dark place. Healing medicine is used as a cervical compress.
- Decoction of dill seeds and / or parsley root is very helpful. Making homemade medicine is pretty easy. For 50 grams of any herbal product, you must take a glass of boiling water. The healing broth is infused for 1-1. 5 hours, after which it is used for indoor or outdoor use.
- Rubbing iodine -based alcohol and camphor oil. For 200 ml of 96%alcohol, 10 drops of iodine and the same amount of camphor oil are taken. Medical products are mixed and used as a compress for the neck.
- An equally effective way to relieve pain is a mixture of 150 ml of vodka and 100 ml of natural honey.
- You can make homemade healing recipes from grated potatoes and honey. Hot potatoes boiled in a "uniform" are ground with the addition of a tablespoon of honey. This lozenge should be rubbed on the inflamed part of the neck.
It is important to know,that any compress gives a therapeutic effect only after 30-40 minutes.
Examples of traditional medicine given are only appropriate in the early stages of osteochondrosis. In case of worsening symptoms, for example, a herniated intervertebral cervical disc, the proposed recipe should be agreed with the attending physician. In addition, if there is an allergic dependence on certain treatment products, then they should not be used.
Pain prevention
There is no single therapeutic and prophylactic action against all types of pain in the cervical spine. It is possible to protect your body from various factors causing the emergence of symptomatic manifestations, perhaps only if a healthy lifestyle is observed (excluding alcohol, smoking, etc. ) and an annual preventive examination by a therapist or specialist.