When the neck hurts: causes and treatment

In medicine, neck pain is called cervicalgia. According to the results of many screening studies, during the year it occurs in 12-72% of people of working age. This means that the sensationcommon to almost everyone. . . At 1. 7-11. 5% of people, cervixgia eventually leads to deformity. Let's find out the most common causes and methods of their treatment.

Classification of the cervix

All painful sensations in the neck are divided into acute and chronic. The first appears suddenly and has a clear character. They usually appear after hypothermia, strenuous exercise, or weight lifting. The sensation of chronic pain bothers a person continuously, over a long period of time. They are mild, have a painful nature and worsen after long sitting or sleeping in an uncomfortable state.

Depending on the localizationthe pain is visceral, somatic superficial and deep. . . The first occurs as a result of damage to internal organs. Visceral (reflected) pain can indicate angina, esophageal or pharyngeal disease, acute thyroiditis, rupture of the vertebral or carotid arteries.

Superficial somatic pain occurs on the skin due to trauma or small scratches, which are located in the tissues. The cause of the latter appearance is usually excessive muscle or pathology of the spine.

How to distinguish visceral pain from somatic pain? The first is diffuse in nature, that is, one cannot determine the exact localization: they radiate to other parts of the body, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fever, etc.

In 2008, the Neck Pain Task Forse recommended the following:tadia cervicalgia:

1. The patient had no symptoms indicating structural abnormalities. A person's daily activities are not limited, he does not require additional examination and treatment. Such a cervix disappears after minimal lifestyle corrections.
2. The person had no signs of serious structural damage to the spine or cervical organs, but his daily activities were slightly disrupted. Patients sometimes need pain relievers. To avoid disability, he needs lifestyle changes, special training.
3. The person had no signs of serious organic damage, but there were neurological symptoms. The patient requires additional examination, complex treatment of the stated pathology.
4. The patient noted the appearance of signs of organic changes. He was concerned about severe pain in the neck, which most often indicated trauma, tumors, myelopathy, systemic diseases, etc. Patients need serious examination and specialized treatment.

Neck pain can be central and neuropathic. Cervicalgia of central genesis occurs with meningitis, acute disorders of cerebral circulation, TBI, increased intracranial pressure, intracerebral tumors.Neuropathic pain occurs due to pinching of the spinal roots, tunnel neuropathy, traumatic nerve damage, polyneuropathy, multiple sclerosis, etc.. . .

The main cause of neck pain

Neck pain may occur occasionally or bother a person on a daily basis. Periodic cervix that occurs every few months is most often harmless and does not indicate the presence of pathology. They disappear quickly after a good rest or the use of anesthetic ointments.

But constant pain or severe pain in the neck must cause serious concern to a person.

Table 1. Main reasons

Because	Mechanisms of development of pain syndrome	Pathological features
Hard work or gym workouts	Formation of large amounts of lactic acid in muscles. It is this substance that causes the painful sensation.	The pain occurred the next day after doing intense physical activity. Unpleasant sensations increase with hand movements, head spinning. It passed in a few days
Hypothermia	Development of neuralgia - pain in the maintenance of the occipital nerve	Usually, a person experiences pain under the ears in the neck and in the back of the head. In most cases, occipital nerve neuralgia has a unilateral localization: painful sensations appear only on one side
Psychosomatic	Muscle block formation - spastic contraction of the neck and shoulder muscles	A person's neck hurts for no apparent reason. With a full examination, the doctor fails to detect signs of spinal lesions or disease of internal organs
Biomechanics of shoulder belt pathology	Disorders of the normal function of the pelvic floor muscles. Overtrain and trapezius muscle spasm	Slight deterioration of movement in the shoulders and cervical spine. Painful pain that worsens after prolonged sitting in the same position or doing physical work
Cervical osteochondrosis	The appearance of pathological changes in one or more segments of spinal movement. Spinal mobility is impaired, development of myofascial pain syndrome and pinching of spinal roots	Pain, paresthesia and movement disorders in the cervical area that extend to the back of the head and upper limbs. Detection of characteristic changes in the spine on MRI and radiography (osteophytes, decreased distance between vertebrae, signs of damage to intervertebral joints)
Cervical sciatica	The development of inflammatory processes in the nerves that form the brachial plexus	A sharp pain on one side radiating to the upper limb. The patient complained of a burning sensation and numbness in the hands and back of the head. Unpleasant symptoms occur after hypothermia or hard physical work
Acute thyroiditis	Formation of inflammatory or purulent foci on the thyroid gland with subsequent development of pain syndrome	Sharp pain and swelling of the thyroid gland. On palpation, you can feel an enlarged, painful and nodular thyroid gland
Colds and infectious diseases	Inflammation of the mucous membranes of the pharynx, larynx, trachea due to inhalation of cold air or under the influence of infectious factors	The appearance of pain and sore throat, headache, runny nose, fever. General weakness, apathy, decreased ability to work
Burns to the throat or esophagus	Exposure to the mucous membranes of chemicals, high or low temperatures with further development of inflammatory processes	Severe pain along the esophagus, which is worse when swallowing
Tense headache	Persistent lumbar muscle tension, frequent stress, depression	The pain permeates the head, radiating to the cervical region
Subarachnoid hemorrhage	Irritation of the meninges of the brain with blood poured into the subarachnoid space	Sharp pain in the back of the head, reminiscent of a blow to the head
Multiple sclerosis	Damage to the myelin fibers of the brain and spinal cord with the development of neurological symptoms	Neck pain suddenly radiates to the spine. The patient himself described his feeling as an "electric shock"
Tumors of the spine, lungs, neck organs	Compression of tissues, nerves, or organs by malignant neoplasms	Persistent pain for a long time. With a tumor of the pharynx or esophagus, a person has difficulty swallowing food
Inflammation of the lymph nodes	The development of inflammatory processes in the lymph nodes in response to the penetration of infection, hypothermia, etc.	Painful sensation on the side of the neck. On palpation along the sternocleidomastoid muscle, painful enlarged lymph nodes can be felt

Overwork or hypothermia

If your neck hurts after exercise, physical exercise or prolonged monotonous work, muscle tension is to blame. Vigorous physical activity leads to the formation of lactic acid, which causes severe pain. The unpleasant sensation disappears completely after 3-4 days.

Neck pain radiating to the ears may appear after hypothermia. . . Due to the action of low temperature, occipital nerve neuralgia develops. The pathology is characterized by paroxysmal, shooting, pain in the back of the head. Pathology can be unilateral or bilateral.

Some people often experience neck pain after sleep. This may be due to the wrong choice of pillow. However, a painful sensation may also indicate cervical osteochondrosis. So, if your neck hurts after sleep, the first thing to do is change your pillow. If the pain syndrome does not go away, you should go to a traumatologist or vertebrologist.

Psychosomatic pain

If your neck hurts constantly, for no apparent reason, it may be a psychosomatic problem. Muscle block can occur due to repressed emotions, stubbornness, and unilateral thinking. In people with psychosomatic cervix, the muscles of the cervical spine are always sore and stretched, but doctors can not find the cause of this phenomenon even after a thorough examination.

Recent scientific research has established a link between personality traits and the appearance of the vertebral cervix. Apparently, increased restlessness and aggression contribute to the development of cervical osteochondrosis. The relationship found could be used for more effective treatment of vertebrogenic pain in the shoulder and neck in people with neurosis or diseases such as neurosis.

Violation of the biomechanics of the shoulder belt

The reason why your neck and shoulders are injured may be due to the function of the lumbar muscles not functioning properly. Weakness of deltoid function and excess of the trapezius muscle lead to the appearance of myofascial trigger points, which lead to the development of pain syndrome. At first, the neck muscles feel sore, but over time, organic changes in the spine develop.

Improper load distribution on the muscles in the shoulder girdle is a common cause of cervixgia. It is necessary to eliminate the pathological cause, that is, to restore normal biomechanics in the upper limbs. To achieve this, you need to carefully monitor your body posture, do special exercises.

Osteochondrosis of the spine and its complications

Is the neck and spine between the shoulder blades always sore? This may be a signal of the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. The pathology is characterized by gradual destruction of the intervertebral disc nucleus with the development of protrusion, hernia, spondyloarthrosis, and cervical spondylosis.

Typical signs of osteochondrosis:

• pain in neck muscles, collar area;
• numbness in the back of the head;
• limitation of movement in the cervical spine;
• violation of the sensitivity of the upper limbs;
• slight weakness in the arms;
• tinnitus, frequent dizziness, headache.

A person suffering from osteochondrosis not only has pain in the spine in the neck. Because of the reflex muscle tension, he developed myofascial pain syndrome. They are characterized by the appearance of pain, paresthesia and numbness in the muscles of the back, shoulder girdle, and upper limbs.

In the early stages, osteochondrosis is detected using MRI. . . Then, the pathology can be diagnosed thanks to radiography. On radiography of the cervical spine, a decrease in the distance between the vertebrae, pathological changes in the facet joints, and osteophytosis become marked.

Many people complain that they are unable to rotate the neck because of the severe pain that appears after a sharp weight gain. A similar phenomenon indicates the formation of a herniated disc. The cause of pain in the back, neck and upper limbs is pinching of one of the nerve roots that emerges from the spinal cord.

Cervical sciatica

The disease is characterized by inflammation of the spinal cord involved in the formation of the brachial plexus. The cause of the inflammatory process can be acute poisoning, hypothermia, pinching of nerve roots by spasmodic muscles, intervertebral hernia or osteophyte. . .

People who suffer from sciatica experience severe pain in the neck, back of the head, shoulders and even the upper limbs.. . . Painful sensations arise acutely, having a lingering character. Many people complain of numbness in the back of the head, crawling in the arms, sensory and movement disorders in the upper limbs.

What to do if your neck hurts, it hurts to turn your head, and it is difficult to move your arms? Seek medical attention immediately. Cervicobrachial sciatica requires serious treatment that you cannot provide on your own.

Diseases of the thyroid gland

A large number of thyroid pathologies are not accompanied by painful sensations. And only in people with acute thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid gland), the front neck hurts. Also, patients experience a rise in body temperature, chills, general weakness, body aches and other signs of intoxication. On closer examination, an enlarged and painful thyroid gland can be felt. In some cases, there are some dense infiltrates in it.

For many people, their neck hurts after a thyroid gland puncture diagnosis. The unpleasant sensation persisted for several days. The cause of the pain is trauma to the soft tissues during the procedure.

Inflammatory diseases of the cervical organs

With inflammatory diseases of the pharynx and larynx, a person often has a sore throat, and the lymph nodes in the neck become inflamed. Pathological causes can be hypothermia, infection, consumption of low -quality alcohol or accidental contact with the mucous membranes of chemicals. Neck pain, worse when swallowing, indicates involvement of the pharynx, larynx, or esophagus. . .

Diseases in which the neck and throat ache:

• pharyngitis;
• laryngitis;
• angina;
• diphtheria;
• Infectious mononucleosis;
• scarlet fever;
• epiglottitis;
• pharyngeal abscess;
• chemical burns of the esophagus.

The throat and neck on the sides are most often sore due to colds. The cause of the disease is hypothermia, sudden inhalation of cold air or walking in cold conditions. Good rest, warm tea and some analgesic tablets help to overcome the disease.

If you have a sore throat in the lower part of your neck, you should suspect pharyngitis or tracheitis (inflammation of the larynx or trachea). The development of the disease is due to a viral infection, inhalation of hot, cold or contaminated air. If the throat and neck are sore from behind, the possibility of a pharyngeal abscess. The pathology is characterized by an increase in temperature, difficulty swallowing, loss of appetite, general weakness and apathy.

Damage to the central or peripheral nervous system

Severe pain occurs with subarachnoid hemorrhage. The person himself described them as a "blow to the head" and a throbbing feeling in the back of the head. Patients experience nausea, vomiting, confusion, meningeal signs. A stiff neck develops about 6 hours after the first pain occurs.

Meningitis has a similar clinical picture.. . . A person with meningitis has a very severe head and neck. The painful sensation increases with movement. During the examination, the patient revealed occipital muscle tension. Therefore, one cannot bring the chin to the chest, even with external help. Along with this, a characteristic rash appears on the patient’s body.

Neck pain can be caused by damage to the spinal cord or peripheral nerves, tumors of the central nervous system, demyelining disease, etc. All of these diseases have a polymorphic clinical picture, and a painful sensation is one of the pathological symptoms.

Back and spine pain can be one of the early signs of multiple sclerosis, a demyelining disease of the central nervous system. In people with this pathology, symptoms called Lermitte appear. It is characterized by the feeling of an electric shock to the back of the head, which occurs when the head is tilted forward.

Malignant or benign neoplasms

Various tumors of the cervical spine, pharynx, esophagus, thyroid gland, or other organs can also cause pain. Also, pain can occur in people with Pancost cancer, a malignant neoplasm located in the lower part of the lungs.

Muscle damage

In some cases, the neck muscles in the back ache in people with myositis, polymyalgia, fibromyalgia. The disease is characterized by damage to skeletal muscle from any localization. If a person feels pain in the neck muscles from the side for no apparent reason, he or she may have one of these diseases.

If you have painful neck muscles in the front of your larynx, remember if you have recently had to scream out loud, sing or talk for a long time. So the cause of that discomfort is too many vocal cords.

Another possible cause is the cervix

Left pain in the chest and collarbone extending to the neck usually indicates heart disease. In people with similar pain syndromes, angina pectoris, arrhythmias, heart failure or heart attacks are detected.

The neck on the side can be painful in people with caries, disease of the oropharynx or nasopharynx. Unpleasant sensations can occur with tonsillitis - tonsillitis. If pain is observed in the shoulder near the neck, it may be due to scoliosis of the cervical and / or thoracic spine.

Why do the lymph nodes in the neck hurt?

The cervical lymph nodes are located on the side of the neck, along the sternocleidomastoid muscle. Usually, the size is small, but you are hard to find. However, in some cases, the lymph nodes in the neck can grow in size and pain. This phenomenon is necessarily alarming, as it can indicate serious diseases as well as malignant tumors.

Often, pain in the lymph nodes in the neck occurs because of their inflammation (lymphadenitis).Pathology develops against the background of tonsillitis, rhinitis or acute respiratory viral infections. . . The reason is their defeat by metastasis of tumors of the pharynx, esophagus, lungs or other organs.

Signs of cervical lymphadenitis:

• swollen lymph nodes. In some cases, the size can increase to 2-3 centimeters or more;
• the appearance of hyperemia and edema. Lymphadenitis is usually accompanied by redness of the skin and the appearance of swelling in the area of the inflamed lymph nodes;
• a painful sensation. A person experiences pain behind the ears and neck from one or both parts at once. It is difficult for the patient to rotate his body and perform active movements with the shoulders;
• symptoms of intoxication. Body temperature rises, chills, general weakness, apathy, headache appear. The phenomenon of intoxication appears in the form of acute lymphadenitis.

The cervical lymph nodes can become inflamed after exposure to prolonged drafts. Often, there is pain in the ears and under the ears in the neck. Slightly enlarged and painful lymph nodes can be felt under the patient's skin.

The lymph nodes in your neck are enlarged and sore, but you don’t know what to do? It is best to see a doctor immediately. The specialist will examine you carefully and set up additional examinations. After passing the necessary tests, you can find out the cause of the pathology.

The reasons why the head and neck are most often sore

According to statistics, 70% of people who often experience headaches (cephalgias) not only suffer from headaches, but also the cervical spine.Cervicalgia can be caused by irradiation of painful sensations or have a vertebrogenic nature. Many men and women with osteochondrosis experience neck pain and headaches. Among all headaches, 15-20% have cervicogenic properties.

Reasons why a person suffers from neck, head and temple pain:

• overwork;
• violation of blood circulation in brain tissue;
• cervical spine disease;
• inflammation of the paranasal sinuses;
• high blood pressure;
• heart disease;
• menopausal period;
• migraine;
• tension of the shoulder girdle muscles.

The most common type of cephalalgia is tension headache (HDN). It occurs due to mental tension, severe mental activity or prolonged muscle spasms of the neck, back and upper limbs. For tension headaches, neck massage, reflexology, and a brief intake of painkillers help a lot.

If you frequently experience neck pain and dizziness, do not hesitate with treatment. Cervical collar zone massage and acupuncture help overcome HDN. If after undergoing the massage you continue to feel pain, you need a full examination. There may be a serious problem behind a superficial headache.

For what reason does a child have neck pain?

Sore throat in infants appears with angina, acute respiratory viral infections, rubella, mumps, meningitis and several other infectious diseases. If a child has neck pain on one side, the cause may be otitis media, pharyngeal abscess, lymphadenitis, or trauma.

Speaking of childhood diseases, we should mention torticollis. The pathology is characterized by shortening of the congenital sternocleidomastoid muscle. Because of the disability, the baby's head takes a forced position. It is constantly rotated and in the opposite direction to the deformed muscle. A child with torticollis also experienced pain in the neck. The main reason for this is constant muscle tension.

What to do?Treat your baby right away and go to the hospital. . . Seeking timely medical help will help identify the problem in time and begin treatment.

Which doctor should I go to? It is best to see your pediatrician first. After the examination, the pediatrician will diagnose and prescribe treatment or send you to consult a narrow specialist.

How to relieve acute neck pain

Some people, after experiencing hypothermia or lifting weights, complain: "My neck hurts, I can't turn my head. . . ". These symptoms indicate acute inflammation of the spinal roots or occipital nerve neuralgia. If you experience such pain, you must always see a doctor.

To relieve pain, you can use tablets, gels, or patches. In this case, it is better to use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroid ointments or warming. Dry heat also has a good effect (heating pads, sandbags or heated cereals).

Not sure which doctor to see if you have unbearable neck pain? Since this cervix usually shows inflammation or a pinched nerve, it is best that you see a neurologist right away. He or she will provide adequate treatment, and, if necessary, perform medication restrictions. Corticosteroid injections can relieve pain quickly and effectively.

How to treat vertebral neck pain

Neck pain is treated by an orthopedic or vertebrologist traumatologist. After injury and surgery in the cervical area, the doctor prescribes the patient to wear a Shants collar. Painkillers and muscle relaxants are used to relieve pain. To relieve muscle spasms and restore the normal biomechanics of the shoulder girdle, experts recommend a set of exercises. Therapeutic gymnastics allows you to develop muscles, restoring normal mobility to the spine.

Which doctor should you visit if your neck hurts during pregnancy? First of all, you must visit the attending gynecologist. He or she will examine you and send you to consult a specialist who will provide adequate treatment.