In medicine, neck pain is usually called cervicalgia.According to the results of numerous screening studies, throughout the year they occur in 12-72% of people of working age.This means that the sensationsknown to almost every person.In 1.7-11.5% of people, cervicalgia eventually leads to disability.Let's find out the most common causes and methods of their treatment.
Classification of cervicalgia
All neck pain is divided into acute and chronic.The first are born suddenly and have a pronounced character.They usually appear after hypothermia, heavy physical activity or heavy lifting.Chronic pain bothers a person constantly, for a long period of time.They are mild, painful in nature and worsen after prolonged sitting or sleeping in an uncomfortable position.
Depending on the locationPain can be visceral, superficial somatic and deep.The first occurs due to damage to internal organs.Visceral pain (referred) may indicate a sore throat, disease of the esophagus or pharynx, acute thyroiditis, dissection of the vertebral or carotid arteries.
Superficial somatic pains appear on the skin due to minor injuries or scratches, while deep pains are localized in the tissues.The cause of the latter is usually muscle strain or spine pathology.
How to distinguish visceral pain from somatic pain?The first ones are diffuse in nature, that is, a person cannot determine their exact localization: they radiate to other parts of the body, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fever, etc.
In 2008, the Neck Pain Task Force proposed the following:stages of cervicalgia:
- The patient has no symptoms that would indicate structural abnormalities.A person's daily activity is not limited and he does not require additional examination or treatment.Such cervicalgia disappears after minimal lifestyle correction.
- The person has no signs of serious structural damage to the spine or cervical organs, but their daily activities are slightly impaired.The patient sometimes needs sedation.To prevent the loss of the ability to work, he needs lifestyle changes and special exercises.
- The person has no signs of severe organic damage, but has neurological symptoms.The patient needs additional examination and comprehensive treatment of the identified pathology.
- The patient notices the appearance of signs of organic changes.He is worried about severe pains in the neck, which most often indicate injuries, tumors, myelopathy, systemic diseases, etc.The patient requires serious examination and specialized treatment.
In the neck, pain can be central and neuropathic.Cervicalgia of central origin occurs with meningitis, acute cerebrovascular accidents, head injury, increased intracranial pressure, and intracerebral tumors.Neuropathic pain occurs due to compressed spinal roots, tunnel neuropathies, traumatic nerve injuries, polyneuropathy, multiple sclerosis, etc..
The main causes of neck pain
Pain in the neck area can appear from time to time or it can bother a person every day.Periodic cervicalgia, which occurs every few months, is most often harmless and does not indicate any pathology.They pass quickly after proper rest or the use of anesthetic ointment.
But constant pain or sudden severe pain in the neck should cause serious concern to a person.
Table 1. Main reasons
| cause | Mechanism of pain syndrome development | Characteristic signs of pathology |
|---|---|---|
| Hard work or training in the gym | The formation of large amounts of lactic acid in the muscles.It is this substance that causes pain | The pain appears the next morning after intense physical activity.Unpleasant sensations intensify when you move your arms or turn your head.It goes away for a few days |
| Hypothermia | Development of neuralgia - pain in the innervation area of the occipital nerves | Usually a person has pain under the ear, in the neck and in the back of the head.In most cases, occipital neuralgia is unilateral: the pain appears only on one side |
| Psychosomatics | The formation of muscle blocks - spastic contractions of the muscles of the neck and shoulder girdle | A person has a pain in the neck for no apparent reason.With a thorough examination, doctors are not able to detect signs of damage to the spine or diseases of internal organs |
| Pathological biomechanics of the shoulder girdle | Violation of the normal functioning of the muscles of the girdle of the upper limbs.Strain and spasm of the trapezius muscles | Slight mobility impairment in the shoulders and cervical spine.Pain Pain that intensifies after prolonged standing in the same position or performing physical work |
| Cervical osteochondrosis | The appearance of pathological changes in one or more segments of spinal movement.Impaired mobility of the spine, development of myofascial pain syndromes and compression of the spinal roots | Pain, paresthesia and motor disturbances in the cervical region, which spread to the back of the head and upper limbs.Detection of characteristic changes in the spine on MRI and X-ray (osteophytes, decreased distance between the vertebrae, signs of damage to the intervertebral joints) |
| Cervicobrachial radiculitis | The development of an inflammatory process in the nerves forming the brachial plexus | Unilateral sharp pain radiating to the upper limb.The patient complains of a burning sensation and numbness in the hands and the back of the head.Unpleasant symptoms appear after hypothermia or heavy physical work |
| Acute thyroiditis | The formation of inflammatory or purulent foci in the thyroid gland with the subsequent development of pain syndrome | Severe pain and swelling in the thyroid area.Upon palpation, you can feel an enlarged, painful, nodular thyroid gland |
| Colds and infectious diseases | Inflammation of the mucous membrane 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, lightning, increased body temperature.General weakness, apathy, reduced ability to work |
| Burns of the pharynx or esophagus | Exposure to the mucous membrane of chemicals, high or low temperatures with the further development of the inflammatory process | Severe pain along the esophagus, which intensifies during swallowing |
| Tension headache | Constant over-strain of the muscles of the shoulder girdle, frequent stress, depression | Diffuse aching pain in the head, radiating to the cervical region |
| Subarachnoid hemorrhage | Irritation of the membranes of the brain from the effusion of blood in 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 further development of neurological symptoms | Sudden pain in the neck, radiating to the spine.The patient himself describes his sensations as "electric shocks" |
| Tumors of the spine, lungs, neck organs | Compression of tissues, nerves or organs by a malignant neoplasm | Aching pain that continues for a long time.If you have tumors of the pharynx or esophagus, a person has difficulty swallowing food |
| Inflammation of the lymph nodes | The development of the inflammatory process in the lymph nodes in response to infection, hypothermia, etc. | Painful sensations in the sides of the neck.When you palpate along the sternocleidomastoid muscle, you can feel enlarged and painful lymph nodes |
Overwork or hypothermia
If your neck hurts after training, physical activity or prolonged monotonous work, muscle strain is to blame.Intense physical activity leads to the formation of lactic acid, which causes severe pain.Discomfort disappears completely after 3-4 days.
Neck pain radiating to the ear can occur after hypothermia.Due to the effect of low temperature, neuralgia of the occipital nerve develops.Pathology is characterized by paroxysmal pain, shooting, burning in the back of the head.Pathology can be unilateral or bilateral.
Some people often have neck pain after sleeping.The reason for this may be the wrong choice of pillow.However, painful sensations can also indicate cervical osteochondrosis.Therefore, if your neck hurts after sleeping, the first thing you should do is change your pillow.If the pain does not disappear, you should go to a traumatologist or vertebrologist.
Psychosomatic pain
If you constantly have neck pain for no apparent reason, it may be due to psychosomatics.Muscle blocks can occur due to suppressed emotions, stubbornness and one-sided thinking.People with psychosomatic cervicalgia regularly experience pain and tension in the muscles of the cervical spine, but doctors cannot find out the cause of this phenomenon even after a thorough examination.
Recent scientific research has established a link between personality characteristics and the occurrence of vertebrogenic cervicalgia.As it turned out, increased anxiety and aggressiveness contribute to the development of cervical osteochondrosis.The discovered relationship can be used for more effective treatment of vertebrogenic shoulder and neck pain in people with neurosis or neurosis-like diseases.
Violation of the biomechanics of the shoulder girdle
The reason your neck and shoulders hurt may be due to the muscles of the shoulder girdle not working properly.Functional weakness of the deltoid and overload of the trapezius muscles leads to the appearance of myofascial trigger points, which cause the development of pain.At first there is pain in the neck muscles, but over time organic changes develop in the spine.
Improper distribution of the load on the muscles of the shoulder girdle is a common cause of cervicalgia.It is necessary to eliminate the cause of pathologies, that is, to restore normal biomechanics in the upper limb girdle.To achieve this, you must carefully monitor your posture and perform special exercises.
Osteochondrosis of the spine and its complications
Does your neck and spine constantly ache between your shoulder blades?This can be a signal of the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.The pathology is characterized by the gradual destruction of the nuclei of the intervertebral discs with the subsequent development of protrusions, hernias, spondyloarthrosis and cervical spondylosis.
Characteristic signs of osteochondrosis:
- pain in the muscles of the neck, neck area;
- numbness in the back of the head;
- limited mobility in the cervical spine;
- sensory disturbances in the upper extremities;
- slight weakness in the arms;
- tinnitus, frequent dizziness, headache.
A person with osteochondrosis not only has back pain in the neck area.Due to the reflex muscle tension, he develops myofascial pain syndromes.They are characterized by the appearance of pain, paresthesia and numbness in the muscles of the back, shoulder girdle and upper limbs.
In the initial stages, osteochondrosis is detected using MRI.Later, the pathology can be diagnosed using radiographs.In radiographs of the cervical spine, a decrease in the distance between the vertebrae, pathological changes in the fascial joints and osteophytosis become visible.
Many people complain that they cannot turn their necks because of severe pain that occurs after suddenly lifting something heavy.This phenomenon indicates the formation of a disc herniation.The cause of pain in the back, neck and upper limbs is the compression of one of the nerve roots that come out of the spinal cord.
Cervicobrachial radiculitis
The disease is characterized by inflammation of the spinal nerves involved in the formation of the brachial plexus.The cause of the inflammatory process can be acute intoxication, hypothermia, compression of the nerve root by spasmodic muscles,intervertebral hernias or osteophytes.
People with sciatica experience severe pain in the neck, back of the head, shoulder and even upper limb..Painful sensations occur acutely and have a burning character.Many people complain of a feeling of numbness in the back of the head, crawling in the arm, sensory and motor disturbances in the upper limb.
What should you do if your neck hurts, it hurts to turn your head, it is difficult to move your arm?Seek medical attention immediately.Cervicobrachial radiculitis requires serious treatment, which you cannot provide yourself.
Thyroid diseases
Most thyroid pathologies are not accompanied by pain.And only people with acute thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid gland) have pain in the front of the neck.Patients also experience increased body temperature, chills, general weakness, body aches and other signs of intoxication.With a more thorough examination, you can feel an enlarged and painful thyroid gland.In some cases, some dense infiltrates are found in it.
Many people have neck pain after a thyroid test.Unpleasant sensations continue for several days.The cause of the pain is soft tissue trauma 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.The cause of the pathology can be hypothermia, infections, consumption of low-quality alcohol or accidental contact with the mucous membrane of chemicals.Damage to the pharynx, larynx, or esophagus is indicated by neck pain that worsens when swallowing..
Diseases that cause pain in the neck and throat:
- pharyngitis;
- laryngitis;
- angina;
- diphtheria;
- infectious mononucleosis;
- scarlet fever;
- epiglottitis;
- abscess of the pharynx;
- chemical burn of the esophagus.
The sides of your throat and neck most often hurt when you have a cold.The causes of the disease are hypothermia, sudden inhalation of cold air or a long walk in the cold.Good rest, warm tea and some analgesic tablets help cope with the disease.
If you have a sore throat in the lower part of the neck, you should suspect pharyngitis or tracheitis (inflammation of the larynx or trachea).The development of diseases is provoked by a viral infection, inhalation of hot, cold or polluted air.If the throat and the back of the neck hurt, a retropharyngeal abscess is possible.Pathology is characterized by fever, difficulty swallowing, loss of appetite, general weakness and apathy.
Central or peripheral nervous system damage
Severe pain occurs with subarachnoid hemorrhage.The person himself describes them as a "hit in the head" and a throbbing feeling in the back of the head.The patient develops nausea, vomiting, confusion and meningeal signs.Neck stiffness develops approximately 6 hours after the onset of the first pain.
Meningitis has a similar clinical picture..A person with inflammation of the meninges has very severe pain in the neck and head.Painful sensations intensify with movement.During the examination, tension in the occipital muscles is detected in the patient.Because of this, a person cannot bring his chin to his chest even with external help.At the same time, 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, demyelinating diseases, etc.All these diseases have a polymorphic clinical picture and pain is one of the symptoms of the pathology.
Back and back pain can be one of the early signs of multiple sclerosis, a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system.People with this pathology develop the so-called Lhermitte symptom.It is characterized by a feeling of electric shock in the back of the head that occurs when the head is bent forward.
Malignant or benign neoplasms
Various tumors of the cervical spine, pharynx, esophagus, thyroid gland or other organs can also cause pain.Pain can also occur in people with Pancoast cancer, a malignant neoplasm located subpleurally at the apex of the lung.
Muscle damage
In some cases, the lateral neck muscles hurt in people with myositis, polymyalgia and fibromyalgia.These diseases are characterized by damage to the skeletal muscles of any site.If a person notices tenderness in the neck muscles on the side without any apparent reason, he may have one of these diseases.
If you have muscle pain in the front of your neck near the larynx, think about whether you recently had to shout loudly, sing loudly or talk for a long time.Then the cause of concern is the overload of the vocal cords.
Other possible causes of cervicalgia
Pain in the left side of the chest and collarbone, extending to the neck, usually indicates heart disease.In people with a similar pain syndrome, angina pectoris, arrhythmia, heart failure or heart attack are detected.
The sides of the neck may hurt in people with caries, diseases of the oropharynx or nasopharynx.Unpleasant sensations can occur with the tonsils - inflammation of the tonsils.If pain is observed in the shoulders near the neck, this may be the result of 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 sides of the neck, along the sternocleidomastoid muscle.They are usually small in size and can be difficult to feel.However, in some cases, lymph nodes in the neck can become enlarged and painful.This phenomenon should be alarming, as it can indicate serious diseases, even malignant tumors.
Most often, pain in the lymph nodes in the neck occurs due to their inflammation (lymphadenitis).Pathology develops against the background of tonsillitis, rhinitis or acute respiratory viral infection.The reason may be their damage from metastases of tumors of the pharynx, esophagus, lungs or other organs.
Signs of cervical lymphadenitis:
- enlarged lymph nodes.In some cases, their size can increase to 2-3 or more centimeters;
- the appearance of hyperemia and edema.Lymphadenitis is usually accompanied by skin redness and swelling in the area of the inflamed lymph nodes;
- painful sensations.A person has pain behind the ear and neck on one or both sides.It may be difficult for the patient to turn the head and perform active shoulder movements;
- symptoms of intoxication.Body temperature rises, chills, general weakness, apathy and headache appear.Symptoms of intoxication appear in the acute form of lymphadenitis.
Cervical lymph nodes can become inflamed after a long stay in the current.Most often, the pain is felt in the ear and under the ear in the neck.Under the patient's skin, you can feel slightly enlarged and painful lymph nodes.
Are the lymph nodes in the neck swollen and painful, but you do not know what to do?It is best to go to the doctor immediately.The specialist will examine you carefully and prescribe additional examinations.After passing the necessary tests, you can find out the cause of the pathology.
Reasons why the head and neck hurt more often
According to statistics, 70% of people with frequent headaches (cephalgia) have pain not only in the head, but also in the cervical spine.Cervicalgia can be caused by the radiation of painful sensations or have a vertebrogenic nature.Many men and women with osteochondrosis have neck pain that radiates to the head.Among all headaches, 15-20% are cervicogenic in nature.
Reasons why a person has pain in the neck, head and temples:
- excessive work;
- impaired blood circulation in brain tissue;
- diseases of the cervical spine;
- inflammation of the paranasal sinuses;
- high blood pressure;
- heart disease;
- menopause period;
- migraine;
- excessive tension of the muscles of the shoulder girdle.
The most common type of cephalalgia is tension-type headache (TTH).It occurs due to mental stress, heavy mental activity or prolonged spasm of the muscles of the neck, back and girdle of the upper limbs.For tension headaches, neck massage, reflexology and short-term use of pain relievers can help.
If you often have neck pain and dizziness, do not hesitate to get treatment.Cervical massage and acupuncture can help manage tension headaches.If after a massage course you still feel pain, you need a full examination.Perhaps there is a serious problem hiding behind a banal headache.
What are the reasons for a child's neck pain?
A baby's sore throat occurs with sore throat, acute respiratory viral infections, rubella, mumps, meningitis and some other infectious diseases.If a child has neck pain on only one side, the cause may be otitis media, retropharyngeal abscess, lymphadenitis, or trauma.
Speaking of childhood diseases, we must mention torticollis.The pathology is characterized by congenital shortening of the sternocleidomastoid muscle.Due to the defect, the baby's head takes a forced position.It rises continuously up and in the opposite direction to the damaged muscle.A child with torticollis also has pain on the side of the neck.The main reason for this is constant muscle strain.
What should be done?Take your child immediately and go to the hospital.Seeking medical help in time will help identify the problem in time and start treatment.
Which doctor should I contact?It is best to go to the pediatrician first.After the examination, the pediatrician will make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment or send you for a consultation with a specialist.
How to relieve acute neck pain
Some people, after hypothermia or removing heavy objects, complain: "My neck hurts, I can't turn my head...".This symptom indicates acute inflammation of the spinal roots or neuralgia of the occipital nerve.If such pains occur, you should always consult a doctor.
To relieve the pain, you can use tablets, gel or a patch.In this case, it is best to use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids or warming ointments.Dry heat (a heating pad, a bag of hot sand or cereal) also has a good effect.
Don't know which doctor to contact if you have unbearable neck pain?Since such cervicalgia usually indicates inflammation or pinched nerves, it is best to immediately go to a neurologist.He will prescribe the appropriate treatment and, if necessary, perform a drug blockade.Injectable corticosteroids can quickly and effectively relieve pain.
How to treat vertebrogenic neck pain
Neck pain is treated by an orthopedic traumatologist or vertebrologist.After injuries and operations in the cervical region, doctors recommend the patient wear a Shants collar.Pain relievers and muscle relaxants are used to relieve pain.To relieve muscle spasms and restore normal biomechanics of the shoulder girdle, experts recommend a set of exercises.Therapeutic gymnastics allows you to develop muscles and restore normal mobility of the spine.
Which doctor should you go to if your neck hurts during pregnancy?First of all, you should visit your treating gynecologist.He will examine you and send you for a consultation with a specialist who will prescribe the appropriate treatment.