Many vital muscle, nerve and arterial plexuses pass through the cervical regions. Different types of pain in the neck, caused by mechanical stress or neurological damage. In addition, the neck may ache after prolonged static stress. Let's discuss the most likely situations that cause pain in the cervical spine, identify the symptoms and signs of neurological diseases, and also determine how to get rid of pain with the most effective methods of treatment, including at home.
Causes - Why does my neck hurt?
The cervical spine consists of seven vertebrae, the seventh of which has the greatest mobility from other osteoarticular segments of the spine. In addition, the fragile intervertebral discs of the cervix are constantly subjected to severe head pressure and, consequently, all the preconditions are created for neck, shoulder girdle and back pain. The anatomical structure of the cervix is not only the muscles and ligaments, articular cartilage, nerve fibers and vascular plexuses, but also other life-supporting organs - the larynx, esophagus, trachea, lymph nodes and thyroid gland. Any regional inflammation or injury causes varying degrees of neck pain.
Thus, it is possible to conditionally divide why the cervix hurts:
- Mechanical injuries to the spine and neck;
- Systemic diseases of vital organs;
- Defeat by infectious agents;
- Degenerative transformations of the spinal region;
- Symptoms of reflective pain;
- The result of a qualitative change in life or work.
Neurological pathologies that determine the cause-and-effect relationship, why the spinal muscles ache and why the spine hurts in the neck, include:
- Condition of deformity of the spinal discs;
- Intervertebral hernia;
- Spinal nerve compression;
- Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
Systemic etiology of neck pain:
- Psoriatic or rheumatoid arthritis;
- Fibromyalgia;
- Neuropathy of a diabetic nature;
- Development of benign or malignant tumors.
If the neck hurts too much due to an infectious lesion, then the following clinic is prescribed:
- Meningitis;
- The acute or chronic form of thyroiditis explains why the anterior neck hurts;
- Tuberculosis;
- Painful swallowing, sometimes neck and ear pain with inflammation of the cervical lymph nodes - lymphadenitis.
Other etiological factors include:
- Passive lifestyle;
- Excessive overload of muscle regions;
- Nervous exhaustion;
- Improper arrangement of the sleeping area when the neck hurts even after an orthopedic pillow.
In addition, the neck constantly aches after seemingly insignificant bruising of the cervix, such as after an accident, fall, or collision.
Causes of neck pain can occur with alcohol syndrome. After drinking a lot of alcohol, there is also a sharp pain in the cervical spine, which often radiates to the ear, head (at the base of the skull and temples).
Symptoms
If the neck hurts due to osteochondrosis or its complicated neurological pathology (intervertebral hernia), then the pain symptoms are as follows:
- The pain begins with pain or tingling in the sides up to the cervical spine;
- The back and neck ache painfully, especially around the neck;
- Bending and / or turning the head causes sharp or sharp pain in the cervix;
- Has difficulty swallowing;
- There is a strong firmness of movements;
- During pain, there are general signs of cervical pain.
With infectious lesions of the cervical spine, the discomfort is manifested by the following symptoms:
- Local temperature increase with neck cold, temperature 37 ° and above;
- Due to metabolic disorders, sometimes abdominal pain occurs;
- Metabolic processes affect the work of the gastrointestinal tract (stomach can be diseased, sometimes there is nausea and vomiting);
- Neck injury may be manifested by tonic muscle syndrome;
- Increases body irritability and rapid fatigue.
Often painful symptoms bother an adolescent or young child, in the case of cervical lymphadenitis or mumps, when the salivary glands in the ear are inflamed. The little patient begins to have pain in the back of the ear, difficulty swallowing, and radiating pain to the base of the skull, while the neck aches not only from the side but from the entire periphery. Parents should pay attention to the clarity of the contours of the cervix, which are noticeably altered, swollen, and on palpation feel a slight compression of the skin. It is not difficult to draw a conclusion.
The listed symptoms of possible complications provoked by painful cervical attacks look too scary for an uninformed person, so you should not engage in self-diagnosis but seek medical attention immediately. Often, these pain symptoms are most actively manifested in women during pregnancy. Only a qualified specialist will determine what to do with neck pain and how to treat this or that clinical pathology.
What should I do?
Excluding all possible clinical pathologies of neck pain, we discuss the most common neurological problem - treatment of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
The classic medical definition of a neuralgic condition is degenerative-dystrophic lesion of the articular cartilage of the cervical spine. The situation can be corrected with medication, physiotherapy methods, special exercises, massage and folk remedies at home. In case of acute exacerbation, anti-inflammatory and analgesic pharmacological treatment is used.
Complex rehabilitation therapy can be continued at home after undergoing a mandatory course of medication.
Neck gymnastics
The main rule when performing physiotherapy exercises for the cervix is slow, slow and smooth movements. The medical and rehabilitation complex consists of the following simple physical exercises:
- You should start by tilting your head back and forth, gradually increasing the amplitude. 3-5 times for the first session is enough.
- The next exercise is circular movements and turning the neck to the right and left.
- Then the exercise will require some effort. They put a gymnastic stick under the chin and you have to press it as hard as you can. Exercise is held 2-3 times.
Attention!If the pain in the neck area extends to the arm, shoulder girdle or elbow, the exercise should be stopped and the attending physician should be notified.
Massage is also an effective way to relieve cervical spine pain. The goal of therapeutic and prophylactic measures is to restore blood circulation and reduce muscle spasm. The masseur should begin the treatment with light movements along the neck. However, you should not get too carried away with exercise on your neck and massage intensively, because sometimes after the massage the neck hurts, which is not always a sign of quality.
Analgesic by the method of Academician
There is a special authorial method developed by an academician for pain relief during cervical osteochondrosis. As a functional solution, an ordinary pencil is applied, acting on the so-called cervix, which is represented around the cere finger. This area is located between the fold of the wrist and the upper joint of the thumb. The author calls the distance between these segments the cervical space. The pain is relieved by intense massage with a pencil, until a stable fever appears, the projection of the cervical spine. Such a curative and prophylactic procedure can be performed in almost any condition, even outside the home. Some medical experts deny the effectiveness of this method, however, many patients, using this development, believe that such a procedure brings some relief.
What to do at home?
To relieve muscle tension, to ensure healthy blood flow in the cervical canals, to facilitate the work of the articular elements of the spine, the following homemade recipes will allow you to:
- Salt baths containing magnesium sulfate are an effective way to relax the narrowed areas of the neck.
- Decoction of pine buds. Take 100 ml of water per 100 grams of forest product. Bring the whole composition to a boil and store for another 4-5 hours in a dark place. The remedy is used as a cervical compress.
- Decoction of dill seeds and / or parsley root is very beneficial. Making homemade medicine is quite simple. For 50 grams of any herbal product you should take a glass of boiling water. The healing broth is brewed for 1-1, 5 hours, after which it is used for internal or external use.
- Alcohol based on iodine and camphor oil. Take 200 drops of iodine and the same amount of camphor oil on 200 ml of 96% alcohol. The healing product is mixed and used as a neck compress.
- An equally effective way to relieve pain is a mixture of 150 ml of vodka and 100 ml of natural honey.
- You can make a homemade healing recipe from grated potatoes and honey. The hot potatoes cooked in the "uniform" are ground with the addition of a tablespoon of honey. This lozenge should be applied to the inflamed area of the neck.
It is important to knowThat any compresses give a therapeutic effect only after 30-40 minutes.
The given examples of traditional medicine are suitable only for the initial stage of osteochondrosis. In case of exacerbation of symptoms, for example, cervical intervertebral disc herniation, the proposed prescriptions should be agreed with the attending physician. Also, if there is an allergic dependence on certain medicinal products, then they should not be used.
Pain prevention
There is no single therapeutic and prophylactic action against all types of cervical spine pain. It is possible to protect your body from various triggers of the onset of symptoms, perhaps only by following a healthy lifestyle (excluding alcohol, smoking, etc. ) and annual preventive examination by a therapist or specialist.