In medicine, pain in the neck is called neck pain. According to the results of several screening studies, during the year they occur in 12-72% of people of working age. This means that the sensationsfamiliar to almost everyone. . . In 1, 7-11, 5% of people, neck pain leads to disability. Let's find out its causes and most common treatment methods.
Classification of cervical pains
All painful sensations in the neck are divided into acute and chronic. The first appear suddenly and have a pronounced character. They usually appear after hypothermia, strenuous exercise or weightlifting. The sensations of chronic pain constantly bother the person, for a long period of time. They are light, have a sore character and get worse after sitting for a long time or sleeping in an uncomfortable position.
Depending on the locationpain is visceral, somatic, superficial and deep. . . The first occurs as a result of damage to internal organs. Visceral (reflected) pain can indicate angina, diseases of the esophagus or pharynx, acute thyroiditis, dissection of the vertebral or carotid arteries.
Superficial somatic pain occurs on the skin due to trauma or small scratches, deeply located in the tissues. The reason for the appearance of the latter is usually excessive muscle tension or pathology of the spine.
How to distinguish visceral pain from somatic pain? The former are diffuse in nature, that is, the person is unable to determine their exact location: they radiate to other parts of the body, are accompanied by nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fever, etc.
In 2008, the Neck Pain Task Forse proposed the following: Tadia Cervicalgia:
- The patient has no symptoms that suggest structural abnormalities. A person's daily activity is not limited, he does not need additional tests and treatments. These cervical pains disappear after minimal lifestyle correction.
- The person does not show signs of serious structural damage to the spine or cervical organs, but his daily activities are slightly impaired. The patient sometimes needs painkillers. To prevent disability, he needs a lifestyle change, special exercises.
- The person shows no signs of serious organic damage, but there are neurological symptoms. The patient needs an additional examination, complex treatment of the revealed pathology.
- The patient notices the appearance of signs of organic changes. He is concerned about severe neck pain, which most often indicates trauma, tumors, myelopathy, systemic diseases, etc.
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 compression of the spinal roots, tunnel neuropathies, traumatic nerve damage, polyneuropathies, multiple sclerosis, etc.. . .
The main causes of sore throat
Neck pain can occasionally occur or bother a person on a daily basis. Periodic cervical pains that occur every few months are mostly harmless and do not indicate any pathology. They disappear quickly after a good rest or application of an anesthetic ointment.
But constant pain or sudden, severe pain in the neck should cause serious concern in a person.
Table 1. Main reasons
| Cause | The mechanism of development of pain syndrome | Characteristic signs of pathology |
|---|---|---|
| Hard work or training at the gym | The formation of large amounts of lactic acid in the muscles. It is this substance that causes painful sensations. | The pain occurs the next morning after intense physical activity. Unpleasant sensations intensify with hand movements, turn your head |
| Hypothermia | Development of neuralgia - pain in the innervation 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 nerve neuralgia has a unilateral location: painful sensations appear only on one side |
| Psychosomatic | Muscle block formation - spastic contractions of the neck and shoulder girdle muscles | A person's neck hurts for no apparent reason. With a thorough examination, doctors are unable to detect signs of spinal injuries or diseases of internal organs |
| Pathological biomechanics of the scapular girdle | Disturbance of the normal functioning of the muscles of the waist of the upper limb. Excessive tension and spasm of the trapezius muscle | Slight impairment of mobility in the shoulders and cervical spine. Acute pain that worsens after sitting in the same position for a long time or doing physical work |
| Cervical osteochondrosis | The appearance of pathological changes in one or more segments of movement of the spine. Impaired spinal mobility, the development of myofascial pain syndromes and clamping of the spinal roots | Pain, paraesthesia and movement disorders in the cervical region that extend to the back of the head and upper limbs. Detection of characteristic changes in the spine on MRI and radiographs (osteophytes, a decrease in the distance between the vertebrae, signs of damage to the intervertebral joints) |
| Cervicobraquial sciatica | Development of the inflammatory process in the nerves that form the brachial plexus | Acute unilateral pain that radiates to the upper limb. The patient complains of a burning sensation and numbness in his hands and neck. Unpleasant symptoms occur after hypothermia or intense physical work |
| Acute thyroiditis | Formation of inflammatory or purulent foci in the thyroid gland with the subsequent development of pain syndrome | Acute pain and swelling in the thyroid gland. Upon palpation, you may 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, runny nose, fever. General weakness, apathy, decreased ability to work |
| Burns in the throat or esophagus | Exposure to the mucous membrane of chemicals, high or low temperatures with the development of the inflammatory process | Severe pain along the esophagus, which is worse when swallowing |
| Tension headaches | Constant excessive tension in the shoulder girdle muscles, frequent stress, depression | Diffuse and sore pain in the head, radiating to the cervical region |
| Subarachnoid hemorrhage | Irritation of the meninges of the brain with blood spilled in the subarachnoid space | Acute pain in the neck, reminiscent of a blow to the head |
| Multiple sclerosis | Damage to the myelin fibers of the brain and spinal cord with greater development of neurological symptoms | Sudden pain in the neck radiating to the spine. The patient himself describes his feelings as "electric shock" |
| Tumors of the spine, lungs, neck organs | Compression of tissues, nerves or organs by a malignant neoplasm | Sore pains that persist for a long time. With tumors of the pharynx or esophagus, a person has difficulty swallowing food |
| Inflammation of the lymph nodes | The development of an inflammatory process in the lymph nodes in response to the penetration of infection, hypothermia, etc. | Painful sensations on the sides of the neck. Upon palpation along the sternocleidomastoid muscle, enlarged painful lymph nodes can be felt |
Overwork or hypothermia
If your neck hurts after exercise, physical exertion or prolonged monotonous work, muscle tension is to blame. Intense physical activity leads to the formation of lactic acid, which causes severe pain. Unpleasant feelings disappear completely after 3-4 days.
Neck pain that radiates to the ear may appear after hypothermia. . . Due to the action of the low temperature, neuralgia of the occipital nerve develops. The pathology is characterized by paroxysmal, sharp and burning pains in the back of the head. The pathology can be unilateral or bilateral.
Some people often experience neck pain after sleeping. This may be due to the wrong choice of pillow. However, painful sensations can also indicate cervical osteochondrosis. So if your neck hurts after sleeping, the first thing to do is to change your pillow. If the pain syndrome does not go away, you need to go to a traumatologist or vertebrologist.
Psychosomatic pain
If your neck hurts constantly, for no apparent reason, it can be a psychosomatic issue. Muscle blocks can occur due to suppressed emotions, stubbornness and unilateral thinking. In people with psychosomatic cervical pain, the muscles of the cervical spine ache and distend regularly, but doctors cannot find the cause of this phenomenon, even after a thorough examination.
Recent scientific research has established a relationship between personality traits and the appearance of vertebral neck pain. As it turned out, increased anxiety and aggressiveness contribute to the development of cervical osteochondrosis. The discovered relationship can be used for a more effective treatment of vertebrogenic pain in the shoulders and neck in people with neurosis or neurosis-like diseases.
Violation of scapular waist biomechanics
The reason your neck and shoulders hurt may be due to the malfunctioning of the shoulder girdle muscles. The functional weakness of the deltoid and the overload of the trapezius muscles lead to the appearance of myofascial trigger points, which cause the development of the painful syndrome. In the beginning, the neck muscles are sore, but over time, organic changes occur in the spine.
The incorrect distribution of the load on the scapular girdle muscles is a common cause of neck pain. It is necessary to eliminate the cause of the pathologies, that is, to restore the normal biomechanics of the upper waist. To achieve this, you need to carefully monitor your posture, perform special exercises.
Spinal osteochondrosis and its complications
Do the neck and spine between the shoulder blades hurt constantly? This may be a sign of the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. The pathology is characterized by the gradual destruction of the intervertebral disc nuclei with the subsequent development of protrusions, hernias, spondyloarthrosis and cervical spondylosis.
Typical signs of osteochondrosis:
- pain in the muscles of the neck, collar area;
- numbness in the back of the neck;
- limitation of mobility in the cervical spine;
- violation of the sensitivity of the upper limbs;
- slight weakness in the arms;
- tinnitus, frequent dizziness, headaches.
A person with osteochondrosis does not only injure the spine in the neck. Due to reflex muscle tension, he develops myofascial pain syndromes. They are characterized by the appearance of pain, paresthesia and a sensation of numbness in the muscles of the back, shoulder girdle and upper limbs.
In the early stages, osteochondrosis is detected by means of magnetic resonance imaging. . . Subsequently, the pathology can be diagnosed thanks to radiography. In the radiographs of the cervical spine, a decrease in the distance between the vertebrae, pathological changes in the facet joints and osteophytosis becomes noticeable.
Many people complain that they are unable to turn their necks due to the severe pain that appears after a marked increase in weight. A similar phenomenon indicates the formation of a herniated disc. The cause of pain in the back, neck and upper limbs is the pinching of one of the nerve roots that emerge from the spinal cord.
Cervicobraquial sciatica
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, nerve root clamping by spasmodic muscles,intervertebral hernias or osteophytes. . .
People with sciatica have severe pain in the neck, neck, shoulders and even upper limbs.. . . Painful feelings arise sharply, have a burning character. Many people complain of numbness in the neck, crawling on the arm, sensory and movement disorders in the upper limb.
What to do if your neck hurts, it hurts to turn your head and it is difficult to move your arm? Seek medical attention immediately. Cervicobraquial sciatica requires serious treatment that you cannot provide yourself.
Diseases of the thyroid gland
Most thyroid disorders are not accompanied by painful sensations. And only in people with acute thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid gland), the frontal region of the neck hurts. In addition, patients experience increased 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, several dense infiltrates are found in it.
For many people, the neck hurts after a diagnostic puncture in the thyroid gland. Unpleasant sensations persist for several days. The cause of the pain is trauma to the soft tissues during the procedure.
Inflammatory diseases of Organs cervical organs
In inflammatory diseases of the pharynx and larynx, the individual usually has a sore throat and inflammation of the lymph nodes in the neck. The cause of the pathology can be hypothermia, infections, use 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 burn of the esophagus.
The throat and neck on the sides of the body tend to be sore with a cold. The causes of the disease are hypothermia, sudden inhalation of cold air or a long walk in the cold. A good rest, a hot tea and some painkiller pills help to cope with the disease.
If you have a sore throat in the lower neck, you should suspect pharyngitis or tracheitis (inflammation of the larynx or trachea). The development of disease is caused by a viral infection, inhalation of hot, cold or polluted air. If the throat and neck ache from behind, a pharyngeal abscess is possible. The pathology is characterized by increased temperature, difficulty swallowing, loss of appetite, general weakness and apathy.
Damage to the central or peripheral nervous system
Severe pain occurs with subarachnoid hemorrhages. The person himself describes them as a "blow to the head" and a throbbing sensation on the back of the neck. The patient develops nausea, vomiting, confusion, meningeal signs. Torticollis develops about 6 hours after the first pain occurs.
Meningitis has a similar clinical picture.. . . A person with inflammation of the meninges has a very bad head and neck. Painful sensations increase with movement. During the examination, the patient reveals tension in the occipital muscles. Because of this, a person cannot bring his chin to his chest, even with outside 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, demyelinating diseases, etc. All of these diseases have a polymorphic clinical picture, and painful sensations are one of the symptoms of the pathology.
Back and spine pain can be one of the first signs of multiple sclerosis, a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. In people with this pathology, the so-called Lermitte symptom appears. It is characterized by the sensation of an electric shock at the back of the neck, 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. In addition, pain can occur in people with Pancost cancer, a malignant neoplasm located subpleurally at the apex of the lung.
Muscle damage
In some cases, the side muscles of the neck hurt in people with myositis, polymyalgia, fibromyalgia. These diseases are characterized by damage to the skeletal muscles of any location. If a person notices pain in the neck muscles for no apparent reason, he or she may have one of these illnesses.
If you have sore neck muscles in the front of the larynx, remember that you have recently had to scream, sing or speak for a long time. So, the cause of the discomfort is the excessive tension of the vocal cords.
Other possible causes of cervical pain
Pain left in the chest and collarbone that extends to the neck usually indicates heart disease. In people with a similar pain syndrome, angina pectoris, arrhythmias, heart failure or heart attack are detected.
The neck on the sides can hurt in people with cavities, diseases of the oropharynx or nasopharynx. Unpleasant sensations can occur with tonsillitis - inflammation of the tonsils. If pain is seen in the shoulders near the neck, it may be due to scoliosis of the cervical and / or thoracic spine.
Why do lymph nodes in the neck hurt?
The cervical lymph nodes are located on the sides of the neck, along the sternocleidomastoid muscle. Usually, they are small in size, but you can hardly find them. However, in some cases, the lymph nodes in the neck may grow in size and hurt. This phenomenon must be alarming, as it can indicate serious diseases and even malignant tumors.
Most of the time, the pain of the lymph nodes in the neck occurs due to its inflammation (lymphadenitis).The pathology develops in the context of tonsillitis, rhinitis or acute respiratory viral infection. . . The reason may be its defeat by metastases from tumors of the pharynx, esophagus, lung or other organs.
Signs of cervical lymphadenitis:
- swollen lymph nodes. In some cases, its size can increase up 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;
- painful sensations. A person feels pain behind the ear and neck on one or both sides at the same time. It is difficult for the patient to turn his head and perform active movements with his shoulders;
- intoxication symptoms. Body temperature rises, chills appear, general weakness, apathy, headaches. The intoxication phenomena appear in the acute form of lymphadenitis.
Cervical lymph nodes can become inflamed after prolonged exposure to a draft. Most of the time, there is pain in the ear and under the ear in the neck. Slightly enlarged and painful lymph nodes can be felt under the patient's skin.
Your lymph nodes in your neck have grown and hurt, but you don't know what to do? It is best to go to the doctor immediately. The specialist will examine you carefully and prescribe an additional exam. After passing the necessary tests, you can find out the cause of the pathology.
The reasons why your head and neck hurt more often
According to statistics, 70% of people with frequent headaches (headaches) have not only headaches, but also the cervical spine.Cervicalgia can be caused by irradiation of painful sensations or be vertebrogenic in nature. Many men and women with osteochondrosis have a sore head and neck pain. Among all headaches, 15-20% are of a cervicogenic nature.
The reasons why a person has pain in the neck, head and temple:
- excess of work;
- violation of blood circulation in brain tissues;
- cervical spine diseases;
- inflammation of the paranasal sinuses;
- high pressure;
- heart disease;
- menopause period;
- migraine;
- excessive strain on the shoulder girdle muscles.
The most common type of headache is tension headache (HDN). It occurs due to mental tension, severe mental activity or prolonged spasm of the muscles of the neck, back and waist of the upper limbs. For tension headaches, neck massages, reflexology and a short intake of painkillers help a lot.
If you have frequent neck pain and dizziness, don't hesitate to get treatment. Massage of the cervical collar area and acupuncture help to deal with HDN. If after a massage you are still in pain, a thorough examination is necessary. Perhaps there is a serious problem behind the banal headache.
Why does the child have a sore throat?
Sore throat in a baby appears with angina, 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, pharyngeal abscess, lymphadenitis or trauma.
Speaking of childhood illnesses, we should mention torticollis. The pathology is characterized by congenital shortening of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. Due to the defect, the baby's head is in a forced position. It is constantly facing up and away from the defective muscle. A child with torticollis also has a side pain in the neck. The main reason for this is constant muscle tension.
What to do?Pick up your baby right away and go to the hospital. . . The timely search for medical help will help identify the problem in time and initiate treatment.
Which doctor should I consult? It is best to see your pediatrician first. After the examination, the pediatrician will diagnose and prescribe the treatment or refer you to a restricted specialist.
How to relieve acute neck pain
Some people, after hypothermia or weight lifting, complain: "I have pain in my neck, I can't turn my head. . . "This symptom indicates acute inflammation of the spinal roots or neuralgia of the occipital nerve. If you experience these pains, you should always consult a doctor.
To relieve the pain, you can use pills, gels or a patch. In that case, it is best to use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids or heating ointments. Dry heat also has a good effect (thermal pad, heated sandbag or cereal).
Not sure which doctor to consult if you experience unbearable pain in your neck? Since these cervical pains usually indicate inflammation or pinched nerves, you'd better go to a neurologist right away. He will prescribe the appropriate treatment and, if necessary, do the drug block. Injecting corticosteroids can relieve pain quickly and effectively.
How to treat spinal pain in the neck
Neck pain is treated by an orthopedic traumatologist or vertebrologist. After injuries and operations in the cervical region, doctors prescribe that the patient wear a Shants collar. Pain relievers and muscle relaxants are used to relieve pain. To relieve muscle spasms and restore normal scapular waist biomechanics, experts recommend a series of exercises. Therapeutic gymnastics allows you to develop your muscles, restore normal mobility to your spine.
Which doctor should you see if your neck hurts during pregnancy? First of all, you should consult your responsible gynecologist. He will examine you and refer you to a specialist who will prescribe the appropriate treatment.