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 sensationsfamiliar to almost every person.In 1.7-11.5% of people, cervicalgia eventually leads to disability.Let's find out their most common causes and treatment methods.
Classification of cervicalgia
All neck pains are divided into acute and chronic.The first occur suddenly and have a pronounced character.They usually appear after hypothermia, heavy physical exertion 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, somatic superficial and deep.The first occurs due to damage to internal organs.Visceral (referred) pain may indicate a sore throat, diseases of the esophagus or pharynx, acute thyroiditis, dissection of the vertebral or carotid arteries.
Superficial somatic pain occurs in the skin due to injuries or minor scratches, while deep pain is located in the tissues.The cause of the latter is usually muscle tension or pathology of the spine.
How to distinguish visceral pain from somatic pain?The first have a diffuse character, i.e.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 suggested the following:stages of cervicalgia:
- The patient has no symptoms to indicate structural abnormalities.A person's daily activity is not limited and he does not need additional examination or treatment.Such cervical pain disappears after a minimal lifestyle adjustment.
- The person has no signs of serious structural damage to the spine and cervical organs, but his daily activities are slightly impaired.The patient sometimes needs painkillers.To prevent the loss of working capacity, he needs lifestyle changes and special exercises.
- The person has no signs of serious organic damage, but has neurological symptoms.The patient needs an additional examination and comprehensive treatment of the identified pathology.
- The patient notes the appearance of signs of organic changes.He is concerned about severe pain in the neck, which most often indicates injuries, tumors, myelopathies, systemic diseases, etc.The patient needs serious examination and specialized treatment.
In the neck, pain can be central and neuropathic.Cervical pain of central origin occurs in meningitis, acute cerebrovascular accidents, head injury, increased intracranial pressure, and intracerebral tumors.Neuropathic pain occurs due to spinal root pinching, tunnel neuropathies, traumatic nerve damage, polyneuropathy, multiple sclerosis, etc..
The main causes of neck pain
Pain in the neck area can appear from time to time or bother a person every day.Periodic cervical pain, which occurs every few months, is mostly harmless and does not indicate any pathology.They quickly pass after adequate rest or the use of anesthetic ointment.
But constant pain or sudden severe pain in the neck should cause a person serious concern.
Table 1. Main causes
| reason | The 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 exertion.Unpleasant sensations intensify when moving the hands or turning the head.It disappears in a few days |
| Hypothermia | Development of neuralgia - pain in the area of 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 neuralgia is unilateral: the pain occurs only on one side |
| Psychosomatics | Formation of muscle blocks - spastic contractions of the muscles of the neck and shoulder girdle | A person has neck pain for no apparent reason.During a complete examination, doctors cannot find any signs of damage to the spine or diseases of the internal organs |
| Pathological biomechanics of the shoulder girdle | Violation of the normal functioning of the muscles of the girdle of the upper limbs.Stretching and spasm of the trapezius muscle | Slight mobility impairment of the shoulders and cervical spine.Aching pain that worsens after prolonged sitting in the same position or performing physical work |
| Cervical osteochondrosis | The appearance of pathological changes in one or more spinal motor segments.Impaired mobility of the spine, development of myofascial pain syndromes and pinching of spinal roots | Pain, paresthesia and movement disorders 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-rays (osteophytes, reduced distance between the vertebrae, signs of damage to the intervertebral joints) |
| Cervicobrachial sciatica | Development of an inflammatory process in the nerves that form the brachial plexus | One-sided sharp pain that radiates 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 | Formation of inflammatory or purulent foci in the thyroid gland with the subsequent development of a pain syndrome | Acute pain and swelling in the thyroid gland.On palpation, an enlarged, painful, nodular thyroid gland is felt |
| 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, increased body temperature.General weakness, apathy, reduced work capacity |
| Burns of the pharynx or esophagus | Exposure of the mucous membrane to chemicals, high or low temperatures with further development of the inflammatory process | Severe pain along the course of the esophagus, which intensifies when swallowing |
| Tension headache | Constant overstrain of the muscles of the shoulder girdle, frequent stress, depression | Aching diffuse pain in the head, radiating to the cervical region |
| Subarachnoid hemorrhage | Irritation of the brain membranes by effusion of blood 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 further development of neurological symptoms | Sudden pain in the neck radiating to the spine.The patient himself describes his sensations as "an electric shock" |
| Tumors of the spine, lungs, cervical organs | Compression of tissue, nerves or organs by a malignant neoplasm | Pain that lasts 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 side of the neck.When palpating along the sternocleidomastoid muscle, you may feel enlarged, painful lymph nodes |
Overload or hypothermia
If your neck hurts after training, physical activity or prolonged monotonous work, the cause is muscle tension.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 may occur after hypothermia.Due to the effect of low temperature, neuralgia of the occipital nerve develops.The pathology is characterized by paroxysmal, shooting, burning pain 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 go away, you should go to a traumatologist or vertebrologist.
Psychosomatic pain
If you have persistent neck pain for no apparent reason, it may be due to psychosomatics.Muscle blocks can occur due to repressed emotions, stubbornness and one-sided thinking.People with psychosomatic cervicalgia regularly experience pain and tension in the muscles of the cervical vertebrae, but doctors cannot find the cause of this phenomenon even after a thorough examination.
Recent scientific research has established a relationship 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 connection can be used to more effectively treat vertebral shoulder and neck pain in people with neurosis or neurosis-like disorders.
Violation of the biomechanics of the shoulder girdle
The reason your neck and shoulders hurt may be due to the muscles in your shoulder girdle not working properly.Functional weakness of the deltoid and overloading of the trapezius muscles leads to the appearance of myofascial trigger points, which cause the development of pain.Initially, there is soreness in the muscles of the neck, but over time, organic changes develop in the spine.
Incorrect distribution of the load on the muscles of the shoulder girdle is a common cause of cervical pain.It is necessary to eliminate the cause of the pathologies, that is, to restore normal biomechanics in the girdle of the upper limbs.To achieve this, you need to carefully monitor your posture and perform special exercises.
Osteochondrosis of the spine and its complications
Does your neck and spine between your shoulder blades hurt all the time?This may be a signal for the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae.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, collar area;
- tingling in the back of the head;
- limited mobility in the cervical spine;
- sensory disturbances in the upper limbs;
- slight weakness in arms;
- tinnitus, often dizziness, headache.
A person with osteochondrosis has not only pain in the spine in the neck area.Due to reflex muscle tension, he develops myofascial pain syndromes.They are characterized by the appearance of pain, paresthesia and a feeling of numbness in the muscles of the back, shoulder girdle and upper limb.
In the initial stages, osteochondrosis is detected with the help of MRI.Later, the pathology can be diagnosed using radiography.On the X-ray of the cervical spine, a decrease in the distance between the vertebrae, pathological changes in the facet joints and osteophytosis are noted.
Many people complain that they cannot turn their neck due to severe pain that occurs after suddenly lifting something heavy.This phenomenon indicates the formation of a disc herniation.The cause of the pain in the back, neck and upper limb is a pinching of one of the nerve roots coming out of the spinal cord.
Cervicobrachial 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, pinching of a 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 the upper limb.The painful sensations occur acutely and have a burning character.Many people complain of a tingling sensation in the back of the head, crawling on the arm, sensory and motor disturbances in the upper limb.
What to do if your neck hurts, it hurts to turn your head, it's hard to move your arm?Seek medical attention immediately.Cervicobrachial sciatica requires serious treatment that you cannot provide on your own.
Diseases of the thyroid gland
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.On closer examination, an enlarged and painful thyroid gland can be felt.In some cases, several dense infiltrates are found in it.
Many people have neck pain after a diagnostic thyroid puncture.The unpleasant sensations last for several days.The cause of the pain is trauma to the soft tissues during the procedure.
Inflammatory diseases of the cervical organs
In 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 membranes 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 pectoris;
- diphtheria;
- infectious mononucleosis;
- scarlet fever;
- epiglottitis;
- abscess of the pharynx;
- chemical burn of the esophagus.
The sides of the throat and neck most often hurt with 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 a few analgesic tablets help to 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 viral infection, inhalation of hot, cold or polluted air.If the throat and the back of the neck hurt, a retropharyngeal abscess is possible.The pathology is characterized by fever, 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 "bump in the head" and a pulsating sensation 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 when moving.During the examination, tension in the occipital muscles was 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 spine 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's symptom.It is characterized by a sensation of electric shock in the back of the head that 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.Pain can also occur in people with Pancoast cancer, a malignant growth located subpleurally at the top of the lung.
Muscle damage
In some cases, the lateral muscles of the neck hurt in people with myositis, polymyalgia and fibromyalgia.These diseases are characterized by damage to the skeletal muscles of any location.If a person notices tenderness in the neck muscles on the sides for no apparent reason, he may have one of these diseases.
If you have sore muscles in the front of your neck near the larynx, consider whether you recently had to shout loudly, sing loudly, or talk for a long time.Then the cause of the discomfort is overstrain of the vocal cords.
Other possible causes of cervical pain
Pain on the left side of the chest and collarbone extending into the neck usually indicates heart disease.In people with a similar pain syndrome, angina pectoris, arrhythmias, heart failure or heart attack are found.
The sides of the neck can hurt in people with caries, diseases of the oropharynx or nasopharynx.Unpleasant sensations can occur with tonsillitis - inflammation of the tonsils.If pain is noticed in the shoulders near the neck, it may be a consequence of scoliosis of the cervical and/or thoracic spine.
Why do neck lymph nodes hurt?
The cervical lymph nodes are located on the side of the neck, along the sternocleidomastoid muscle.They are usually small in size and can be difficult to feel.In some cases, however, lymph nodes in the neck can become enlarged and painful.This phenomenon should be alarming, as it can indicate serious diseases and even malignant tumors.
Most often, pain in the neck lymph nodes occurs due to their inflammation (lymphadenitis).The pathology develops against the background of tonsillitis, rhinitis or an 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 redness of the skin 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 his head and perform active shoulder movements;
- symptoms of intoxication.Body temperature rises, chills, general weakness, apathy and headache appear.In an acute form of lymphadenitis, intoxication phenomena appear.
Cervical lymph nodes can become inflamed after a long stay in the flow.Most often, the pain is felt in the ear and under the ear of the neck.Under the patient's skin, you can feel slightly enlarged and painful lymph nodes.
Are the lymph nodes in your neck swollen and painful, but you don't know what to do?It's best to see a doctor right away.The specialist will examine you carefully and prescribe you an additional examination.After passing the necessary tests, you can find out the cause of the pathology.
Reasons why the head and neck hurt most often
According to statistics, 70% of people with frequent headaches (cephalgia) have pain not only in the head, but also in the cervical region.Cervicalgia can be caused by radiation of painful sensations or have a vertebrogenic character.Many men and women with osteochondrosis have neck pain that radiates to the head.Of all headaches, 15-20% are of a cervicogenic nature.
Reasons why a person has pain in the neck, head and temples:
- overworked;
- impaired blood circulation in the brain tissue;
- diseases of the cervical vertebrae;
- inflammation of the paranasal sinuses;
- high blood pressure;
- heart disease;
- menopausal period;
- migraine;
- overstrain of the muscles of the shoulder girdle.
The most common type of cephalgia is tension-type headache (TTH).It occurs due to mental tension, heavy mental activity or prolonged spasm of the muscles of the neck, back and girdle of the upper limbs.Neck massage, reflexology and short-term use of painkillers can help with tension headaches.
If you often have neck pain and dizziness, do not hesitate to seek treatment.Cervical massage and acupuncture can help manage tension headaches.If after a course of massage you still feel pain, you should undergo a full examination.Perhaps there is a serious problem hiding behind a banal headache.
What are the causes of a child's neck pain?
Sore throats in babies occur with sore throats, acute respiratory viral infections, rubella, mumps, meningitis and some other infectious diseases.If the child has neck pain on only one side, the cause may be otitis, retropharyngeal abscess, lymphadenitis or trauma.
Speaking of children's 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 is constantly facing upwards and in the direction opposite to the defective muscle.A child with torticollis also has pain on the side of the neck.The main reason for this is the constant tension of the muscles.
what to doTake your baby immediately and go to the hospital.Timely seeking medical help will help to identify the problem and start treatment.
Which doctor should I contact?Best to see a 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 lifting 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 pain occurs, you should always consult a doctor.
To relieve the pain, you can use tablets, gels or patches.In this case, it is best to use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, or warming ointments.Dry heat (a heating pad, a bag of heated sand or cereal) also has a good effect.
Don't know which doctor to turn to if you have unbearable neck pain?Since such cervical pain usually indicates inflammation or pinched nerves, it is best to see a neurologist immediately.He will prescribe adequate 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 area, doctors prescribe the patient to 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 the muscles and restore the normal mobility of the spine.
Which doctor should you see if your neck hurts during pregnancy?First of all, you should visit the treating gynecologist.He will examine you and send you for a consultation with a specialist who will prescribe you adequate treatment.