Neck pain is a symptom that modern people experience very often, regardless of age and gender. The most common reason is prolonged use of the computer. And in general, a sedentary lifestyle greatly aggravates this problem. But this disease cannot be postponed because the neck is an important part of the body. It consists of seven vertebrae and contains many arteries, muscles, nerves, organs and glands.
The pain may occur due to a seasonal cold or a more serious illness, injury or sprain. There are other factors that can affect whether your neck and head hurt. We will analyze them in more detail in our review, and we will also consider the methods of treatment and prevention of congestion in the area of the cervical collar.
The nature of pain
Sometimes the neck hurts so much that it is difficult to understand in which direction the lesion is located. However, analyze your condition and try to determine the nature and location of the pain. This will help you decide what to do next. There are different types of neck pain:
- Acute - indicates malfunctions in the functioning of the body.
- Chronic - lasts for a long time, subsides and increases again.
- Visceral - the cause is damage to an internal organ.
- Superficial - usually these are minor lesions on the skin.
- Deep is inflammation in the tissues.
- Central - associated with problems in the nervous system.
- Neuropathic - a disorder of the peripheral nerves, but the painful points are not affected.
It's a dull pain
Often, debilitating pain is the body's response to unusually strenuous physical activity. You can feel it the next day after a workout. Under stress, lactic acid accumulates in the muscles. It gives signals to the nerve receptors, this process causes a feeling of painful pain. When you strain your upper body, it's not just your neck that hurts, but your back and shoulders as well. But there are other reasons:
- rachiocampsis;
- myalgia;
- inflammatory process in muscles.
Sharp pain
Attacks of sharp painful shots significantly complicate any movement. Living with these symptoms is very difficult, so get testing and treatment right away. Could be:
- osteochondrosis;
- displacement of the vertebrae;
- neuralgia;
- intervertebral hernia.
Why and what does it hurt?
Pay attention to which side of the neck hurts, if there is discomfort when turning, maybe lumbago radiates to the head or back. Every detail is important before treatment begins.
Only on one side
If the pain is localized only on one side, then there may be several factors:
- Hypothermia - draft or walking without a scarf in the cold season can cause discomfort.
- Muscle Cramps – Working hard during exercise or carrying heavy weights can cause your muscles to become overworked. Remember if you carried heavy bags in the following days - maybe this is the reason.
- An uncomfortable bed – over time, the mattress can sag and the pillow become uneven. And just an unnatural position during sleep can lead to an increase in pain in the neck area. Maybe you need to change something in the sleeping area.
- Cervical radiculitis is a consequence of the development of osteochondrosis. In this disease, the activity of the spinal nerves is disturbed. The result is a sharp pain on one side of the neck.
- Tendonitis is an acute process that occurs in the shoulder joints and can cause pain on the right or left side.
- A retropharyngeal abscess is a complication that can form in an advanced sore throat. Purulent processes spread to nearby tissues, which leads to the formation of an abscess.
All these cases are not unusual and the pain disappears in a few days. You don't need to see a doctor. But there are also more serious situations when the neck hurts on one side - this is an injury caused by a strong rotation of the head. This condition is also often observed in the pathogenesis if the patient has a severe infectious disease, for example, tuberculosis.
Behind
The cervical region consists of vertebrae and is the most mobile, yet the most vulnerable part of the spine. Therefore, if the back of the neck hurts, there may be several factors of a different nature.
- Osteochondrosis - in this case, the neck hurts mainly in the back. The spinal discs become fragile and deformed. Hence: the appearance of cervicalgia - a disease from the field of neurology. In this case, the patient experiences piercing pain and throbbing. Hands and back of head tingle.
- Spinal stenosis is a disease of the spine that is often located in the upper part of the spine, so it may be the reason why the back of the neck hurts. The disease progresses due to narrowing of the spinal canal and may be accompanied by numbness in the extremities.
In the back of my head
The neck and nape are in close proximity, so often these two parts of the body share diseases with each other. Pain in the back of the head can occur due to:
- Sprains. The muscles of the neck are in close proximity to the back of the head, so any damage will cause a headache in the back. This area of the body will react particularly strongly to large-amplitude movements such as jumping or fast walking.
- Spine problems. As we have already indicated above, the neck consists of vertebrae and the back of the head is closest to the first. Therefore, often when there is a breach in the ridge
headache in the back of the head.
It causes headaches
The cause of a headache that occurs due to neck pathology can be stagnation of blood flow in the ridge.
- Sedentary lifestyle - at work you sit motionless in front of the computer for several hours, and when you get home, you do the same in a relaxed atmosphere. Many people live like this now. Therefore, neck pain radiating to the head is not unusual. At the same time, a feeling of weakness and apathy appears. At risk: drivers, office workers, programmers, operators.
- Sudden movements - strong rotation of the neck results in a pinched nerve that pierces and can radiate to the head.
- stress. The psychogenic factor also plays a role in the onset of the disease. Constant nervousness and emotional overload cause tension in the neck muscles and neuralgia.
Growing swelling
Tissue proliferation accompanied by high body temperature indicates that inflammatory processes are taking place in the body. The bumps hurt a lot, you can't touch them and the body is weakened. A swollen lump on the neck is a sign of a serious illness.
- Infectious diseases - the flu or a sore throat can cause a lump to appear. Pain is a sign of purulent inflammation. One of the main symptoms: the patient hurts when swallowing.
- Oncology - neoplasmic processes in the lymphatic system lead to physically noticeable formations.
- A weakened organism - the immune system gives alarm signals.
Neck and shoulder pain
Pain in the neck and shoulder girdle, combined with the growth of a lump, is an eternal companion of people who are constantly engaged in heavy physical labor. The main problem here, as in the previous case, is the growing lump. Only without a high temperature. The formation causes pain to the touch, but not so sharp. However, this factor negatively affects the neck and shoulders. You can get rid of the unpleasant sensations by changing your type of activity to something easier on the body. A lump may be a sign of:
- Fibrolipomas, lipomas or atheroma - the formation can grow from the size of a large wreath to a noticeable bump. The growth process is reflected in the adjacent parts of the body.
- Tumor - to make an accurate analysis, you need to contact an oncologist.
What to do?
If the pain does not subside within a few days, then you should go to the hospital. Doctors will conduct an examination, and for a complete picture you may need to undergo additional tests:
- Tomogram.
- Cardiogram.
- Ultrasound.
- Blood analysis.
- Roentgen.
After a series of examinations, the doctor will draw a conclusion and prescribe the necessary procedures. In the treatment of the neck and collar area, it helps:
- Therapeutic gymnastics - a health complex will help to normalize the processes taking place in the cervical area, as well as in the body as a whole.
- Massage - performed only by specialists in manual therapy, self-massage can only be performed after training with massage therapists.
- Drug treatment - antibiotics and painkillers will help to eliminate pain as a symptom and deal with the cause of the disease if it is infectious in nature. In other cases, tablets are selected strictly individually.
- Course of injections - active substances in injections have better bioavailability, which means that relief will come much sooner than when taking pills.
- Acupuncture is an oriental type of therapy, in which, by influencing certain points on the body, the condition of the body can be significantly improved. It is better to do it in combination with a classic massage.
- Electrical stimulation is the use of pulsed current that helps dilate blood vessels and tones the body.
- Treatment with leeches - these worms are able to saturate a person's blood with useful components. Among them, hirudin is an anticoagulant - a substance that helps improve blood circulation and hematopoiesis.
Gymnastics for every day
Therapeutic exercises will become an effective preventive measure. Just 10 minutes of exercise in the morning and your neck muscles will become stronger and your back more flexible. Perform all exercises 5-10 times.
- Sit up straight in your chair. Slowly and clearly turn your face to the right, then to the left.
- Drop your chin and stretch the top of your head toward the ceiling. Tilt your head back and feel the front of your neck stretch.
- The back remains straight, tilt your head parallel to the floor. Grab your chin with your right hand, turn your face to the right, feeling the side of your neck stretch. Do the same with your left hand to the left.
- In a standing position, stand up, raise your shoulders and leave your arms by your body. Freeze for 10 seconds, relax.
Folk remedies in the fight for neck health
Taking your grandmother's medicine to maintain your health will only improve the results of your treatment. Especially in combination with other methods. Pay attention to the recipes:
- Chicory infusion. One tablespoon of herbs is poured with a glass of boiling water and left for two hours. Strain and drink in small sips throughout the day.
- Mint compress. Pour mint leaves into a glass of water and leave for several hours. Soak a cloth in the mixture and apply to the sore spot.
- Mummy ointment. Mix honey, paprika and mumio and simmer in a water bath for 30 minutes. Cool and apply as an ointment.
- Echinacea. Take the medicine three times a day to strengthen your immune system.
- Add 100 g of honey and the same amount of chopped lard to a glass of warm milk. Take a tablespoon during meals.
The methods described here will help only with mild forms of the disease. And prevention will protect you from them in the future. If the disease causes acute discomfort, do not self-medicate, consult a doctor as soon as possible.