Everyone has experienced neck pain more than once in their life. If the back of the neck hurts, the cause is most often in the cervical spine. Let's take a closer look at each disease.
Myositis
Hypothermia and colds develop cervical myositis - an acute inflammation of the muscles. A person begins to feel severe pain in the neck and shoulders, a slight rise in temperature. During palpation of the painful area, the skin over the muscle becomes edematous, swollen and hot to the touch. There is severe pain and tension in the neck muscles when you try to turn your head to the affected side.
Myositis can manifest itself against the background of respiratory or viral disease. Then there is pain in the throat, neck, swollen lymph nodes.
Treatment
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs will help stop inflammation quickly and effectively. Various ointments and gels can be used locally. Here it is necessary to add an important fact about the finalgone - it should be rubbed with a thin layer and in no case can not be washed with water.
You can use half-alcohol and warming compresses - with vodka, diluted alcohol or dimexide. Folk remedies also help well: boiled potatoes, rub with honey, apply chopped cabbage leaves.
In addition to treating myositis, colds are treated - antiviral or antibacterial drugs, vitamins, nasal and throat sprays. A spray is a great help to quickly relieve sore throat - a powerful antibacterial and antifungal drug, the effect of which can be felt 20-30 minutes after the start of treatment.
Cervical osteochondrosis
Everyone has heard about the disease, but the reasons for its development still remain a mystery.
Predisposing factors are injuries, long-term forced position, microtraumas of muscles and tendons during strenuous physical activity, dystrophic processes in the spine, old age, menopause.
There is a protrusion, instability, hernia in the cervical spine, compression of nerve roots, impaired blood flow in the vertebral artery, which leads to cerebral ischemia.
All symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are divided into:
- reflex;
- radical and vascular compression;
- spine.
More:
- Reflex symptoms occur with prolonged irritation of the tissue receptors of the pathological spine. Nerve impulses from the affected vertebra enter the spinal cord and cause changes in the surrounding muscles and tissues. The muscles of the healthy side assume all the functions, creating a pathological stereotype of movement. And the muscles on the affected side straighten the displaced vertebrae in a certain position, preventing it from bending further. But they also do not allow to take a physiological position. If a person does not consult a doctor and chiropractor at this time, muscle atrophy occurs, degenerative changes in the vertebral tissues, cervical osteochondrosis occurs. In the future, the progression of the disease leads to inflammation and fibrosis of the muscles of the shoulder girdle, inflammation of the periarticular sac. Reflex symptoms:
- pain along the spinous processes - palpation of the neck will cause discomfort, pain, fever in the vertebrae;
- tension and pain in the back of the neck muscles, aggravated by trying to turn or probe the head;
- cervical - aching or sharp pain in the neck, which may decrease from time to time, giving the person a break. However, with loads, staying in a sitting position for a long time (for example, during flights, long trips by bus or car), the pain will not last long. A person with cervicalgia may occasionally hear a crisis in the neck, feel skin discomfort and numbness;
- Cervicocranialgia - heaviness and aching pain in the neck, spreading over the head. Often the back of the head suffers - there is heaviness, a feeling of "pulsation", numbness, a person wants to support his head with his hands or lean on a hard surface. Periodically there are "hot flashes" - the back of the head and neck burns or freezes. Sleep also suffers - intermittent, shallow, the patient wakes up in the morning dull, indifferent, tired. The pain can spread to any side of the head - photophobia appears, excruciating pain in the temples, neck, eyes, high blood pressure, nausea and vomiting often occur;
- Cervicobrachialgia - pain in the cervical region spreads to the shoulder and arm. There is pain and spasm in the shoulder muscles, stiffness, pain in the shoulder joint, tingling, difficulty in lifting or lifting the arm.
- Compression of the roots and blood vessels of the spinal cord is manifested by vertebral artery syndrome. This is a large complex of various manifestations of compression of the vertebral vessels. There are 3 groups of symptoms that directly indicate the disease:
- Persistent or paroxysmal tremors and painful headaches, burning, unbearable. Increases with long-term restless position, extends from occiput to forehead;
- Cochleovestibular changes - dizziness, instability during walking, various sounds in the ears (clicking, ringing, buzzing). In a patient, dizziness is constant or paroxysmal, worsening a person's quality of life;
- visual pathology - darkening and "flies" in front of the eyes, a feeling of discomfort and "sand", burning, decreased vision.
There are several manifestations of vertebral artery syndrome:
Barre-Lieu syndrome - pain in the posterior cervical and occipital region that extends to the front of the head - "helmet removal". Strengthens at night and after sleep, especially if the person sleeps on an uncomfortable pillow. Dizziness and tinnitus appear when turning the head, darkening of the eyes.
Some migraines - before the migraine seizures appear dark in the eyes, blackheads flash, photophobia. The attack begins with severe dizziness, tinnitus, impaired articulation of the tongue (difficulty in pronouncing human words). Severe pain in the back of the neck, behind the head, forces a person to inactive to reduce the attack. Vomiting is seen at the height of the headache, in severe cases - fainting.
Cochleovestibular symptom - a sharp pain in the back of the neck, wheezing when bowing and turning the head, dizziness, hearing loss and speech comprehension. Often patients are unable to distinguish whispered speech.
Ophthalmic syndrome - impaired vision in the background of cervical osteochondrosis. A person develops rapid eye fatigue while reading, loss of vision, redness of the conjunctiva and lacrimation.
Spondylarthrosis
The disease is characterized by "erosion" of cartilage with bone growth at the edge of the articular surface. The disease occurs at any age, but most often debuts in the elderly. Trauma, inflammation, congenital changes in the joints can lead to the development of spondylosis.
Symptoms
The patient is bothered by excruciating pain in the cervical spine, which is exacerbated by turning and tilting the head. Often a person is unable to turn his head completely to the side, trying to increase the range of motion causes back pain. Pain is reduced in the supine position. In addition to the neck, the spine, knees and thigh joints are involved in the process.
As the disease progresses, narrowing of the intervertebral canal occurs in the neck and lumbar region. Spondylogen myelopathy develops - a chronic disease of the spine with weakening of muscle tone and dysfunction of internal organs. Myelopathy causes increased pain in a person, reduces the speed of blood flow in the arteries of the neck and head.
Spondyloarthritis
Prolonged pain in the back of the neck, inability to fully reach the head to the chest - the symptoms may also indicate rheumatoid arthritis of the spine. The disease develops against the background of polyarthritis - numerous lesions of the joints.
Symptoms
The pain occurs in the back of the neck, spreads to the back of the head, and intensifies when the head is bent back and forth, turning left and right. The person is unable to move his head completely, and the neck muscles are tense and painful. In severe cases, a life-threatening complication develops - bulbar syndrome. Its manifestations are varied and depend on the degree of compression of the medulla oblongata during atlas subluxation. The patient's speech is impaired - slows down, slows down and the person gets tired of speaking quickly. Swallowing is also impaired, especially liquid foods. A person suffocates, fluid flows through the nose or corners of the mouth. Cardiac function is impaired - arrhythmia, tachycardia occur.
In children, cervical spondyloarthritis develops as a complication of acute sinusitis - inflammation of the sinuses. The disease was named Grisel torticollis in honor of a French doctor. The disease is formed with a defect in the articulation of the atlas and the teeth of the axial vertebra.
The symptoms of the disease are specific and allow you to quickly diagnose: the child's head bends towards the source of inflammation and turns a little healthy side.
Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis and spondyloarthritis is the same. The patient needs consultation and treatment with a manual therapist. The specialist will quickly and painlessly replace the vertebrae, eliminating the need for expensive treatment at the clinic. If necessary, a neurologist in a clinic every six months or a year prescribes a course of medication: these are injections given intramuscularly or intravenously and in tablet form.
Collar massage and acupuncture help in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis. You can use a self-massage - rub the neck muscles from the back of the head to the shoulders in gentle circular motions. You can't forcefully massage the neck muscles - it can cause an increase in blood and intracranial pressure.
Patients often use an applicator - the point effect of needles reduces muscle tension, stimulates blood circulation. Applicators should be used only after consulting a doctor and making an accurate diagnosis - needles are contraindicated in the oncological process, because they stimulate tumor growth.
In the case of vertebral artery syndrome and cerebral ischemia, nootropic therapy is mandatory: intravenous injection of drugs that stimulate vascular circulation, increase cerebral oxygenation, reduce dizziness attacks and tinnitus.
Tuberculosis of the spine
With the spread of tuberculosis in the bones and joints, the spine is most affected. The danger of the disease is silent for a long time. Tuberculosis does not manifest itself in 2-4 years. As the disease progresses and the vertebral organs are destroyed, heaviness in the neck and shoulders, indefinite pain in the spine without a clear localization appear.
Man cannot hold his head for a long time, he always tries to support it with his hands. Due to severe pain in the neck, the patient avoids turning his head and bending. As the spine is destroyed, the process spreads to the surrounding tissues, forming an abscess - an abscess in the capsule. At the back of the neck, in a tight elastic consistency, a swelling appears that is slowly increasing in size. An abscess can spread to the pharynx, there may be a cough, difficulty swallowing, and a sore throat.
Treatment of tuberculosis is carried out in a specialized tuberculosis dispensary. Treatment is difficult and time consuming, there are many side effects. Strong bactericidal preparations of synthetic production are used. Course doses are determined with 2-3 drugs. During the treatment, monthly blood and urine tests, mycobacterium tuberculosis are performed. The patient undergoes an X-ray examination every two months.
Cervical spine cancer
Tumors can occur at any age. Neoplasms can grow from cartilage, bone and nerve tissue. The tumor may be an independent disease or it may be a metastatic focus from another organ. Metastases in the cervical region often cause breast, prostate, lung and stomach cancer.
As the tumor spreads, the symptoms will increase: a person will always have neck pain, difficulty in bending and turning his head. There is weakness, sweating, fatigue. The growth of the tumor and the constriction of the roots and blood vessels will cause tremors and weakness of the arms and shoulder girdle, constant headaches and dizziness.
Treatment
Apply:
- surgical intervention - complete radical excision of the tumor within healthy tissue;
- chemotherapy - cytotoxic drugs that slow down the division of tumor cells and prevent their further development;
- radiation therapy - the effect of ionizing radiation on tumor cells;
- Symptomatic treatment - painkillers, narcotic analgesics are most commonly used in the later stages of cancer.
Spinal cancer is a very dangerous disease, its manifestations are often associated with osteochondrosis, and treatment is delayed. Therefore, when there is pain in the cervical spine, X-ray or magnetic resonance imaging should be performed. This will allow you to quickly diagnose and begin appropriate treatment.
At the clinic, MRI is rarely prescribed for financial reasons - but it is paid at many private centers. It is better to pay a few thousand rubles and protect yourself than to treat the disease for a long time without knowing the source of the problem.