When the neck hurts: causes and treatments

In medicine, neck pain is called cervicalgia. According to the results of numerous screening studies, they occur in 12-72% of people of working age during the year. This means that the sensationsfamiliar to almost everyone. . . In 1. 7-11. 5% of people, neck pain eventually leads to disability. Let's find out its causes and most common treatment methods.

Classification of the cervical

All painful sensations in the neck are divided into acute and chronic. The former appear suddenly and have a pronounced character. They usually appear after hypothermia, strenuous exercise, or heavy lifting. Chronic pain sensations bother a person constantly, for a long period of time. They are mild, painful in character, and become worse after prolonged sitting 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 may 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, located deep in the tissues. The reason for the appearance of the latter is usually a muscular overexertion or pathology of the spine.

How to distinguish visceral pain from somatic pain? The former are diffuse in nature, that is, a person cannot 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: cervicalgia tadia:

1. The patient has no symptoms suggesting structural abnormalities. The daily activity of a person is not limited, does not need additional tests or treatments. Such cervicals disappear after minimal lifestyle correction.
2. The person does not show signs of severe structural damage to the spine or cervical organs, but his daily activities are slightly affected. The patient sometimes needs pain relievers. To prevent disability, he needs a lifestyle change, special exercises.
3. The person does not present signs of serious organ damage, but neurological symptoms. The patient needs an additional examination, complex treatment of the revealed pathology.
4. The patient notices the appearance of signs of organic changes. You are concerned about severe pain in the neck, which most often indicates trauma, tumors, myelopathy, systemic diseases, etc. The patient needs a serious examination and specialized treatment.

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 is caused by pinching of the spinal roots, tunnel neuropathies, traumatic nerve damage, polyneuropathies, multiple sclerosis, etc.. . .

The main causes of neck pain

Neck pain can occur occasionally or bother a person on a daily basis. Periodic cervicals that occur every few months are usually harmless and do not indicate any pathology. They disappear quickly after a good rest or the application of an anesthetic ointment.

But the constant or sudden and severe pain in the neck should cause a great concern in a person.

Table 1. Main reasons

Cause	The mechanism of development of pain syndrome.	Characteristic signs of pathology.
Hard work or gym training	The formation of large amounts of lactic acid in the muscles. It is this substance that causes painful sensations.	The pain appears the next morning after intense physical activity. Unpleasant sensations intensify with hand movements and head turns. It happens in a few days
Hypothermia	Development of neuralgia: pain in the innervation of the occipital nerves.	Usually a person has pain below the ear in the neck and at the back of the head. In most cases, occipital nerve neuralgia has a unilateral localization - painful sensations appear only on one side
Psychosomatic	Building muscle blocks: spastic contractions of the muscles of the neck and shoulder girdle.	A person's neck hurts for no apparent reason. With a complete exam, doctors do not detect signs of spinal injuries or diseases of the internal organs.
Pathological biomechanics of the shoulder girdle.	Alteration of the normal functioning of the muscles of the waist of the upper limb. Overexertion and spasm of the trapezius muscle.	Slight impairment of mobility in the shoulders and cervical spine. Sore pain that worsens after prolonged sitting in the same position or doing physical work
Cervical osteochondrosis	The appearance of pathological changes in one or more movement segments of the spine. Impaired mobility of the spine, development of myofascial pain syndromes, and pinching of the spinal roots.	Pain, paresthesia 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 X-rays (osteophytes, decreased distance between vertebrae, signs of damage to the intervertebral joints)
Cervicobrachial sciatica	Development of the inflammatory process in the nerves that form the brachial plexus.	Acute unilateral pain radiating to the upper limb. The patient complains of a burning sensation and numbness in the hands and the back of the head. Unpleasant symptoms occur after hypothermia or hard physical work.
Acute thyroiditis	Formation of inflammatory or purulent foci in the thyroid gland with the subsequent development of pain syndrome.	Sharp pain and swelling in the thyroid gland. On palpation, you may feel an enlarged and 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 a sore 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 further development of the inflammatory process.	Severe pain along the esophagus, worse when swallowing.
Tension headaches	Constant overexertion of the muscles of the shoulder girdle, frequent stress, depression.	Diffuse and aching pain in the head, radiating to the cervical region.
Subarachnoid hemorrhage	Irritation of the meninges of the brain with blood spilled 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 increased development of neurological symptoms	Sudden neck pain that radiates to the spine. The patient himself describes his feelings as "electric shock. "
Tumors of the spine, lungs, and neck organs.	Compression of tissues, nerves, or organs by a malignancy	Painful pains that persist for a long time. With pharyngeal or esophageal tumors, a person has difficulty swallowing food.
Swelling of the lymph nodes.	The development of an inflammatory process in the lymph nodes in response to the penetration of an infection, hypothermia, etc.	Painful sensations on the sides of the neck. On palpation along the sternocleidomastoid muscle, enlargement of the painful lymph nodes may 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 sensations completely disappear after 3-4 days.

Neck pain that radiates to the ear may appear after hypothermia.. . . Due to the action of low temperature, occipital nerve neuralgia develops. The pathology is characterized by paroxysmal, stabbing and burning pains in the back of the head. The pathology can be unilateral or bilateral.

Some people often have neck pain after sleeping. This may be due to a 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 syndrome does not go away, you should see a traumatologist or vertebrologist.

Psychosomatic pain

If your neck hurts constantly, for no apparent reason, it may be a psychosomatic issue. Muscle blocks can occur due to suppressed emotions, stubbornness, and one-sided thinking. In people with psychosomatic cervicals, the muscles of the cervical spine regularly ache and stretch, 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 cervicals. As it turned out, increased anxiety and aggressiveness contribute to the development of cervical osteochondrosis. The discovered relationship can be used for more effective treatment of vertebrogenic pain in the shoulders and neck in people with neurosis or neurosis-like diseases.

Violation of the biomechanics of the shoulder girdle.

The reason your neck and shoulders hurt may be due to improper functioning of the shoulder girdle muscles. The functional weakness of the deltoid and the overload of the trapezius muscles leads to the appearance of myofascial trigger points, which provoke the development of the pain syndrome. At first, the neck muscles are sore, but organic changes develop in the spine over time.

Incorrect distribution of load on the muscles of the shoulder girdle is a common cause of neck pain. It is necessary to eliminate the cause of the pathologies, that is, to restore the normal biomechanics in the waist of the upper limb. To achieve this, you need to carefully monitor your posture, perform special exercises.

Spinal osteochondrosis and its complications.

Does the neck and spine between the shoulder blades constantly hurt? This may be a sign of the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. 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.

Typical signs of osteochondrosis:

• pain in the neck muscles, neck area;
• feeling of numbness in the back of the head;
• limitation of mobility in the cervical spine;
• violation of the sensitivity of the upper extremities;
• slight weakness in the arms;
• tinnitus, frequent dizziness, headaches.

A person with osteochondrosis not only hurts 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 limb.

In the initial stages, osteochondrosis is detected by MRI.. . . Later, the pathology can be diagnosed thanks to radiography. On radiographs 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 the severe pain that occurs after heavy weight gain. A similar phenomenon indicates the formation of a herniated disc. The cause of pain in the back, neck and upper limb is a pinch of one of the nerve roots that emerge from 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 the nerve root by spasmodic muscles,intervertebral hernias or osteophytes. . .

People with sciatica have severe pain in the neck, the back of the head, the shoulder, and even the upper limb.. . . Painful sensations arise sharply, have a fiery character. Many people complain of a feeling of numbness in the back of the head, tingling in 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 for you to move your arm? Seek immediate medical attention. Cervicobrachial sciatica requires serious treatment that you cannot provide yourself.

Thyroid gland diseases.

Most thyroid pathologies are not accompanied by painful sensations. And only in people with acute thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid gland), the front of the neck hurts. In addition, patients present with an increase in body temperature, chills, general weakness, body aches, and other signs of intoxication. On closer examination, an enlarged and painful thyroid gland may be felt. In some cases, several dense infiltrates are found in it.

Many people have neck pain after a diagnostic thyroid gland puncture. Unpleasant sensations persist for several days. The cause of pain is soft tissue trauma during the procedure.

Inflammatory diseases of the cervical organs.

With inflammatory diseases of the pharynx and larynx, a person often has a sore throat, and the lymph nodes in the neck swell. The cause of the pathology can be hypothermia, infections, the 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 hurt:

• pharyngitis;
• laryngitis;
• angina pectoris;
• diphtheria;
• Infectious mononucleosis;
• scarlet fever;
• epiglottitis;
• pharyngeal abscess;
• chemical burn of the esophagus.

The throat and neck on the sides are usually 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, hot tea, and pain relievers help you cope with the illness.

If you have a sore throat in the lower neck, you should suspect pharyngitis or tracheitis (inflammation of the larynx or windpipe). The development of diseases is caused by a viral infection, inhalation of hot, cold or polluted air. If the throat and neck hurt from behind, a pharyngeal abscess may develop. The pathology is characterized by an increase in 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 in the back of the head. The patient develops nausea, vomiting, confusion, meningeal signs. A stiff neck 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 the tension of 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 these diseases have a polymorphic clinical picture, and painful sensations are one of the symptoms of the pathology.

Back and spinal 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's symptom appears. It is characterized by the sensation of an electric shock at the back of the head, 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. Also, 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 lateral neck muscles hurt in people with myositis, polymyalgia, fibromyalgia. These diseases are characterized by damage to skeletal muscles of any location. If a person notices neck muscle pain from the side for no apparent reason, he may have one of these conditions.

If you have pain in your neck muscles in the front of your larynx, remember if you recently had to scream loudly, sing or talk for a long time. So, the cause of discomfort is overexertion of the vocal cords.

Other possible causes of cervical

Left chest and collarbone pain spreading to the neck usually indicates heart disease. Angina pectoris, arrhythmias, heart failure, or heart attack are found in people with a similar pain syndrome.

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 noted in the shoulders near the neck, it may be due to scoliosis of the cervical and / or thoracic spine.

Why do the lymph nodes in the neck hurt?

The cervical lymph nodes are located on the sides of the neck, along the sternocleidomastoid muscle. They are usually small in size, but can hardly be found. However, in some cases, the lymph nodes in the neck may become enlarged and painful. This phenomenon should be alarming, as it can indicate serious diseases and even malignant tumors.

Most often, pain in the lymph nodes in the neck is due to their inflammation (lymphadenitis).Pathology develops against the background of tonsillitis, rhinitis or acute respiratory viral infection.. . . The reason may be their defeat by metastasis of tumors of the pharynx, esophagus, lungs 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 swollen lymph nodes;
• painful sensations. A person has pain behind the ear and neck on one or both sides at the same time. It is difficult for the patient to turn the head and perform active movements with the shoulders;
• symptoms of intoxication. Body temperature rises, chills appear, general weakness, listlessness, headaches. The intoxication phenomena appear in the acute form of lymphadenitis.

Cervical lymph nodes can become swollen after prolonged exposure to a draft. Most often, there is pain in the ear and under the ear in the neck. Slightly enlarged and painful lymph nodes may be felt under the patient's skin.

The lymph nodes in your neck are enlarged and painful, but you don't know what to do? It is best to see your doctor immediately. The specialist will examine you carefully and prescribe an additional test. Having passed the necessary tests, you can find out the cause of the pathology.

The reasons why the head and neck hurt more often.

According to statistics, 70% of people with frequent headaches (cephalgias) have not only headaches, but also cervical spine pain.Neck pain can be caused by the irradiation of painful sensations or have a vertebrogenic character. Many men and women with osteochondrosis have neck pain and headaches. Among all headaches, 15-20% are cervicogenic in nature.

The reasons why a person has neck, head and temple pain:

• overwork;
• violation of blood circulation in the tissues of the brain;
• cervical spine diseases;
• inflammation of the sinuses;
• High blood pressure;
• heart disease;
• menopausal period;
• migraine;
• overexertion of the muscles of the shoulder girdle.

The most common type of headache is tension headache (HDN). It occurs due to mental strain, severe mental activity, or prolonged spasm of the muscles of the neck, back, and waist of the upper extremities. For tension headaches, neck massage, reflexology, and a brief intake of pain relievers go a long way.

If you have frequent neck pain and dizziness, don't hesitate to get treated. Massage of the cervical neck area and acupuncture help to cope with HDN. If after a massage course you continue to feel pain, you need a full examination. Perhaps there is a serious problem behind the banal headache.

Why does the child have neck pain?

A 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 a congenital shortening of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. Due to the defect, the baby's head takes a forced position. It is constantly turned upward and in the opposite direction to the defective muscle. A child with torticollis also has flank pain in the neck. The main reason for this is constant muscle tension.

To do?Grab your baby immediately and go to the hospital.. . . Timely seeking medical help will help to identify the problem in time and begin treatment.

Which doctor should I see? It is best to check with your pediatrician first. After the exam, the pediatrician will either diagnose and prescribe treatment or send you for a consultation with a limited specialist.

How to relieve acute neck pain

Some people, after hypothermia or lifting weights, 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 you experience such pains, you should always consult a doctor.

To relieve pain, you can use tablets, gels, or a patch. In this case, it is best to use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, or warming ointments. Dry heat also has a good effect (heating pad, hot sandbag, or cereal).

Not sure which doctor to see if you experience excruciating neck pain? Since these cervicals often indicate inflammation or pinching of the nerves, it is best to see a neurologist immediately. He will prescribe an appropriate treatment and, if necessary, carry out a pharmacological blockade. Corticosteroid injection can relieve pain quickly and effectively.

How to treat spinal neck pain

Neck pain is treated by an orthopedic traumatologist or a vertebrologist. After injuries and operations in the cervical region, 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 series of exercises. Therapeutic gymnastics allows you to develop muscles, return normal mobility to the spine.

Which doctor should you see if your neck hurts during pregnancy? First of all, you need to visit your treating gynecologist. He will examine you and send you for a consultation with a specialist who will prescribe the appropriate treatment.